Sony’s latest episode of State of Play has just finished and with it came an updated look at Predator: Hunting Grounds that not only revealed the game’s release date, but a revealed a slew of new elements including a female Predator archer! And now an extended trailer has been uploaded Sony’s social channels revealing that the game is also coming to PC!
We now have a release date for Predator: Hunting Grounds. It’s dropping on both PlayStation and PC (via the Epic Store) on April 24th, two days prior to Alien Day so it’s looking like a busy week for Alien and Predator fans! Those that pre-order the game will receive an exclusive ’87 Predator skin, and early access to Blain’s ‘Ole Painless’ mini-gun!
If you’ve read my hands-on report from EGX 2019, you’ll have seen some footage of Hunting Ground’s “Hunter” class in action. This new trailer has shown off a further 2 classes, Berserker and Scout, in addition to several alternate skins for each class.
We also got our first look at what appears to be a female Predator archer! The trailer gave us a glimpse at the as-yet-unnamed-class skin, as well as footage of the bow itself in action! In a new post on the PlayStation Blog, Illfonic CEO spoke in more detail about the inclusion!
“When we first came up with what this game would be, I knew we had to create a world where this ultimate female warrior would exist too. We had fun imagining her backstory which helped us create a fierce warrior that any gamer will have fun playing. She is agile, fast, and relentless. She is a huntress without fear and she thrives in the hunt. In the trailer we see her with a weapon that IllFonic created, the Yautja Bow.
“This is no ordinary bow, it deals massive damage to its prey and will pin the enemy to walls and other structures at death. She has access to the entire Predator arsenal as well.Speaking of the Predator arsenal…this trailer was one of the hardest but rewarding to make because we had so much to share about our Predators. We wanted to be certain we conveyed that the Predator, male and female, is truly the universe’s deadliest adversary.”
Bow
The new trailer also gave us a look at the Predator’s spear and the Smart Disc in action, both of which appeared to be usable as both melee and ranged weapons, with the disc looking like it was actually controllable in flight!
We also got a glimpse at what appears to be a new map based around a satellite disk within another jungle environment. Be sure to head on over to the PlayStation Blog and check out the rest of Chuck’s post, and have a look at some more new screenshots from Predator: Hunting Grounds!
Combstick
Make sure you stick with Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest news on Predator: Hunting Grounds! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums!
https://i.imgur.com/sqtYh99.gif
If you slow the trailer right down at the part where it shows the Predator collecting his trophies (around the 1:30 minute mark) you can see a white smart disc icon in the world indicating that it has to be retrieved. So it looks like it might not always return to the user automatically. Might be an AVP2-type situation where sometimes you either have to collect it yourself or else use energy to bring it back.
https://media3.giphy.com/media/2lvcJidNSvjpu/giphy.gif
It's my understanding the Smart Disc doesn't have sharp edges when its attack mode is off, but is only sharp when activated, which is why when it hangs and bangs against Harrigan's body it doesn't even cut his shirt let alone his torso.
https://i.ibb.co/k9pjvq1/IMG-20191227-145444.jpg
So when you don't think of it as a rotary saw blade, coming back attack-deactivated you can imagine it's actually quite easy for a Predator to catch.
WINNER : SMART DISC !
If the shurikens show up I'd imagine they'd have something like a visible arc to the player indicating where the player needs to be in order to grab them as otherwise they'd get stuck in something or fly off into the distance. So while you could guide the Smart Disk, the shuriken you can carry more of but you can't necessarily control where it goes.
I'd actually like a system where if a weapon gets dropped a Human player might be able to pick it up. We've seen Humans handle Predator gear to some extent so say the shuriken gets dropped somewhere and a player gets it, they could throw it but unlike the Predator they cant catch it so they have to get out of range on the return.
Granted if we're talking about "realism" the smart disc would also probably be deadly as hell to try and catch when it came back to you, but at least the lights and sounds indicate technology is in play, so we can take it as having some sort of guidance system that likely helps with it returning to the user safely. But the shurikens seem like they'd be impossible to catch without slicing your hand off and just operate 100% on the "rule of cool."
At least The Predator tried to explain them a little bit with the mention of them actually having some sort of tech that seemingly has them home back in on the wrist gauntlet or something, but even then the results were exactly what I've always figured should happen with those things.
https://www.avpcentral.com/images/predator-weapons/disc.png
Though I admit, if one forced me on a psychiatrist couch and weeded through this brain of mine, much of my loathing for the Shuriken would be revealed as actual loathing for director Paul W. S. Anderson and his lack of appreciation for the Smart Disc and comparing it to a frisbee!
Go take your Shuriken, your American Football Shoulder Pads, your human eyes and your goofy-way-too-long gauntlet knives and go mess up another beloved creature Paul! Go, get lost!
Okay, now I feel better.
The shurikens are awesome weapons and you know it.
I am totally not biased.
If that's the case I'd imagine it wouldn't be too good of an idea for anyone other than the Berserker, since he'll have the most health by default.
Agreed!
The whip could be a fun inclusion too. Just no shurikens, please!
And yeah I feel like you could be right about them being more AVP-inspired than Predators. That actually makes a lot of sense given how large they came off in that film.
It's also not the Super Predators so I'm not surprised he doesn't look like them. That being said I sincerely hope the Super Predators are playable. They do cameo (at least as a skull) on an Archie Versus Predator cover so it's not like we've forgotten about them.
Still, I'm surprised the Hunter isn't going to be the default class too. It seems like the basic "jack of all trades" archetypes are always the ones you start off with in everything.
And yeah no exact match with that NECA tease here, though maybe it's another mask we haven't seen yet. That "Eclipse" mask hasn't been shown anywhere except the pre-order bonus page from what I can see, so hopefully there are others we haven't seen at all yet too.
I'm definitely surprised the Hunter class is not the default class. That really appears to be the best fit for novice players.
I'm also liking those helmets. I was hoping to see a match to what NECA is working on - it's close but no cigar.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/predator-hunting-grounds-ps4/
Firstly it looks like we'll be starting off playing as the Scout class Predator, rather than the Hunter which is what I initially thought we might have as our default. The Hunter and Berserker classes are unlocked later. The Smart Disc and "Yautja Bow" are also weapons that need to be unlocked after ranking up. Sounds like the Combistick will be available from the get-go.
A description of the three classes:
"Scout Class
The Scout Predator is quick, light, and adept with ranged weaponry. Advantages include speed, stamina and recovery, its energy recharge rate, and the ability to pounce and jump farther. A Scout has a lower health reserve, so has a disadvantage with up close melee weapons and can't carry as much gear as other classes."
"Hunter Class*
The Hunter class is a well-balanced, versatile and adaptive warrior who is in the median with strength, health, speed, stamina and recovery, and overall melee power. "
"Berserker Class*
The largest of the Predators, Berserkers are brutes with the highest health, the strongest melee weapon damage, and significant energy reserves. But with great bulk and towering strength comes slower movement and energy recharge rate, sluggish stamina, and a less-lengthy pounce."
There are also some pics of some of the new masks:
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-mask-01-ps4-05dec19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-mask-02-ps4-05dec19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-mask-03-ps4-05dec19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-mask-04-ps4-05dec19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
A shot from one of the new maps:
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-background-05-ps4-27nov19-en-us?$native_xxl_nt$
Along with the Stargazer-featuring mission from the demo that's been doing the convention rounds the description of the human objectives also mentions "taking out an infamous drug lord", so maybe that map is part of some cartel compound or something like that? Would be cool to maybe get some sort of nod to Hunters 3 in there somewhere since that'll be coming out around about then too, but probably unlikely.
Also a couple of new shots of the soldier characters:
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-scout-01-ps4-27nov19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-assault-01-ps4-27nov19-en-us?$native_md_nt$
I guess that second one is really into Kiss.
I guess a slow plasma shot would be just fine in close combat and for taking out a blind target
The Super Predators did have a gun that fired significantly faster. We know the bolts are fairly slow and so from the games as the best example they have to lead the shot and aim where the opponent is moving.
That being said we do know they have weapons that fire faster and possess better aim like the blazer, it's just that they aren't normally taken on hunting trips. It's also probably why they tend to use the tri-laser as it seems to be a targeting lock for the gun even if they can fire it manually but it seems that can't generally account for a fast moving target even if it gets most things.
It's not something that bothers me personally, but I see where you're coming from. And if we're lucky maybe we'll get to customise the appearance of our weapons too so you could choose one that looks a bit bigger.
Not to mention a great gameplay is the main key to me.
For example a version of plasma caster in the first two screenshots looks weird in comparison to the one in the third one. However I am generally OK with the developers' aesthetical choices for the game.
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-camo-01-ps4-04dec19-en-us?$native_xxl_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-screenshot-04-ps4-04dec19-en-us?$native_xxl_nt$
https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/predator-hunting-grounds-screen-05-ps4-us-19aug19?$native_xxl_nt$
- a tiny version of shoulder cannon that looks more like a toy than intimidating weapon,
- Predator's short feet,
- bulky wrist devices- wristblade and computer bands.
Yes, I know it is the work-in-progress.
Anyway the game looks very satisfactory but two more things I still wish to see are AI bots and City Hunter skin.
https://vulcan.dl.playstation.net/img/cfn/113077k53Q8NF3IUotymT3EEkNfOukdL6WArTqzFHo1ZMUXgXPGvEOznJiSoviNOu09vU8mYSgbkQkph3GXze34u6WsVd7qs.png
I mean, that is just a Predator-ass Predator model, with shades of Greyback too. Just great.
In the trailer one of the masks we saw was this red one:
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/10122019_03b.jpg
Then the screenshots show what looks to be the same mask, only this time it's grey and with a skull-type camo pattern on it:
https://vulcan.dl.playstation.net/img/cfn/11307a2UhFMD_HP9Q5VI631xURsjwsaYY_oUaBpxlxQT2Kt81VoUPnt8WDx2dqJeGfK11QLylgEM7VXYxSqz6wIzcKQvmH_e.png
https://vulcan.dl.playstation.net/img/cfn/11307Xc_4moccGjZ9x5O2AWpLFf1cUUSMZAq095A3UlUr-kYIy3Oikwni7pdUfQDgAgzi8_gPKQDKuI4psTKCl8uyOsBAzT5.png
Add to that the text for the digital deluxe edition, which mentions "Playstation themed Predator and armour skin mask war paint", which implies that we'll be able to add colours/camo to the masks and armour we get (I'm thinking by default it'll be the traditional grey/silver, then we can change it if we want).
If that's the case then that'll be great, because that's just about the best way you could have a customisable video game Predator. It means that even if two people have the same masks and armour on their Predators could still look pretty different from one another.
I was just about to sigh until I clicked that spoiler tag.
I think there's some model change, as well as colour change in there too.
I'm wondering how split the appearance customisation is. Maybe it's a case of getting complete armour sets?
It does rather make me think the pre-order Jungle Hunter skin might be the only movie skin we might get. I hope I'm wrong obviously, but I'm thinking the same, that we might get some customisable cosmetics that are inspired by those Preds rather than straight-up being them.
Thanks for sharing brother! I believe I prefer it masked, but I love that the unmasked head has the tongue!
Don't you toy with my emotions!
Awesome statue though!
Spoiler
https://news.toyark.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/12/Infinity-Studio-Predator-2-Ultimate-001.jpg
https://news.toyark.com/2019/12/13/predator-2-city-hunter-predator-statue-by-infinity-studio-373364
BTW, this one has a forked tongue.