With the update 1.8.1, many new contents come to the horror shooter Hunt: Showdown. This includes new types of zombies (Grunts) that are designed to heat things up for campers. We at MeinMMO summarize.
What kind of update is this? Last week, the developers of Hunt: Showdown presented the upcoming update 1.8.1 in a developer livestream. It follows the somewhat critically viewed update 1.8.0 and is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
In addition to extensive bug fixes, new legendary hunters, and weapon skins, you can also expect entirely new gameplay content. This includes minor revisions of various maps as well as two new types of zombie NPC opponents, also called Grunts.
The highlights of the upcoming patch:
- Changes to the monetization system – Crytek wants to rely more on game sales than on DLCs. Changes are necessary for this. However, what these will look like is currently still unknown.
- A completely new quest system – There will be more various daily and weekly tasks. You can collect points throughout the week by completing the daily quests, for which there will be rewards. The system is also set to be expanded after update 1.8.1.
- 2 new types of Grunts coming with the update. Additionally, some of the Grunts already in the game will change.
- Some balance changes, including to the weapons with brass knuckles – These now deal as much damage as the brass knuckles themselves.
New Grunt shoots back and annoys campers
The pistol Grunt: One of the two new zombie variations carries a firearm for the first time and is primarily intended to increase the general speed of the game. The zombies equipped with firearms are expected to spawn on all maps and may even carry different weapons.
However, to actually shoot with such a zombie brain is not possible. The Grunts use the firearms in close combat. If one of them hits you with it, a shot is released from the weapon, which is correspondingly far audible.
This makes the new pistol Grunt a sound trap, similar to the ravens and crunching branches already present. However, it is louder and more confusing, as you cannot tell whether a zombie or a player is shooting just by the sound.
Furthermore, the Grunt, like all others, drops its weapons when killed. However, if it has fired a shot before, the weapon is broken and can no longer be picked up.
Why does it annoy campers? The goal is to kill the new Grunts before they can attack you if you want to stay quiet. But since you can’t always move quietly and quickly, the pistol Grunts will significantly speed up the general gameplay and especially annoy campers.
For them, it will not only be harder to move silently. Also, estimating whether two teams are fighting or if a pistol Grunt is at work will become more difficult. This generally makes players feel less safe on the maps of Hunt and pushes them to keep moving.
The lantern Grunt: The second undead fellow, who is newly introduced to the game, carries a lantern. This is randomly either already lit or extinguished. If the zombie then attacks you, the lamp it carries will break.
- If it is lit, he sets you on fire with the first hit
- If it is extinguished, the lamp shatters and leaves an oil puddle on the ground
These oil puddles can then be ignited with any source of fire and burn significantly longer than normal fire would. If you kill the Grunt before he attacks you, he will also drop his lantern, and you can use it like any other lamp found in the game world.
Players are still skeptical after frustrations from the last update
How does the community react? Overall, the announced changes are being well received by fans of the shooter, but the mood is currently rather subdued. The reason for this has been various poor decisions in the past, including update 1.8.0 and the Traitor’s Moon event.
Developer Crytek explained themselves in a livestream and apologized for the recent updates. They stated that they want to learn from the mistakes. Many fans are still not fully convinced. Some say that fundamental issues need to be addressed before adding new content.
Currently, there is a bug in the game that allows you to see and shoot through walls. Furthermore, server issues are commonplace, and just last week, some players reported in a thread that they had been banned for seemingly no reason (via reddit).
Overall, the community hopes that the developers will keep their word, get the bugs under control, and that the new update will once again be a success. The announced changes are generally well received by fans.
What do players say? In a thread on reddit discussing the new update, the comments are fairly positive:
- TheRoot_ writes: “The fact that ammunition boxes now make a sound is really interesting.”
- fcvino writes: “I am a big fan of the pistol Grunt. He will definitely make players feel more anxious and move around more. I love that!”
- Also, Canadiancookie adds: “These sound traps only make the game worse if you always stay in the same place. Namely, where they went off. The changes are great.”
- Ontyyy takes it with more humor: “Even more ways to get destroyed by NPCs. I love it haha.”
What do you think of the changes? Are you currently actively playing Hunt: Showdown and following the latest updates? Or are you not so active at the moment and taking the update 1.8.1 as a reason to check out the shooter again?
MeinMMO author Mark Sellner would support that, as he says: “I played over 700 hours of Hunt: Showdown in 2021, and that’s why you should do it too.“
