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Posted by: jkdmedia

I have not played a first-person(esque) hunting game in a long time. Since then, there have been a lot of versions from many companies - and on all formats imaginable. Since the NES gave us Duck Hunt, home-videogame hunting was taken to a new level and has been a fun distraction from the usual type of shoot-em-ups. Hunting games give you a reason to blast away without encountering zombies and such. Most are not very graphic in their portrayal of the "violence" associated with game hunting. Yes, there are kills, but it is not gratuitous. Most of us eat meat, and it has to come from somewhere!

Cabela has been a staple of hunting and fishing for years. They hold the title of being the #1 name in hunting games. So, it's natural that they'd explore and provide a version of Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures for every platform, including the Game Boy Advance. In BGH, you can stalk and kill up to ten different animals ranging from Moose and Deer to the ferocious Bear. There are several hunting locations to explore as well, but you have to start with Alaska and earn your way to new grounds by achieving milestone trophies ("kills"). 

Quick Hunt allows you to get right into your (loud) truck and drive to the hunting grounds. From there, you get out and track your target using a call and/or scent. Use the blue arrow at the bottom to determine wind direction - which does effect your ability to sneak up on the animals. Once the animals has been spotted, you can (unwisely) charge right at it and TRY to place your crosshairs on it, or more likely stalk the animal quietly and keep a distance. The scents can be used to draw them in closer, but I barely used this. I preferred to get the animal in site (the icon of the animal will appear in the bottom left of the screen), then stay far back until I could get it in my sights (scope) without spooking it. Then, it's usually a easy shot to one of the two kill zones (heart/chest cavity or head). If you land a kill shot, the animal drops (no blood, moms) and it gives you information about what you bagged. Smaller kills are erased by bigger ones for your trophy count. In Career Hunt mode, you cannot advance until you get certain minimum sizes of the various animals outlined for you. Only then can you unlock new hunting locales and proceed. 

There are two weapons to choose from: a scoped rifle and a shotgun. The latter is only good at short range, but packs a solid load. I opted for the rifle for long-range shooting. If you come across a bear when you should be going after a moose, such a kill is a waste and you will be warned that the animal is not in season. Good thing it's only a game! Once the game is located on your screen, you can track its prints until it is within range before setting your sites and taking a shot. Be aware that the tracks will fade - before your eyes as they age. I found it best to walk parallel to the tracks, versus follow directly behind them. Then, push "A" to activate your scope and place it in the right spot for an easy shot. 

The sounds, in general, are quite bad. The opening music is something more fashioned for a pleasant game of croquet on the back lawn. Once you exit your truck and the stalking begins, it's immediately 100% silent. Thank goodness. The truck, as mentioned, need some muffler work. It sounds like some audio sampling from a Nascar tune-up. The calls and gunfire are not very realistic. The call sounds like .... well ... flatulence. The gunfire sounds "tinny" - like a old arcade tin-can alley shooter. I have heard much better sound from the GBA.

The graphics are good, but nothing ever feels intimate - everything feels far away and too distant. I never felt involved in the game. The hunter runs and walks realistically, and the game seems OK, but when they move, all physics go out the window. They jerk, lunge and turn on a dime with unrealistic motion. It's like watching a film with some frames cut out. Jerky.

The game is easy to learn and fun to play for a very short time. I found it too easy to figure out how to stalk a animal with success. In real life, I have never been so fortunate - not even realistically close. It gives you a feel of limitation and smallness. It does not pull you in for heart-racing action at all. I have played some fishing games that make your heart race and really enthrall you 100%. This falls far short of that, though does provide an occasional thrill of victory here and there. Just enough to not make it miserable to play. 

Gameplay: 5.5
There isn't much to learn, which is good considering the manual is minimal with its information. Knowing hunting as I do was not of help at all. Usually, sporting games are easier for those that are practiced in the physics or technique required. None of that applied here. Walk around and point your gun at things. Shoot. Repeat. The Career Hunt mode did not provide much accomplishment, either. It was not much harder than Quick Hunt, so when you achieve your objectives, you get a quick euphoric "Ahhhh ..." then slip back into boredom. 

Graphics: 6 
So much snow, so little to look at. I think there were a total of four different tree models, but scattered around to make it look more lush. The rocks and water looked good for their designated territories (Alaskan rocks are very jagged and jut out with extreme heights). The overview "driving to your location" graphics are very minimal, but that crucial ... so it does not matter. Walking around provided no great view of - anything. It was sparse and generic. The tracks appear to all be the same. It would have been nice to "zoom" in on a track to see what you are after. Instead, they appear as round gray dots in the snow. 

Sound: 3
The truck needs a tune up. I am surprised ANY animals were around after driving up in that thing! Thankfully, there is no music or other attempts to set a mood during the actual hunting mode. It is totally silent except when you activate a call or fire the gun. The gunfire is bad. Like to trashcan lids being smacked together. With headphones or without, it sounded just as bad. 

Difficulty: Easy
It could have been easier, but I am not sure how. It is not a kids game (Teen rating), but played like one. No manual is really necessary, as it plays so plainly. Walk beside the tracks instead of with them. Stay back (don't spook it) if you spot something close to you. Wait a few seconds, then pull up your sights. Shoot the animal and move on to the next one. 

Concept: 4 
I love Cabela, I really do. I know they have produced some amazingly well-done hunting games, but this was offered nothing new or special. It did not stand out in any aspect. No originality or individuality at all. I'd rate it lower except that I do appreciate that they attempted to provide a "Big Game" offering for such a small platform. I know that is a daunting task.   

Overall: 5
I wanted to love this game - as much as I love their catalogs, gear and other hunting games. But, there isn't much to celebrate in this little game. It's small in size and in fun. It's affordable, but if that's the best thing I can say about a game, there isn't anything else to say. There is some fun-factor to the actual stalking and having access to so many different animals, most of which I have never attempted to hunt in real life. For that alone, I rate it higher than it could be. So, it is not the worst thing I have played in the hunting genre. However, take aim and look for a better trophy for your shelf.