izigame.me

I have wanted to play this game since it released but only recently got a PC capable of running it, and since then I have enjoyed COTW quite a lot so far. There *are* a few things that could still be improved/added even after all this time, and I know quite a few players have made suggestions as well.

First, this is not a "Hunting Simulator", at least not a hardcore or fully realistic one. COTW has some elements of a more realistic hunting game, but has more arcade-like mechanics at the same time.

Graphics look excellent, even by 2024, although some up-close details are lower resolution. Some textures are very low quality for some reason, such as the iron sights on the 45-70 lever action. (I am running with a RTX 4070ti). But the "grand scale" graphics, the landscape and scenery, can often yield some stunning views. Weather is present and has an effect on the game, not just for looks, but can chance the animal's ability to detect the player as well. The Yukon Valley map also has a dynamic snow system, which is fantastic and I wish more games in general implemented such a system.

Outside the visual packaging is where COTW does have some pitfalls.

The player can improve their hunter's capabilities by assigning skills and perks (1 skill and 1 perk alternating between levels until around level 36 iirc) for a total by max level 60 of 22 skills and 22 perks. The problem is some of the skills and perks are classed as "activated skills/perks" i.e. you need to press a hotkey to use said skill or perk, some of which have a prerequisite such as: "can only be active with a shotgun equipped etc." Now, this idea is fine, the problem is while you are allowed to purchase as many "activated skills" as you want to, you can only have one assigned at a time. No ability to cycle though them via another hotkey? You have to go into your skills and perks leveling menu and manually change it. So, in short, you can't have *both* Sight Zeroing and Windage Adjustment activated at the same time, or at least quickly cycle between them. Which is silly, because irl you can do both with nearly every sighting system developed for a firearm save a few exceptions.

On that note, the Zeroing. It's... awkward. It's the best word to use. By default, either without the Zeroing perk active, or before your hunter has leveled enough to get it, the game "auto-zeros" your reticle. I did not know this at the early stage, but certain guns will have different zeros, obviously a shotgun and rifle will be zeroed different, but even between rifles they can be different. One could be zeroed at 100M, another at 150M, and unless you know beforehand, this isn't communicated to the player. You get initially two, and then with the second level of the perk, three preset zero distances. Three? It makes sense if your using ironsights, such as the Double Rifle, though the game's milsurp guns would have irl either a rear ladder sight or a target-style click adjust for ranges between 50-1000 Feet or Meters depending. Some irl hunting scopes do have "quick and dirty" secondary zeros in the crosshairs so you don't have to adjust range if you don't have time, and others can have a BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator), but COTW has none of these things. That means sometimes, unless your close to the zero preset after ranging the animal, you have to guess which zero is actually the one that the game is expecting you to use. 180M away, is the game going to make my shot go in the dirt if I set zero to 150M, or whiff over it's head if I set it to 200M? Won't know until you pick one and pull the trigger. Meanwhile bullet drop doesn't feel necessarily like it's a continuous arc, more like there's a small range for each zero where it goes slightly higher or slightly lower depending on distance.

That's where the more arcade-like aspect of COTW rears it's ungainly head and can make it needlessly annoying. Even if smooth sighting adjustment (plus windage please?) wasn't possible to program in for some reason, the ability to zero in at least 50M increments would be a *far* smarter system.

Another complaint is the map and flora can, and will, eat your shots. I've had terrain features that render nowhere near the zero or the animal and I've watched a puff of dirt as the map just ate the round. Or splinters of wood coming off of pine needles while the actual trunk is a fair distance away.

COTW also expects the player to only aim for vital organ hits. And preferably, *certain* vital organs, as the way the overall rating for a harvest is calculated takes not just the animal's weight and fur variation (and antler size if applicable) but also which ammo was used, vital organ hit or no, trophy organs intact, and less than 2 shots taken. The game only models the heart, lungs, liver, and certain spinal cord sections as "vitals", the brain is also a vital, but since that's a headshot on most animals you'll fail the "trophy organs intact" section. Meanwhile, COTW considers a neck shot on, say, a Blacktail deer as "flesh". So, depending on ammo used, you'll be tracking it for a long time if it does eventually bleed out. Why the main arteries, which are most definitely vital, not modeled as such is silly as well. Once you do find the animal to harvest it the shot review screen is very basic and not much information is communicated to the player aside from a vague idea of where the round went and how far with a very large arrow, which I still don't entirely trust as being accurate to where the bullet went.

Meat loss is not modeled either, and basic trauma from the sheer amount of energy that modern jacketed cartridges can impart is also not modeled. I've had a Sambar Deer run about 450M from a rear headshot, because the bullet missed the brain by maybe a 1/4 inch. Despite the fact that the trauma from such an impact would incapacitate an animal (and no, it's not an ethical shot I am aware since I missed the brain), the thing still ran a ways because, as per COTW's arcade ruleset, it's not considered a vital hit. Animals running with a shot leg makes sense, but that? No, I don't think so, at least not anywhere near that distance.

There is a very nice variety of equipment, and a decent range of calibers available as well. Customization is available, to a point, for all weapons and some equipment pieces. It would be nice if there were more outfits available, and some that aren't the "ultra-modern nanofiber hi-vis hunting outfit ghillie suit 9000" and a more casual plaid jacket, jeans, hunting boots and ballcap. Outfits don't effect how visible you are (or how cold/hot you are) so why not? I personally wouldn't mind more guns and more calibers if they were added in future either. However, more varied scopes could be added than what is currently in-game. Plus, you can drop tents and add your own fast-travel/rest and resupply points almost anywhere on the map, and set up stands for promising areas. But that comes at a price...

The base COTW comes with some of what's described, but most of it is DLC content. And there's a lot of it. Plus, it's already technically installed and taking up disk space, since you can still hunt on a reserve you don't personally own. You'll just need a friend to host a multiplayer server that owns it. DLC weapons and equipment (for the most part) are free in-game and some of it is already in your inventory when you start a new character, meaning if you bought all or most of the gear DLC you'll have a big advantage over a new player that doesn't. Granted, even the DLC guns that are in-game free can't be used until the ammo has been unlocked first, but still, the point stands. I would recommend if you want the fullest experience to wait for a sale when the DLCs are bundled together and discounted.

But all that aside I still have loads of fun with COTW despite the problems, and will continue to do so. Looking forwards to the new stuff Expansive Worlds may add to the game in future.