Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011
| Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Cauldron |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Distributor(s) | Cauldron Games |
| Series | Cabela's Dangerous Hunts |
| Platform(s) |
Nintendo DS PlayStation 3 Wii Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Hunting, Action, Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Story and Multiplayer |
Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 is a hunting video game published by Activision in conjunction with Cabela's for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii. It was released in the US for the DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on October 19, 2010, and for the Wii on October 26, 2010; special editions of the game were released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii that same day bundled with the Top Shot Elite wireless hunting controller. It was released in Australia in 2011.[1][2][3][4] The game's story features the character Cole Rainsford, who, along with his father, are on an African safari to hunt dangerous possessed animals that are terrorizing locals.[5][6] The plot and script for the game is written by the screenwriter Brad Santos.[6] Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 also features shooting galleries as well as multi-level multiplayer modes.[7]
Plot
The game begins in the year 1982 in a cave in Uganda, where Samson Rainsford (the protagonist's father), Mbeki's friend (the player), and their guide, Mbeki, are hunting a creature called and referred to as the "Kaftar" (which the locals think is a demon that can only be destroyed by fire, whereas the player's troops think it's a spotted hyena that is slaughtering thousands of people). The player sees cave paintings that look like hyenas and they hear hyena-like laughter. Samson turns off the lights and turns them back on, and both he and Mbeki's friend are attacked by the Kaftar. Mbeki shoots it, but the bullet takes no effect. The player sees the creature attacking Samson and makes a run for the exit but the Kaftar stops him and strikes Mbeki's friend, killing him. The game shifts to 2001 in Cole Rainsford's (the player character) homeland in Nebraska in winter as a beginner hunter. After Cole takes down an elk, Samson is attacked by a cougar, and Cole shoots it, saving him and it runs off. After tracking down and killing the cougar, the Rainsfords find a campsite that looks like it has been ransacked, and it's clear that a grizzly bear was there. As the family tracks the bear, an avalanche separates Cole from Samson and Adrian who is Cole's brother. He survives the avalanche and continues to track down the bear, fighting wolves and cougars, and dodging beartraps. Then, Cole fights the grizzly bear and kills it. Adrian shows up and compliments him when he and Cole suddenly hear a strange whistling sound. A pack of black wolves with glowing red eyes burst out of nowhere and attack Cole and Adrian. Adrian is mauled to death and dragged away by the wolves as Cole watches helplessly.
After 10 years of not speaking to his father, Cole, in 2011, joins Samson and Mbeki in search of the "Kaftar", not knowing what the species is (some say it's a pride of lions driven to desperation by disease or drought, a theory that Mbeki and Samson don't believe) when, suddenly, a hippo knocks over the boat they are in, separating Cole from Mbeki and Samson. Along the way, Cole fights leopards, Nubian vultures, spitting cobras and crocodiles, and dodges wildebeests and hippos. Then, Cole finds a radio and has to find Mbeki. While searching for Mbeki, Cole fights lions, leopards, vultures, and snakes along the way. Cole finds Mbeki, but he is attacked by a leopard. Mbeki then tells Cole to find medical help. As he walks along, Cole fights more leopards and eventually finds two trucks owned by poachers. He steals one of the trucks and drives away while poachers give chase. Cole picks up Mbeki and he drives, while the player gets in the back with their gun. Cole fights cape buffalo while driving because the animals are mad from the fire the villagers are setting to kill the "Kaftar". Suddenly, an angry white rhinoceros jumps out and chases the truck. It flips the truck over and Cole has to kill it. After killing the rhino, Mbeki thanks him, but pushes him down and leaves him for dead, telling him that he shouldn't have come, but it was meant for his own good.
That night, Cole searches for Mbeki during a wildfire, fighting lions, leopards, and buffalo. He finds Mbeki in an abandoned research facility known as the "Nightfall Program" that studied animal behavior. The next morning, Cole finds baboons raiding the facility. He fights them, while dodging mines. Later, Cole sees the baboons attacking Mbeki in the distance. He snipes them, including the alpha male. Cole races towards Mbeki as he slowly passes away. After giving Cole the key to the gates that lead to the Uganda caverns, Mbeki dies. Cole leaves him and heads for the caves where Samson was attacked 29 years before.
After fighting bats, snakes, and dodging more mines, Cole finds Samson where he was attacked and he tells his son to follow him because he doesn't want Cole to die like Adrian. He walks him to the exit when he steps on a land mine. Before he dies he tells Cole that the "Kaftar" is real and when it's done with himself it will come for Cole, then dies. Cole looks for the exit, but a pack of spotted hyenas attack. Eventually, Cole finds an underground ladder leading to his father's cabin to find it on fire. He walks in and the "Kaftar" intrusively jumps inside from a window. After a long battle, Cole finally kills the beast and jumps onto the window ledge attempting to make his escape from the burning property, instinctively turns back, and sees a picture of himself, Adrian, and their father with the elk Cole took down ten years earlier caught under some debris of the wreckage of the house. The game ends.
Reception
Destructoid called the game's box art ridiculous.[8] A preview from GameSpot describes the game as "survival game first and a hunting game second", that players must fend off dangerous animals that stalk them as well as face various environmental hazards.[5] A preview from UGO says that the change of numbering in the series from sequel numbers to years makes the series look like it's copying the Madden NFL franchise. However, the preview said that the game was successful in creating terrifying effects which included fearsome animals in dark environments, and that it featured a well-constructed shooting gallery mode.[9] Another preview from Destructoid said that the game had more of a Resident Evil feel with the presence of large wolves. They add that the game's intentionally sensitive controls add to the survival-horror gameplay environment, in which hunters normally need to remain still while surrounded by hordes of beasts. The preview also praises the Top Shot Elite for its smooth handling and for its inclusion of an infrared scope, which it says adds to the level of realism to the gameplay.[10] David Scammell of Gamerzines described the game as 'awesome m8' and cited the Top Shot Elite as the forty third best peripheral of 2011.[11]
This game works with PlayStation Move.[12]
References
- ↑ "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 Release Information for DS". GameFAQs. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 Release Information for PlayStation 3". GameFAQs. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 Release Information for Wii". GameFAQs. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 Release Information for Xbox 360". GameFAQs. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- 1 2 McInnis, Shawn (September 29, 2010). "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 Hands-On". GameSpot. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- 1 2 Hinkle, David (July 31, 2010). "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 is about more than just shooting animals". Joystiq. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ "'Top Shot Elite' in Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 by Activision" (Press release). Activision. July 30, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ Aziz, Hamta (July 30, 2010). "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011's boxart is ridiculous". Destructoid. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ↑ Plante, Chris (September 27, 2010). "Can a Hunting Game Scare the Sh*t Out of You?". UGO. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ Bayer, Leah (September 27, 2010). "Preview: Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011". Destructoid. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- ↑ Scammell, David (May 6, 2011). "Review: Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011". Gamerzines. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
- ↑ "Cabelas Dangerout Hunts 2011".