Predator: Hunting Grounds Review (PS5): As Repetitive as the Source Material

Predator is one of the most iconic movie franchises of the 1980s that went on to spawn multiple sequels and spin-offs. Thanks to the franchise’s popularity, Predator: Hunting Grounds immediately got recognized and drew in a large number of film buffs and horror game fans. The asymmetrical action game allows you to play as either a member of a four-man fireteam, completing objectives in the South American jungle; or, take on the role of the iconic Predator and hunt down the fireteam invading your hunting space. While this sounds great on the surface, the game doesn’t have enough of that classic 80s nostalgia to keep you going for more than a couple of rounds. 

Welcome to the jungle

Predator: Hunting Grounds pits a group of four players on a fireteam against the fearsome Predator in a nondescript location in the jungles of South America. As your boots hit the ground, you are given objectives that your fireteam must complete. In this, I found enjoyment in sneaking into enemy encampments as they did in the classic film. There were also times when the team went loud, creating panic and potentially drawing in the Predator. Completing the objectives in either manner excited me and made me feel strongly about the game… at first. After a while, the lack of objectives got old and somewhat predictable. The lack of any major map changes also made the game more predictable than anything else. Once I knew where to go, it became all too easy to select a drop point, run to the location, and complete objectives. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even see hide or dreadlocks of the so-called unstoppable killer that is the Predator.

Once I had a few games under my belt, it became apparent that nothing had changed about the game since its original inception. With its original release, the game felt boring after about 10 or so rounds. This is entirely thanks to a lack of maps and objectives to keep the entertainment going. Now, that time has shortened to about five rounds since I already have a basic understanding of the game despite not playing it for a few years. It would have been nice to see Illfonic make some effort to add more to the game than skins.

We’ve got fun and games

Flipping the script, the Predator side of things does offer a bit of a change of pace. No longer are you focused on completing objectives and escaping via helicopter. Instead, your goal is to kill those who are trespassing on your turf. Again, this gets awfully repetitive, especially when you understand the objectives enough that you can run to where the players are and quickly take them out.

There are two types of Predators; those who know how to take other players by surprise and those who don’t understand the game. If you are new to the game, it feels exciting to take up the role of the Predator and hunt down your prey. After years of not playing the game, I found myself enjoying the Predator role since I forgot how to play properly. Once I got the hang of it, I could quickly leap through the trees and take out players from a distance or get up close and personal with my sword. Despite the lack of variety, I did still enjoy the game to some extent even if it did not keep me going for more than five or 10 rounds at a time.

Final Verdict

Predator: Hunting Grounds is a repetitive asymmetrical PvP title that will quickly bore you if you are used to the title or have no absolute love for 80s nostalgia. No matter what side you are playing on, the game becomes incredibly predictable to the point where neither side has much fun. While that was okay for the original release of the title, more effort should have been made to add variety to the game outside of skins.

Predator: Hunting Grounds was reviewed on PlayStation 5 with a code provided by Illfonic. It is also available on PC and Xbox Series X.

More From Us:
Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 Review (PC): Back to the Early Days of Gaming With a Modern Twist