NACON and Neopica have released their Hunting Simulator 2 on the next-gen consoles with technical optimizations and additional content for hunters to enjoy. Boasting many features that take full use of the next-gen consoles, Hunting Simulator 2 brings the traditional 4K, 60 FPS experience to the PS5 and Xbox Series X that nearly all next-gen re-releases are shipping with. For the full review of Hunting Simulator 2, make sure you check out our review of the PS4 release as this review will strictly compare the PS5 version with the PS4 version and how much the game has improved. This is our review of Hunting Simulator 2 on the PS5 in which we shoot some animals in crispy 60 FPS and 4K.
Most of the time, for my comparative reviews, mostly my platforms are different however this time around, I was able to compare the same platform but different generations. Having reviewed the original release on PS4, I was able to notice plenty of noticeable differences between the PS4 and the PS5 release, some of which are instantly visible right from the very first moment you begin playing the game on PS5. This is perhaps the loading times of the game. Taking full usage of PS5’s super-fast storage and increased processor power, the loading times are literally very short, and I do not remember any instance where I spent more than 2 seconds staring at a loading stage.
Considering the fact that how big the maps are in Hunting Simulator 2; the loading times have surely shrunk and are literally next to none. The screen comes and goes within 2 seconds of showing. This is a massive improvement when compared with the PS4 release of the game. Once you have finally stepped out of your hunting cabin, you also instantly notice that the foliage is now thicker, and vegetation is now more detailed. This does not just mean that it looks more detailed and better, but the ground is now covered with more bushes and grass patches. While it was okay in the PS4 release, the PS5 version really increases the detail and the amount of vegetation in the maps.
This however goes both ways because increased vegetation means even tougher hunts as you will be unable to see through the thick vegetation however you certainly enjoy the game more because it looks more realistic. With better ground textures as well, the bloodstains and tracks are now easily visible to your own self as well, and sometimes, you can just follow them to the animals yourself as well. Coming to the animals, the fur now looks a lot better in medium to high range but when zoomed in, sometimes the fur does look a little funny and out of shape. It looks like the fur has not been redone or improved for the next-gen release of the title and still is the same as that of the PS4 release of the game.
The draw distance on the PS5 is also greatly improved however it is still a little dull in open maps where the far areas look really weak in visual quality and only render fully when you get closer to them. While PS5 still has its visual limitations, the game still lacks and I think that it could have been a little bit better. This is especially visible in open areas where the far-off places look like something straight out of a PS2 title with little to no rendering and just some placeholder visuals in place. Most of the maps do not allow such huge viewing distances but two maps in the game have vast, open plains with high mountains which give you a clear view of these plains and the visuals really lack here.
Coming to the DualSense controller, Hunting Simulator 2 does not really make use of much of the new features of the controllers. The most feedback I felt was the vibration of the two feet in either section of the controller. The right foot would cause vibration in the right section while the left foot would cause vibration in the left section of the controller causing a rhythmic vibration as your character walks or runs in the game. Unfortunately, despite it being a shooter, the adaptive triggers do not offer any sort of enhanced feedback, you just use them normally for aiming and shooting without any resistance or anything in them which is a little disappointing. Apart from this, there is no extra use of the DualSense’s advanced feedback or adaptive triggers. The developers were probably too lazy to add extra feedback for the DualSense controller so they went with the same feedback as both next-gen consoles.
While Hunting Simulator 2 is a decent release for the PS5, I was disappointed to see that the DLC for the game is still not included in the re-release and you still have to purchase it separately. With the next-gen release, a single-player story mode ‘Ranger Mode’ is also part of the game however I have not yet played it since it is a paid DLC for the title. There are multiple other packs as DLC as well which are also paid and if you want them, you have to dish out additional money to enhance your experience in Hunting Simulator 2. Also, there is no way to upgrade your PS4 version to the PS5 version at this point so if you bought the game on the previous-gen, you would have to buy it again for the next-gen.
Final Review:
Hunting Simulator 2 on the PS5 takes full use of the increased power offered by Sony’s next-gen console and delivers a hunting experience that is fluid and prettier than before. The enhanced textures and 4K support really make the game shine on the PS5. If you love hunting and want a crispier experience, you should definitely opt for the next-gen release of the Hunting Simulator 2. It is also the only hunting title currently optimized for the PS5 so if you are looking forward to hours and hours of hunting, Hunting Simulator 2 will make sure that you have your fun without actually killing any of the animals in real life. Just make sure that you are ready for some grinding.
Final Score: 7.5/10
