Games Developer Conference might have just ended, but we are now getting more details on various new games from smaller studios. One of this is Hunter’s Arena, the first game of indie Korean studio Mantisco. Powered using Unreal Engine 4, Hunter’s Arena is a PVP title with various modes, although the core Battle Royale mode was not shown as there simply isn’t enough room at the convention. In place, Mantisco showcased a playable demo with a 1 vs 1 tag team mode. Here are some key points observed for Hunter’s Arena. Read on!
• Originally known as Project W, development on Hunter’s Arena started in June 2017 with full-scale development only starting in August 2018. An indie studio, Mantisco has since grown to 42 strong.
• Hunter’s Arena, crafted using Unreal Engine 4, is set to launch on Steam first, followed by PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A mobile version is also in the works, although it is unclear if there will be cross-platform play.
• Hunter’s Arena is described as a mix between the popular MOBA and Battle Royale genres.
• The main map now hold 50 players, and is about half the size of the Sanhok map found in PUBG. Mantisco is not worried about the map being deemed small, as most of the fighting will take place in close range. Do note that there seems not to be any ranged characters found in Hunter’s Arena.
• For the MOBA elements, players can find monster on the map to hunt and grow stronger. Players can also hide in the bushes. Overall, this might sound similar to Black Desert Online’s Shadow Arena, but there are different features such as instanced dungeon and party play added.
• To explain further, there will be mob spawns similar to MOBA titles which give experience points, while tougher monsters will drop equipment. Instanced dungeon and raids will require parties to complete. Basically, it will be a map with many activities going on.
• There is little need to explain the Battle Royale elements, but Mantisco claims it is working on a transport system which does more than just moving character around.
• As explained earlier, a simple PVP mode was showcased at Games Developer Conference as there wasn’t enough space nor seats to showcase the Battle Royale mode, which needs at least 15 people according to Mantisco.
• Hence, the playable demo was only to showcase Hunter’s Arena graphics and combat systems, which Mantisco is very confident of.
• According to the Korean media, combat even feels similar to that of Tekken’s with the floating juggle combos. There is also an ultimate skill function fueled by successful hits and blocks. It almost seems like a real fighting game instead of a MOBA and Battle Royale mix!
• While the development team is working on 15 characters, it is aiming to have a more realistic 8 characters for launch later this year. The roster seems a bit light for a 50-player battle royale game, but hopefully we can find out more from Mantisco in a future interview.
• Three game modes are being prepared, including the Battle Royale, Tag Team (showcased at GDC 2019), and PVE.
• PVE mode is similar to the horde mode found in other games where players defeat continuous waves and rounds of monsters.
• Mantisco claimed that while Hunter’s Arena can be enjoyed with a gamepad, it is best to use a keyboard and mouse. Players of League of Legends will find the default control scheme more familiar and adapt faster.
• Once again, it was highlighted that Hunter’s Arena has a focus on melee close range combat, hence it is quite different from other titles such as PUBG which relies mostly on ranged attacks.
• To solve the issue of starting a fight, which is tougher for melee combat, Mantisco prepared features such as allowing players to hide in bush to launch surprise attacks and jumping off from cliffs to ambush passing players.
• Although Hunter’s Arena is set to a Steam launch, Mantisco has yet to confirm a business model. Focus Group Tests and Closed Beta Tests will begin in South Korea from April.
