‘theHunter: Call of the Wild’ Dropped an Alberta Hunting Preserve DLC, and I Got To Make… Beaver Deceivers? GOTY, FR

I have a confession to make. Hunting games are in my DNA. Yes, I’m born and raised in the Midwest, but I’ve never been a fan of the actual sport. That being said? So many of my early gaming memories were with PC hunting games. Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter: Interactive Big Game Hunting? Inject that nostalgia right into my veins. Deer Hunter II: The Hunt Continues? Pure classic. My brother and I huddled tightly around the Compaq PC we had in the living room, hunting these digital recreations in expert fashion. So, when I learned that theHunter: Call of the Wild would let me head back into the mountains, I had to give it a try. Sure, our Canadian pal is a little chatty, but I’ve been having a blast zipping through the mountains on an ATV and hunting down beavers, mountain goats, and getting mauled by gray wolves.

Crunching Through the Snow in ‘theHunter: Call of the Wild’ Is Strangely Relaxing

While I’ve been a resident of the Midwest my entire life, I’ve never made it across the border into the lands of Canada. This may be the closest I’ll get to doing that for quite a while. If Alberta is anything as it’s portrayed here, though? I’d love to visit. Crunching through the snow, rifle in hand, trying to help keep the land fertile and joyful by preventing a corporation from building a set of hotels and apartments as they see fit. These lands are beautiful, and I’m doing my best to help preservationists keep them that way. The map itself is massive, granting me access to an ATV to blast through the snow with. It’s a little slick and slippery, but I’ve been having the time of my life ripping through the woods with it.

But the main story here is where things shine. Outside of the dense landscape, the main story being told here is incredibly fun. I’ve been trying to figure out what’s making the beaver population go stir-crazy. I’m making fun gadgets like the “Beaver Deceiver”, which is the greatest name I’ve heard for anything ever. Back when I was fully engrossed in the world of hunting games, there was never really a story to follow along with. Just a drop off at a location, and a point-and-shoot adventure. Here? I’ve got to properly mask my scent, keep my volume down, and bag some fresh game.

When I’m Not Tracking Down a Critter, I’m Just Walking Around and Taking in the Sights

One thing that I was genuinely shocked about is how gorgeous the Alberta DLC for theHunter: Call of the Wild is. Yes, I have access to a free ATV. But I’ve spent more time on foot than I have behind the bars of this vehicle. The satisfying crunch of snow, the rustling of branches when I pass them. It’s weirdly serene. Getting the chance to do this with my brother, too? It makes it all the better. The multiplayer portion of theHunter is some of my favorite gaming I’m partaking in at the moment. Calling out shots, tagging and bagging critters. It’s just pure adrenaline, and incredibly fun to do with friends.

There are a few things I hope to see addressed in this DLC, however. Right now, even with Scent Blockers, it feels like animals can spot you from 100+ yards away. It can be a little annoying when you’re tracking down something for the longest time, only for it to bolt because it somehow has sniper vision and can see you from across the map. There are also some glitchy animal interactions, like the time I got surrounded by a pack of Grey Wolves and only one would attack me while the others kind of bumper-car’d off of one another. Outside of these little issues, though? The Alberta Hunting Preserve DLC for theHunter: Call of the Wild is packed with new content, creatures, and a new story.