Hunted: The Demon's Forge, is set in a murky fantasy world and acts as a third-person action video game. The game was developed by inXile Entertainment and then published by Bethesda Softworks for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows consoles.
In Hunted: The Demon's Forge, you have the option of entering campaign mode as Caddoc or E'lara. These “mercenaries” are a lively pair, as Caddoc is packed with the most melee power and E'lara supports Caddoc with a bow. A sacred mission has been bestowed upon our heroes, as saving the world from evil sends these two characters on a quest that was actually in the making for generations.
The first hour in this dark world of Hunted: The Demon's Forge, is never going to be a pleasant one. The preface free introduction does not exactly instill a sense of literary excellence. Combat is limited to a raw mix of “plain ol' shooting and plain ol' stabbing.” But, one of the best things about Hunted is the actual relationship between Caddoc and E'lara. Big, bad Caddoc is known as the coolheaded member of the team, while the sensational E'lara is the brash and hasty one. Their personal quarreling and frivolous in-fighting with each other, as well as disagreements on almost everything is enjoyable and comes to life with some solid voice acting.
When playing with friends, it is important to always coordinate your attacks especially when using your special abilities. Caddoc and E'lara share a set of three spells, but each hero also has their very own unique set of three weapon-based abilities that play off the other character. Caddoc can lift enemies up in the air, with a combination set base for E'lara to finish off. Alternatively, E'lara can freeze bad guys while Caddoc can smash them to bits.
It is a real shame that the cooperative dynamic breaks down once you are paired up with the computer. For those players who are ready to rock out with this adventure solo, you are missing out on a lot of what makes Hunted fun. The A.I. Partner isn't very good as a suitable replacement for another player. We might be stuck with it, too, because online communities are limited.
Despite many of Hunted's flaws, there is a handful of brilliantly executed ideas that make Hunted a difficult game to ignore. Role-playing/shooter hybrids are not a new invention by any stretch of the imagination, as most if not all of these hybrids, simply borrow and transpose the best elements of their amalgamated genres. For better or for worse, Hunted is yet another great hybrid with so much potential still locked under its belt, creating a unique, exciting and promising genre of its own design.