How You’ll Go From Prey to Predator in Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish

Fans of dark, gritty adventures will love Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish, the newly announced action-RPG from Polish studio Teyon, recently known for the excellent RoboCop: Rogue City.

No relation to the early ’00s action games of the same name, Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish is a fresh take on White Wolf’s horror TTRPG about contemporary monster hunters, as part of their larger World of Darkness setting (alongside Vampire: The Masquerade, Mage: The Ascension, etc.)

Following its reveal during today’s Xbox Partner Preview, we caught up with game director Piotr Łatocha to learn more details about what you’ll actually get up to in Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish beyond the slick, moody cinematic trailer.

What is the central player fantasy of Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish?

Łatocha: You are in the real world – New York, so real city – and the whole thing is that you’ve been living in a lie. As the player, you discover that there is a second world you never knew about, that has monsters lurking in the shadows. Some situations in the story lead you to a point of no return, where you need to pick up the fight and become the hunter or be prey. If you’ve watched the old ‘Supernatural’ TV show, it’s kind of close to that fantasy as well.

How familiar are you and your team with the TTRPG and the larger World of Darkness setting?

Łatocha: I personally played a lot of the original [Vampire: The Masquerade] Bloodlines game. I love that one, but I didn’t play the tabletops actually. But we have a lot of guys in the studio that are huge fans. They know the lore from scratch.

I didn’t actually know the older Hunter: The Reckoning video games – I just learned about them when we started this one. But that was a different approach, because it was more like a beat ’em up action thing, and we’re going full RPG.

We definitely wanted to take an approach much closer to that of the original Bloodlines. So it’s the same world, based on the new 5th edition of Hunter: The Reckoning. It changed a bit because in the old [editions] they play characters who are “imbued” with special abilities. Whereas in 5th edition, there are some more general people who need to fight a stronger enemy, so they need to group into so-called cells. In our game, you belong to one of those cells.

We tried to follow a lot of the book’s rules. Some simplifications were, of course, needed because it’s a big tabletop system. It would be a bit too big for the game, but I still think it’s quite big. We have something like 6 different attributes that are followed by 18 different skills. Like in the original game, the more points you have in a skill, the more dice you roll when there’s a check. And we also have a system that is like advantages and flaws, which is something interesting taken directly from the book.

How is the gameplay generally structured?

Łatocha: It’s a first-person game. We expanded a bit on the RoboCop: Rogue City formula, but this is a slower game with some investigation, with some romance options, companion bonding, a branching story, very different side quests, and very different approaches to solving problems. I believe it’s the best way to approach a cool RPG game.

I would also say it’s a semi-open world game, where you have the main quest line, and then you have a lot of different side quests that you can take on. The main quest follows a rather linear path, but of course it has some branches. You can also build the bond with the companions you have, and you can influence their personal stories, so they can end up with totally different states by the end of the game.

Are you playing a fixed character, or creating your own from scratch?

Łatocha: We have a character editor that is really complex, I would say. You can select from playing a male or female character, customizing the hair, the skin and eye color, body build, etc. – so a lot of small details. You build your character from scratch, assigning attributes, skills, and even more stuff we can share later.

We wanted to have an approach where the player can create their character in their own mind. We really want to support very different characters and playstyles, not only in terms of combat and action, but also how you approach different problems, and how you respond to other people. You can be a very helpful character, or even be a total dick, which can lead to very, very bad ending. We like to keep that open for the player to decide.

Can you give me an example of a player-choice situation you might find in the game, and some of the different approaches you could take?

Łatocha: We basically wanted to support three main archetypes, I would say, so we can always go by force, by stealth, or by your mind. So, the basic example in a lot of quests, you can go by force, beating everyone—we have options for brawling, melee, shooting, and using different weapons. You can also sneak through, or you can find a different solution. If you’re a smart or charismatic character, you can talk your way in. And it’s all fluid. So, for example, if you just pass the first guard with a charisma skill check, that doesn’t stop you from using any other approach. If you want to stealth in, but you’ll get caught, it’s not mission failed – it’s like the game changes to an action setup.

Say you need to get into a company that was closed because there was a crime scene inside. You can use your athletic skills to jump over the fence, or you can hack the keypad to open the door, or you can find some clues, and someone will tell you the pin code, or you can find it in a note. Deus Ex was an inspiration for this approach, alongside of course the original Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines, as well as Baldur’s Gate 3.

Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish is heading to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud in Summer 2027. It will be an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish

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Years have passed since that terrible childhood event that still lingers in the dark corners of your memory. New York seemed like the perfect place to start anew, leaving the shadows of your past behind. Everything is shattered when your childhood friend reappears, forcing you to face a brutal reality: the shadows hide very real, truly monstrous creatures. You become a Hunter, a monster killer, the last line of defence between innocent lives and a looming threat far more powerful than you. Welcome to the World of Darkness. YOU’RE A MONSTER SLAYER Personalize your character, from their appearance to their merits and flaws, before embarking on the hunt. But remember, when facing a millennia-old vampire or a werewolf that can easily claw through iron, you are nothing more than a bag of flesh and bone. It’s your choices that will shape the outcome of the hunt. You’ll need more than luck to survive. Lost in the heart of the city, your safe house is an old bar, which serves as the perfect headquarters to consolidate your resources, organize your equipment, and strategize your next move. As the story unfolds, your safe house evolves, becoming a true hideout for other lonely souls ready to fight the Darkness with you. STALK YOUR QUARRY Knowledge is a weapon, and each clue uncovered about your quarry provides an additional advantage in taking it down. Spy, infiltrate, hack, threaten, steal…. whatever you need to get the job done! However, consider your actions carefully if you want to survive another day, as every decision has consequences. In a lopsided war where you’re outmatched by creatures that defy nature, fighting with your bare hands is not your best option. Instead, how about building a studded baseball bat, sharpening a silver blade, obtaining a gun, or any other esoteric tool from a shady seller. Be prepared for anything that may happen, as you might only have one chance, one roll of the dice, to eliminate your target. JOIN THE CELL You’re not the only one who knows the truth. Others have lifted the veil and chosen to stand against it. They form a Cell: weak humans yet determined to reclaim the night. Meet several companions in misfortune; each has their own story, trauma, creed, and drive. Decide whom to trust, share your secrets… or your heart. Forge deep bonds during investigations or over coffee, before entrusting them with your life in the final confrontation. Their support during missions can be invaluable, but it may also become a burden that leads to a tragic end. After all, no one is immortal among humans. NEW YORK NEVER SLEEPS Paranoia is your greatest survival weapon, because the truth is they’re out there, hiding in the streets of the Big Apple. This bartender could be a werewolf. The store clerk who shot you a smile might be a ghoul. This priest is really a vampire. To unmask and defeat them, you’ll need to use every means at your disposal. But be careful: acting without precaution can draw unwanted attention. You risk ending up on a police record or garnering the attention of far more powerful organisations with little regard for your goals, only theirs. You’re not the only player in this underworld war. Your quest for the truth will lead you through the back streets of New York and beyond the East Coast. You’ll start to uncover the reality hidden within the World of Darkness, but the truth is more horrifying than you ever imagined.