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About Native Hunter
Native Hunter is a survival strategy game from developer A.P.S that drops you into the role of an indigenous inhabitant of a fictional island inspired by real-world tribes like the Sentinelese. Released December 21, 2025, it blends resource management with stealthy hunting mechanics, all set in a deliberately isolated environment. You gather materials, craft tools, and track animals while avoiding detection, mirroring the self-sufficient lifestyle of the tribe it’s based on. The game emphasizes realism over fantasy, with no modern conveniences or combat systems. It’s a niche take on survival that prioritizes quiet observation and strategic planning over action.
Gameplay
Each session revolves around balancing survival basics: foraging, crafting, and hunting without alerting other islanders. You start with minimal tools, learning to shape spears, set traps, and track prey using environmental clues. Movement is deliberate; loud steps or careless actions risk drawing attention. Multiplayer and co-op modes let you collaborate on resource gathering or coordinate hunts, but solo play feels most engaging. The interface is minimal, relying on contextual prompts rather than tutorials. Progression is slow, requiring patience to master crafting recipes and animal behaviors. Combat is absent entirely, your goal is to outlast and outthink, not fight.
What Players Think
Native Hunter holds a 78% user rating and 72% critic score, with 32% of players completing it. Average playtime is 18 hours, though 58% of the community reports feeling "Intrigued," while 22% call it "Frustrating." Reviews praise the survival systems as "realistic and rewarding," but some call the crafting grind "tedious." The 13% "Amused" and 7% "Bored" splits reflect polarized opinions on its slow pace. Over 67 achievements exist, with an average of 19 hours to unlock them. Players note the lack of save scumming in survival mechanics, which some see as a flaw and others as intentional.
PlayPile's Take
At $29.99, Native Hunter is a niche pick for survival purists who appreciate methodical gameplay over action. It’s not for casual players or those expecting combat; the 18-hour average playtime and 67 achievements suggest a deep but slow experience. The lack of hand-holding might turn off some, but fans of games like Green Hell or The Forest will appreciate the focus on stealth and observation. If you enjoy figuring out survival systems through trial and error, it’s worth a try. Otherwise, skip it, its rewards are reserved for patient, detail-oriented players.
Game Modes
Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
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