Huntdown

Limited action game has shooting galore, not much else.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Huntdown
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Huntdown is an action game for iOS and Android devices. The action factors heavily on violence, with your goal being to try to kill many of the people you come in contact with. Players will see and do a lot of shooting, and blood's shown when characters die. Sound effects also emphasize the action, and hand-to-hand combat can be involved. Players can choose from four game modes that offer varying difficulty. The free version features a few sample levels and no ads, while the option to buy the game, with 20 levels, is available for $8.99. Players won't see a detailed tutorial when they start playing, but they can view some written information within the app, and should be able to figure out the basics pretty easily. While profanity isn't constant, players may come across some, such as the Bada** game mode.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
Players choose a bounty hunter character and try to kill criminals in HUNTDOWN. Set in a seemingly lawless 21st Century society, this version of the console and PC game features 1980s-inspired pixel-based graphics. Players proceed through urban settings like rooftops and back streets, facing off against criminals and using a variety of weapons. Vehicles explode, players take cover behind objects, and there's shooting -- lots of it. Villains collapse into a pool of blood when killed, which sometimes requires multiple attempts.
Is It Any Good?
This game requires a lot of jumping, ducking, and avoiding incoming fire while shooting at enemies, but there's not much else to the fast-paced action. Huntdown features a fair amount of gore and almost constant violence -- characters shoot at each other, and players, assuming the role of a for-hire bounty hunter, hurl boomerangs, collect gun upgrades, and fight criminals they encounter. The police are present in some scenes, but they don't seem to notice or react to the violence you're involved in.
Because players are dropped into the gameplay without much guidance, there can be a bit of learning curve. They'll need to figure out the controls, which are fairly intuitive, but some elements, such as jumping on top of things, can take some practice -- and may be hindered by the sometimes glitchy controls, which work best when you're using both hands. If players have the patience to click through all the introductory information about the criminals, they'll have a sense of what they're trying to achieve. They will also encounter increasingly difficult foes as they advance. Ones they meet in the beginning of a level, for instance, may be killed with one shot, whereas multiple bullets could be required later on. The app's nonstop challenges and movement offer plenty of excitement -- but parents may not be thrilled with all the violence. Although you can adjust the level of blood in the game settings, shootouts are still a major factor, and characters still die -- and bleed. The bounty hunter also makes sarcastic comments. The app bills itself as a "comedy arcade" game -- but the comments aren't necessarily laugh-out-loud funny and may further desensitize the violence. Given the fact that players need to pay to access the full game because the free version only includes a few levels, Huntdown is probably better suited for an older audience -- there are less violent games you can play that offer as much action, but without all the shooting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the Impact of the violence in Huntdown affected by the way the game seems to make violence appear like it's no big deal? What are some non-violent ways you can resolve confrontations?
What's the best way to identify a goal to work toward in real life? What steps might help? Are there some tactics that don't help in acccomplishing your goals?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, Android
- Pricing structure: Free to try, Paid
- Release date: July 5, 2021
- Category: Action Games
- Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
- Version: 0.1
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 10.0 or later, macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with an Apple M1 chip, or Android 4.4 and up.
- Last updated: July 13, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love action
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate