Take the unlock system, for instance: each of the game's four human classes has unique abilities, three of which must be used enough to earn upgrades and unlock the next Hunter. For example, the Medic, Val, must tranquilise the Monster a certain number of times to level up. By earning enough XP for all three facets of your class, you’ll unlock the next character. However, if only two of the three abilities are upgraded, they’ll stop earning XP towards the later tiers until the third ability reaches its first milestone. This needlessly over-complicated grind feels like a thinly-veiled attempt to hide the limited amount of characters in the game.
It also means players may behave in a way that’s a detriment to the team, focusing on one aspect of your skillset when other abilities might be needed. Which, in a game that values teamwork over everything else, is an issue. Want to skip this grind? Pay extra for one of the ‘limited editions’ available at select retailers and you’ll get the first eight Hunters from day one. It feels like additional content, along with in-game design choices, have come at the cost of the original vision, sacrificed to eek more money out of the product.
Locking characters also feels incongruous to the game's design. Different Hunters are suited to different modes. Take the Trappers, for example, whose skills are crucial for hunting and zoning the beast. Maggie comes with her own Trapjaw, Daisy, who can track down Monsters with her sense of smell. This is very useful in Hunt, the 'main' mode, especially if the Monster is clever enough to jump and crawl away from danger, leaving no tracks to follow. In other modes, like Defend (where the monster comes to the player), Daisy isn’t as vital. Being forced to grind to unlock new characters in order to create balanced matches feels like a bizarre decision, as it lessens the fun of early games.
