The concept of Predator: Hunting Grounds is similar to that of IllFonic’s previous game, Friday The 13th: The Game, and similar multiplayer games including Evolve and Dead by Daylight as well as the most recent, Resident Evil: Resistance. All of these involve similar gameplay elements where you play as either a powered-up monster/person or a group of under-powered humans and attempt to survive and or kill the other player.

You can play as either the Predator itself or as one of four on a fireteam sent into a jungle location to take on a series of objectives similar to the plot of the first film.

Playing as the fireteam takes place in a first-person-shooter view and for the most part, it’s typical FPS stuff. Although it can become increasingly annoying to be playing as special operatives that can’t climb over anything, and don’t happen to carry bolt cutters.

You drop into the jungle and are given an initial objective that involves hacking a computer, or taking out a target. What follows after your first objective is usually one or two follow up tasks which will involve pressing square on several objects, and then waiting as you defend against waves of AI enemies. The finale to whatever mix of rather mundane objective-based gameplay you take on is you having to “get to the chopper!” and make your escape.

Predator play is a different beast: third-person traversal with swift tree-to-tree movement, heat-vision tracking and opportunistic strikes. Stalking a split-off target is thrilling, but if a smart squad stays tight your toolset often feels too limited; laser shots are easy to dodge, and melee melts under focused fire. Unlocks (like nets) help a bit, but don’t meaningfully change the dynamic.

To its credit, matches can crescendo into memorable, movie-faithful set-pieces (that wrist-bomb minigame rocks). Multiple fireteam win states (exfil, capture, kill, survive the blast) add variety, but the Predator’s lone win state is simply “kill everyone.”

Where the jungle gets rough: queue times for Predator are long, and matchmaking sometimes fails after minutes of waiting. Bugs (missing SFX, texture pop-in, AI clipping) and significant frame-rate dips (sub-20fps moments on PS4 Pro) dampen firefights. Launch content is lean: three similar-feeling jungle maps, no alternative modes, and basic PvE objectives.

There are no real-money purchases; loot boxes (earned or bought with in-game currency) deliver cosmetics only, and you can buy specific skins directly with grind currency.

Verdict: Die-hard fans will find enough here, especially in private lobbies with friends where the license love shines and the silliness sings. Solo queue is a tougher sell until IllFonic tightens matchmaking, performance, and variety. The heart’s in the right place; it just needed more time in the oven.