Is Way of the Hunter better than theHunter: Call of the Wild in 2024?

As a passionate hunter and gamer who has tracked the evolution of hunting games for over a decade, I‘ve spent considerable time analyzing every aspect of the two current leaders in the genre – Way of the Hunter and theHunter: Call of the Wild – since WOtH‘s launch in 2022. Based on my in-depth research, I believe WOtH currently provides the most realistic and immersive hunting experience ever produced in a game. However, CotW still holds advantages in supplemental content to complement its solid core gameplay.

Realism Through Superior Animal Behavior and Tracking

The most significant area where WOtH pulls ahead of CotW is the realism of actual hunting, particularly animal behaviors and the methodical tracking process. I‘ve spotted deer in WOtH reacting to subtle sounds and smells in sophisticated ways no other game replicates. Experts agree:

"The deer and elk behave like they’re real wild animals instead of computer programs. They startle, get anxious and calm down, investigate sounds and smells, and even jump and kick in ways that look natural." – PCGamer

Meanwhile, CotW simplifies behaviors, having animals react to threats in more uniform ways. This helps accessibility but diminishes immersion. WOtH also better simulates tracking mechanics through following fur disturbances, droppings, blood trails from failed shots, paw prints, and other signs of passing animals. No other hunting game captures the reality of piecing together clues to pursue your targets.

Verdict: WOtH provides vastly superior realism through animal behaviors and tracking vs CotW

Challenge and Pace – Slow and Meticulous vs Fast-Paced Action

Due to the more complex mechanics and behaviors described above, WOtH delivers a greater challenge. PCGamer again sums up the distinction in pace well:

"Way of the Hunter is slower, tougher, and more meticulous. Call of the Wild is faster and more trigger happy.”

For many hardcore hunting fans, WOtH‘s methodical pace better replicates the careful planning, patience, and persistence of real world hunting. However, CotW‘s faster action may suit players wanting lots of quick engagements rather than spending long stretches tracking that one prized trophy across a reserve.

Verdict: WOtH for slow, challenging realism; CotW for constant action

Environments – Stunning Quality vs Diverse Quantity

Both titles deliver photorealistic and diverse landscapes, but currently emphasize different strengths. Kotaku explains:

“Way of the Hunter looks absolutely gorgeous but is still limited to just two hunting reserves at the moment. Meanwhile, Call of the Wild has a whopping 11 huge maps to pick from."

So CotW wins on quantity, but WOtH perhaps surpasses in graphical quality and details within its two launch regions: rich dynamic foliage, stunning weather effects, diverse time-of-day lighting. Still, CotW‘s maps like Medved Taiga and Parque Fernando remain artistically impressive.

Verdict: Stunning attention to detail within WOtH‘s two maps, but CotW offers far more variety currently.

Weapons and Progression – Rifles Only vs Diverse Arsenal

One obvious advantage CotW continues to hold over WOtH is its wider selection of weapons and progression systems. CotW includes various rifles, shotguns, pistols, and bows along with clothing, accessories, tents, tripods, scents, callers, and stands to unlock. Meanwhile WOtH only has rifles available at launch with bows planned down the road.

So players looking to enjoy mastering different real-world hunting tools will find more options currently in CotW. That said, WOtH creates plenty of diversity simply through choices of scopes, ammunition, blinds, and strategy.

Verdict: CotW offers far more hunting equipment variety and collectables. WOtH focuses on core weapon realism.

Accessibility and Learning Curve

Due to its intricate systems, WOtH has received criticism for lacking tutorialization and challenging new players unfamiliar with hardcore hunting simulations. Its tracking mechanics take time embracing. CotW by comparison features clearer guidance into its gameplay, making it easier to pick up for casual gamers.

“Way Of The Hunter doesn’t do much to explain itself or make things easier for novices. I had to Alt-tab out a few times to visit the Steam forums or wiki before various mechanics clicked.” – RockPaperShotgun

Conversely, expert hunters may desire WOtH‘s steeper mastery curve that better emulates real world techniques. So interest levels in hardcore hunting realism likely determine preferences here.

Verdict: CotW excels in accessibility and tutorials. WOtH provides experts a challenging skills progression.

Content and Features – A Promising Foundation

Given its release in 2022 compared to 2017 for CotW, WOtH unsurprisingly offers less overall content and supplemental features currently. The initial package focuses its efforts instead on delivering best-in-class core hunting mechanics. So the verdict here depends on priorities and projections for the future.

While CotW already has far more weapons, equipment, modes, and post-launch updates, WOtH developer Expansive Worlds has strongly indicated this is just the start, with its DLC roadmap including new regions, gameplay features, and regular events. As the chart below notes, they support their previous hit theHunter Classic to this day.

So in time, WOtH may catch up and overtake CotW in volume of content. But for players wanting maximum options out the gate, CotW remains the choice currently.

Verdict: CotW established itself content-wise over 5+ years but WOtH shows immense potential if properly expanded post-release. Time will tell.

Monetization and Platform Support

Looking beyond just gameplay, an aspect that may concern ethical hunters is CotW embraces more aggressive monetization elements including loot boxes with randomized prize pools in some cosmetic DLC packs. WOtH seems to thus far avoid such tactics, selling precisely scopedadd-on content.

Both support major PC platforms, but WOtH lacks console support for now unlike CotW available on Playstation, Xbox, and even Switch. I expect Expansive Worlds will port WOtH to consoles eventually, but Playstation, Xbox, and Switch players have only CotW for now.

Verdict: CotW offers better platform support currently while WOtH avoids randomized DLC gambling-like systems.

Technical Execution – Stability vs Optimization

While featuring impressive technology enabling its realistic environments and animal behaviors, WOtH has faced criticism for technical issues in early patches. Some players report stability problems and frame rate dips when using higher graphics settings. CotW runs well even on aging hardware based on its years of optimization efforts.

PC Gamer‘s technical review highlights these current instability issues holding back WOtH from achieving its full potential (but surmountable via updates):

"The animals and environment look incredible, but need a framerate to match. Some annoying control issues and bugs, too…It feels a few months from being in a polished state in terms of tech and design."

So CotW likely provides the smoother experience currently for those wanting to avoid dealing with early patching woes. But WOtH sets the environmental visuals benchmark.

Verdict: CotW better optimized and stable. But WOtH offers cutting edge beauty if you have the hardware.

Given the many factors compared in detail across this guide, here is my overall recommendation on choosing between these two excellent hunting game franchises:

For players prioritizing immersive hunting mechanics above all else, Way of the Hunter is currently the game to get in 2024. The superior animal behaviors and need to track animals based on traces in the environment provide unparalleled realism compared to any hunting game before it. WOtH should only strengthen its position as Expansive Worlds keeps expanding features.

However, theHunter: Call of the Wild still leads in supplemental content to complement its smooth core gameplay. It offers the better option if you desire more gear and environment diversity now, plus cross-platform support. And with CotW still seeing regular additions 5+ year post-release, it should satisfy hunters craving long-term variety assuming THG avoid over-bloating the experience. CotW also runs better on a wider range of PCs currently while WOtH still receives optimization.

So in summary based on their different visions:

• Hardcore hunting fans demanding the utmost realism: Way of the Hunter
• Players focused on variety, progression & stability today: TheHunter

But truly, I believe both games can thrive by playing to their unique strengths. As long as gamer interest and revenues remain sustainably strong into the future, WOtH and CotW may co-exist to push the hunting genre in complementary directions for years to come. Fans win thanks to healthy competition driving innovation on both sides!

I‘ll be sure to provide updated impressions on my [YouTube channel] comparing how WOtH expands over time. But for now in 2024, it takes the crown for pure hunting immersion while CotW offers the content variety edge. Which aligns with your priorities? Let me know in the comments!