Dinosaurs have stomped onto your iDevice in Carnivores - Dinosaur Hunter by Tatem Games. In this port of Carnivores 2 you get to stalk 9 prehistoric mammals in 5 amazing open-world environments with your choice of 6 weapons. Just be careful or YOU may become the hunted!
 
Carnivores is a realistic hunting app and not your typical video game killing spree unless you opt to play survival mode and as such it demands patience. You must track your prey across expansive landscapes, taking into account their ability to hear, smell, see and move much faster than you. The land is full of wildlife and ambient sounds that envelope you in the wilderness. From the buzzing of insects, the call of a Pteradactyl and the waves lapping at the shore to the sound of a Raptor as it munches on your quivering body, the sounds are fantastic and brings the wilderness to life.
 
The first thing I do upon entering a hunt is hit the compass which brings up a map to get my bearings.
The landscape graphics are a little grainy and could use an iPhone 4 update, yet you can't help but be impressed by the realism as the shadows drift across the land and the plants sway in the breeze. The dinosaurs are well-detailed, nicely animated and quite menacing. Their Dino AI belies the small size of their brain as they’ll dodge thru trees as they charge and try to out flank you. The tougher carnivores are quite challenging since you need to target certain areas like the eye of the T-REX. This makes for some very satisfying kills.
 
Starting with a herbivore, your first chore will be to recognize your target amongst the large array of wildlife roaming the land. The landscapes are extremely large so if you tire of the hunt you can take up position and use the dinosaur call or simply escape and retry which usually puts you in close proximity to your prey. You have to employ a little thought as to the wind, sound and your position to bag these bad boys as simply running up with guns blazing will probably turn you into a dino-treat.
Beyond the hunt, it's a thrill to simply explore these gorgeous landscapes, take an underwater swim in the many lakes and rivers, discover subterranean caverns and abandoned settlements or climb mountain tops for awe-inspiring views. It's a naturalist's wonderland.
 
The contols are super-smooth with the d-pad and swipe to look although you'll wish you could back up faster when under attack by a quick Velociraptor or Spinosaurus. You also have the ability to jump. Each kill rewards you with points to open new areas, hunt new dinosaurs or use new weapons and there's a trophy room to display your kills. Carnivores - Dinosaur Hunter is the best hunting app in the app store and creates a remarkable prehistoric playground on your iPhone. 4 Stars.
* Carnivores has now been updated for the iPhone 4 with hi-resolution graphics, retina display support and added blood trails. This update removes virtually all the graininess and jagged edges to give you an eye-popping wilderness experience that showcases the capabilities of the iPhone 4. The price has also been reduced to $2.99 making Carnivores - Dinosaur Hunter a must-have 5 star escape that goes beyond all others in providing a living, open-ended Jurassic experience. It's phenomenal. Here's some iPhone 4 shots.
 
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