Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Headhunter delivers a tight, action-adventure experience that balances fast-paced gunplay with measured stealth mechanics. Playing as Jack Wade, you have a suite of combat moves—ducking, rolling, wall-peeking and climbing—each of which feels responsive and gives you tactical ways to approach encounters. The cover system is intuitive: flattening against walls to survey hostile movements before popping out to strike adds a welcome strategic layer beyond simple run-and-gun.

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Between the on-foot missions, Headhunter spices things up with its motorcycle sequences. Jack races across a sprawling cityscape, following leads to new locations, dodging traffic, and racing against the clock. These segments break up the pacing and put your driving skills to the test, especially when high-speed chases force you to weave through tight city blocks. You’ll need to earn enough skill points in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Licence Approval (LEILA) tests to unlock advanced zones, keeping the progression steady and rewarding.

Progression in Headhunter is built around the LEILA virtual simulator, where you take combat, stealth, and driving exams to upgrade your license. This system ties neatly into the world’s fiction—practicing in VR to earn new weapon access and higher-level clearances feels organic. Collecting and experimenting with gadgets like proximity mines, neurostunners, and the standard Stimulator Automatic guarantees that you’re always adding new tools to your arsenal.

From a controls standpoint, Headhunter is one of the more polished action titles of its generation. The radar in the top-right corner keeps you informed of enemy positions in real time, ensuring that high-stakes shootouts never devolve into unfair ambushes. While some players might find the combination of driving, stealth, and shooting a bit ambitious, the game’s pacing and varied mission objectives make each level feel fresh and memorable.

Graphics

For a game released in the early 2000s, Headhunter’s visuals remain impressive. The environments are richly detailed, from neon-lit alleyways to sprawling industrial complexes. Textures hold up well, and the city’s atmospheric lighting—complete with shadows that dynamically shift during missions—imbues each area with a gritty, lived-in feel.

Character models, especially Jack Wade and key NPCs like Angela Stern, feature expressive animations that elevate cutscenes and in-game conversations. Facial expressions and lip-syncing are surprisingly polished, making story beats more engaging. Enemy troops and boss characters are visually distinct, so you can quickly recognize threats even in crowded skirmishes.

Special effects, such as the electric glow of ENP (Electric Neural Projectiles) weapons and explosive debris from grenades and proximity mines, add spectacle to firefights. These details are complimented by smooth frame rates on the original hardware, preventing jarring slowdowns during intense gun battles or high-speed chases.

While you may notice occasional texture pop-in or simpler background geometry compared to modern standards, these minor flaws don’t detract from the overall visual experience. The game’s color palette and art direction create a cohesive cyberpunk atmosphere that stands the test of time, making your exploration of the ACN-patrolled city an engaging visual feast.

Story

Headhunter’s narrative pulls you in from the moment Jack Wade awakens in a hospital with no memory and a revoked license. This amnesia trope fuels mystery and motivates your quest: finding Angela Stern’s father’s killer while uncovering the truth about your own past. The stakes feel personal, lending emotional weight to each mission.

Angela Stern serves as both a guiding voice and an emotional anchor, communicating via Jack’s CASIO Visual Manager wristwatch. Their interactions provide context for your next objectives and hint at larger conspiracies within the ACN. This dual focus on a contractual bounty hunt and personal redemption keeps the story multi-layered without ever feeling overly complex.

Throughout the game, plot twists and revelations come at a measured pace. The interplay between in-field dialogue, VR training sequences, and cutscenes helps maintain narrative momentum. You’ll find yourself genuinely curious about how Jack’s past trauma connects to the city’s escalating crime war and the high-tech cover-ups orchestrated by shadowy interests.

While some dialogue choices are fixed and exploration of side stories is limited, the main storyline remains engaging from start to finish. The well-crafted endgame ties up loose ends satisfactorily, providing a sense of closure even as it leaves the door open for potential sequels or DLC-style expansions.

Overall Experience

Headhunter stands out as a compelling blend of action-adventure, stealth, and high-speed driving sequences. Its varied mission design and integrated LEILA progression system keep the gameplay loop feeling fresh, ensuring you’ll rarely find yourself repeating the same task. The combination of on-foot combat and motorcycle travel offers a welcome contrast, striking a rhythm that’s both challenging and rewarding.

The game’s polished mechanics, immersive graphics, and gripping storyline come together to deliver a solid, memorable experience. Few titles of its era managed to balance multiple gameplay genres as harmoniously, and Headhunter remains a testament to that ambition. Its setting—a crime-infested future policed by private bounty hunters—still resonates with fans of cyberpunk and action thrillers alike.

Certain elements, like occasional load times between zones or slightly rigid NPC pathing, are minor drawbacks in an otherwise excellent package. Fans of fast-paced shooters or story-driven adventures will find plenty to love, and completionists will appreciate the challenge of mastering every LEILA exam and collecting all available licenses.

Overall, Headhunter offers a deep, engaging journey that rewards both strategic thinking and reflexive combat. Whether you’re diving into the VR tests, exploring the neon-tinted city streets on your motorbike, or unraveling Jack Wade’s mysterious past, this game delivers an action-packed ride that remains enjoyable decades after its initial release.

Retro Replay Score

7.7/10