I used to think a video game hunter meant a rifle, a beard, and a forest full of suspiciously convenient deer. Then I played enough open-world games to realize the archetype is more like a Swiss Army knife with a bounty board attached: sometimes it cuts rope, sometimes it cuts through a demon. As of 2026, my favorite hunters still range from tomb raiders to space-faring bounty hunters, and the best ones make every pursuit feel personal.
Lara Croft is the first name that comes to mind when I think about hunters who sneak up on you. She is not a traditional hunter in the bearded-woodsman sense, but in recent Tomb Raider games she tracks animals for materials and bonuses, and she does not stop at rabbits. She takes on wolves, bears, and whatever else the wilderness throws at her. What I like about Lara is that hunting feels like one more item on an absurdly long skill list. She can solve a tomb, survive a fall, and then calmly harvest a deer. It is almost unfair.
Rachel from Ninja Gaiden is a fiend hunter who earns her reputation before you even meet her. The series is brutally difficult, and Rachel fits right in. She is skilled, stubborn, and tragic in a way that makes her more than a cool design. When I think about hunters in action games, I want someone who treats a monster like a problem to be solved with violence and discipline. Rachel is exactly that.
Connor from Assassin's Creed 3 is another favorite because he blurs the line between assassin and hunter. He tracks human targets, yes, but he also tracks animals across the frontier. Going toe-to-toe with a bear is not normal hunter behavior, but Connor is not a normal hunter. He makes the wilderness feel like a second home and a second weapon.
Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 is the hunter I would call a traditionalist with a criminal streak. You can hunt animals across the wilds, or you can hunt people who took the law into their own hands. Both paths pay, and both are fun. I especially like that a hunt can end with a clean shot or with a foe tied up and delivered. Tactfully tying up your prey can be more rewarding than pulling the trigger. That is a strange sentence, but Red Dead Redemption 2 earns it.
Dante from Devil May Cry is not just a mercenary. He is a Devil Hunter, and his prey is demonic. His motivation is personal: revenge for his late mother, plus a complicated relationship with his darker brother. That personal drive makes him more interesting than a simple monster-killing machine. He hunts because he has to, and because he wants to.
Takkar from Far Cry: Primal might be the most traditional hunter on this list because he uses rudimentary tools and still manages to tame the animals he hunts. He fights humans, but the game is at its best when he is dealing with animals. He even proves himself capable enough to join a hunting party for a woolly mammoth. That is not a weekend hobby. That is a lifestyle.
Geralt from The Witcher 3 is a monster hunter and a bounty hunter at the same time. Most of his bounties are for monsters, so monster hunter feels more accurate. Every major hunt comes with complications, which is why I always stock up before a fight. Even a werewolf can become a disaster if you are not ready for the surprises. Geralt is proof that preparation is part of the hunt.
Aloy from Horizon is the hunter who hunts the most unconventional creatures. She takes on robotic dinosaur-like machines with a bow, which sounds impossible until you watch her do it. Some machines are docile, and some are vicious. No hunt is easy for Aloy, and that is why I enjoy her. She makes a bow feel like a piece of future technology.
Samus Aran from Metroid Dread is one of the most famous bounty hunters in gaming. She is not morally gray in the usual bounty hunter way. Her intentions are usually clear, and her targets are usually doomed. She often opposes Space Pirates, and she rarely captures anyone. When Samus shows up, the hunt is already over in her mind.
Then there is you in Monster Hunter: Rise, and now Monster Hunter Wilds in 2025. The beauty of making your own hunter is that every hunt feels personal. You know you are going up against a ferocious beast, but you may not know where you will find it or how you will fight it. Every hunt is a new experience, even when the prey is familiar. A good hunt is a conversation where only one side knows the grammar, and Monster Hunter lets you write your own half of it.
| Hunter | Signature prey | Why I remember them |
|---|---|---|
| Lara Croft | Animals and ancient ruins | Tracking is just another skill in her toolkit |
| Rachel | Fiends | Brutal, skilled, and tragic |
| Connor | Animals and human targets | The frontier is his second weapon |
| Arthur Morgan | Animals and outlaws | Every hunt can end with a rope or a bullet |
| Dante | Demons | Revenge gives the hunt a personal edge |
| Takkar | Animals and humans | Rudimentary tools, mammoth-sized ambition |
| Geralt | Monsters | Preparation is half the battle |
| Aloy | Robotic machines | A bow against dinosaurs never gets old |
| Samus | Space Pirates | Her target is usually doomed |
| You | Whatever the game throws at you | Every hunt feels personal |
Tracking a target in these games is like reading a palimpsest written in mud and rain. You see one story on the surface, but the real story is underneath: a broken branch, a footprint, a nervous bird. That is why I keep coming back to video game hunters. The gun or bow is never the point. The point is the moment before the hunt, when the world goes quiet and you realize the bounty board is a vending machine for bad decisions. And I always press the button. 😄