DEER HUNT

A deer-hunting simulation can be no better than its basic components - hunting locations, weapons, ammo, gear, and types of prey - and Deer Hunt Challenge disappoints in none of these categories. You won't find manufacturer names like Remington or Winchester when it's time to pick a weapon, nor will you have the option to carry a hand cannon or black-powder rifle to bring down that prize buck - but don't think that means the selections are unsatisfying. Deer Hunt Challenge includes three rifle types (bolt-action, lever-action, and semiautomatic), four kinds of shotguns (pump, semiautomatic, side-by-side, and over-under), and three bows (composite, recurve, and longbow), then beefs up your choices by offering eight types of bullets and three gauges of shotgun shells. Options to change your gun's appearance (black steel or camouflage, in addition to wood grain) are pleasing to the eye but have little impact on the hunt.