Traps are hazards in HUNGER that threaten the Living and, with the right knowledge, can be turned to a player’s advantage. The game has two kinds: Map Traps that are built into the world itself, and Player Traps that survivors will eventually be able to deploy. Mastering them is a path of its own, rewarded through the Survival Mastery tree.
Map Traps
Map Traps are part of the level design, placed within ruins, beneath bridges, and in the darker corners of each Expedition map. They act as environmental hazards: some explode, some release poison, and others leave the victim bleeding as they scramble to escape. They are meant to threaten the Living, but a player can also use them creatively against the Hunger or against rival survivors.
A Map Trap always occupies the same location, but its chance of being active varies from run to run. Activating one is worth remembering, because a known trap can later be used against a pursuing player or creature. Certain points of interest and many dungeons contain unique trap types or more elaborate arrangements that test observation, patience, and memory as much as reflexes. Reading the environment carefully and recognizing the signs of danger ahead is a survival skill in its own right.
Player Traps
Player Traps are deployable tools that players bring into an Expedition as part of a loadout and place during play. They are not part of the Early Access launch and will arrive later as HUNGER’s arsenal expands. Like most items in the game, player-placed traps will be craftable by anyone with the right profession.
A Player Trap can down or kill other players, and those outcomes feed directly into the trapper’s own down and kill counts, boosting the experience they earn. Traps can also be used against AI to control space, shape engagements, and manage threats from a distance. A player and their allies cannot trigger their own traps, so careful placement is rewarded rather than punished. The developers have said future trap mechanics will include flashing, shocking, smoking, and the ability to make large amounts of loud noise.
The Survival Mastery Tree
Traps are not only to be feared. Through the Survival mastery tree, players can unlock tools and abilities that make traps easier to detect, disarm, and convert to their own use. The Turncoat Mechanism is the standout talent on this path: a player who unlocks it gains the rare ability to assume ownership of traps placed by others, including those built into the world, provided they identify and avoid them first. This lets them move safely through hazards and even turn another player’s trap back on its original owner.
For survivors who invest in this path, the battlefield itself becomes part of their strategy, with every hazard and snare turned into another weapon against the unwary. As the game grows through Early Access, more trap types will be added, both ancient traps placed in the levels and new tools for players to deploy.