As opposed to previous games, Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2 is more focused on survival rather than hunting. The player takes the role of a famous hunter traveling through many different types of terrain, trying to find out who or what killed his best friend. As with the first game, the hunter has a limited amount of energy and can be injured, which results in failure. There are many weapons, including handguns, rifles, shotguns, knives, and machetes. The game also includes many different animals including a boss, the Yeti. Unlike the first game, this one has only the story mode. During the plot, you're supposed to shoot all 80 stumps in order to unlock a "surprise," which has never really been identified by players, even after completing the difficult task.