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For those not acquainted with the series, Monster Hunter is a skill-based action RPG with a focus on teamwork. Started in 2007 as an experiment the project quickly grew as it reached nearly uncontested fame in Japan. It was later brought to the West trough (mostly) portable installments in the Freedom series (Portable in Japan) with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate being the latest installment available in the Western hemisphere.
What sets Monster Hunter apart from other games is that there are no levels to speak of. All advancement is made solely trough getting better at the game and gaining more skill. It is entirely plausible to go from beginning to end with the gear you were given in the very beginning. You can, however, craft better equipment to ease the process along.
That being another important facet of the game. Monsters don’t drop loot. In stead, killing (or capturing) them gives you a chance of getting some of the items you need to finish off those graves or build that sword you’ve been ogling for a while now.
Why should you care, though?
It is not a game with a strong story (if any to begin with). Rather, it is one that becomes a story. Or stories. Tales of heroic exploits. Tales of facing defeat, only to come around and be victorious. Similarly as with hunting in the real world, you will be left with stories to share and memories to hold with your friends.
I, myself, have spent a fair share of my time with this game and have come away with great tales.
If Monster Hunter sounds like your kind of game and you are interested in trying it, a good starting point would be Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. It will come out early 2015 and will have online multiplayer which will be beneficial for anyone just starting out. Besides that, it will also have the most content out of all the Monster Hunter games yet.
However, if you are just itching to try out the series – another good entry point would be Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. It is now available of iOS devices and is one of the best games in the series. It also has online multiplayer.
Whichever you choose – I hope you enjoy the series as much as I have!
