Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has a more complex plot than previous releases in the series, but the storyline still isn't the new release's most important factor. Players take the role of a hunter in training, whose group is attacked by a massive dragon before being dragged into a thick plot of deceit that includes the search for a mysterious artifact and discovering the truth behind a virus outbreak that is making monster hunting more dangerous than ever before. Gamers looking for a deep RPG narrative will be sorely disappointed with the storyline for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, but it's a step in the right direction for the series with enough interesting characters and locations to keep players interested for the duration of the lengthy campaign.
Gameplay in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate centers around traveling to new locations to battle enemies and massive boss monsters. Defeating these enemies rewards players with rare loot. Half of the fun players will have in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will come from learning the attack patterns of boss enemies and learning how best to attack those monsters weaknesses, while the dropped loot is just as exciting and offers players a good distraction after an intense and lengthy boss battle. The formula has worked well for the series in the past, and Capcom has made it even more addictive in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.
Freedom of movement has been stressed in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate in order to give players better controls than ever before. Combat and exploration are both tied to the player's stamina meter, as running, jumping, rolling and swinging a weapon all takes a portion of the rechargeable meter. Players must carefully manage the meter or risk slowing down or even having to pause momentarily in the middle of a fight to allow the character to catch his or her breath. The 3D movement also introduces some new moves including vaulting from higher ledges to land midair strikes on enemies, mounting enemies to land a series of blows on enemies and plenty of other new controls that makes battles even more exciting.
Despite all that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, there are a few issues that take away from the experience in the new release. One problem is the overwhelming amount of weapons available in the game from early on. For experienced players, it's fairly simple to cycle through the plethora of weapons to find the best statistics and weapons that the player enjoys using, while others will find the lack of any real comparison system and walls of text difficult to navigate. Newcomers will eventually find a weapon they enjoy and will stick with the weapon for quite a long time, but finding the perfect weapon can be a time consuming process that really breaks immersion in the title early on.
Another issue with the game comes from online multiplayer. Players can team up in four player matches to tackle the game while still earning gold and loot, but the progress for multiplayer is kept separate from the single player campaign for every player. This can make repeating some of the games more boring missions feel very repetitive an annoying. There are some other good features seen in StreetPass mode though including an ability to collect cards by playing with different players online and simply enjoying the companionship of fellow hunters in an online world that encourages cooperation instead of loot hungry thievery.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a solid looking entry for the franchise. As a Nintendo 3DS exclusive, the game stands up fairly well with other releases on the platform, though the game lacks the overall polish that some of the best looking handheld games have. Character models are a bit rough around the edges, and background images are bland, but character animations look great and only further emphasize the great combat that is present throughout Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. A strong soundtrack also compliments the action and offers some great tunes for slaying massive beasts.
All in all, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a fun and deep experience that rewards players with hours of gameplay and plenty of new content to make the purchase well worth the price invested. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is the biggest entry in the Monster Hunter series, and new improvements for the game make it the best yet. Longtime fans will enjoy the return of some of the series' best encounters, while newcomers will find a rich and enjoyable combat experience that few other games can compare with. Join the hunt in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate only on Nintendo 3DS today!
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is now available exclusively for Nintendo 3DS and can be purchased for $39.99. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Crude Humor & Fantasy Violence. Fore more information on the game, check out the official Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate website.
Game Features:
- Online Multiplayer 1-4
- Hours of New Gameplay
- Over 100 New Items and Equipment
- Two Additional Weapon Classes
- StreetPass Support
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Capcom
Available exclusively for Nintendo 3DS (reviewed)
Release Date: February 13, 2015