Capcom has released Monster Hunter Generations for Nintendo 3DS.
I remember the first time I set down to play Monster Hunter on PlayStation 2 in 2004. It was yet another game where Capcom managed to pull me into their world, and I automatically became engulfed and addicted to every minute of gameplay. There aren't a lot of games that I have went without sleep or food for--but Monster Hunter was one of them.
The gameplay in the Monster Hunter series is very simple--you fight dinosaurs, carve up their bodies for supplies and weapons--while completing small objectives throughout each level. The best part of the game was the ability to party up with other gamers in order to hunt down the biggest dinosaurs out there. The main way to advance is to accept quests that involve capturing, hunting or gathering.
Monster Hunter Generations continues the classic gameplay that the series is known for and adds tons of new features to try out on your Nintendo 3DS. The quests are the same as they have always been--buckle on your hunting gear and embark on a journey to find dinosaurs. Your abilities are based on the armor and weapons you craft throughout the game and this still remains one of the most entertaining aspects of the Monster Hunter series.
In order to make armor and weapons that are powerful enough to take down your prey--gamers have to continuously be on the lookout for new crafting items in stores and while on the hunt. The type of items you craft can give your character special abilities for attacks while granting special defensive bonuses.
Monster Hunter Generations gives players brand new areas to explore and monsters to battle, while adding a new level of immersion to the game's hunting techniques, with Hunting Styles and Hunter Arts. The main objective this time around is to defend four villages (Bherna, Kokoto, Pokke, Yukumo) from a new set of monsters terrorizing the land called the Fated Four. Of course, the game is best played with a full team of four players--so get ready to call up your friends to play local or via online multiplayer.
The new release on 3DS plays beautifully and the controls are very responsive making gameplay an overall enjoyable experience. One of the biggest additions to Monster Hunter Generations is the four new Hunting Styles that includes Guild, Striker, Adept and Aerial. The new hunting styles help add more replayability to the game as you can continuously switch up your style to keep things fun and fresh. The game also adds the new Hunter Arts which allows for universally equippable defensive techniques to help make battles flow smoother than ever before.
In the end, Monster Hunter Generations does everything that you would expect the release to do and then some. The addition of the Hunting Styles and Hunter Arts to the series has really added some unique variation to the traditional gameplay giving diehard fans yet another reason to pick it up. The graphics are vibrant and colorful alongside a soundtrack that is spot on--once again capturing the complete essence that the Monster Hunter series is known for. I greatly enjoyed exploring the newly designed environments while taking on deadly new enemies with some of my ingeniously crafted weapons. If you are a diehard fan of Monster Hunter or always wanted to try your hand within the electrical fences of Jurassic Park, then look no further then Monster Hunter Generations.
Reviewed for Nintendo 3DS