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Posted: 8 months ago, last updated 9 weeks ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer and Jo Robertson.
Overview
Monster Hunter is a series of action role-playing games where you hunt, kill and trap large monsters through wide-ranging landscapes. Each successful hunt rewards you with materials that accrue to slowly upgrade equipment that in turn enables you to face more powerful monsters. The vast landscape, huge range of weapons and tactics make this a unique experience.
You play the game in a pre-industrial fantasy setting where human-like characters give you missions to catch particular monsters. Progression is focused entirely on armour and weapons rather than you character. You craft and equip weapons best suited to the next mission, taking on steadily harder enemies and gaining better loot.
The attraction comes from the enjoyable combat and huge range of weapons (swords, hammers and bows) each with unique attributes and combat manoeuvres. It's like a game entirely made of the boss fights usually found at the end of levels.
You can play on your own (often accompanied by a Felyne or Palico) or with others in the four-player cooperative online modes. This enables your group to hunt down stronger versions of monsters. Together or alone, you work through the main quest from Low-Rank to High-Rank missions.
Monster Hunter Rise followed the progress made by Monster Hunter World including new animal companions that can be ridden into battle, and Wirebugs that enable vertical traversal as well as climbing certain monsters.
You play the game in a pre-industrial fantasy setting where human-like characters give you missions to catch particular monsters. Progression is focused entirely on armour and weapons rather than you character. You craft and equip weapons best suited to the next mission, taking on steadily harder enemies and gaining better loot.
The attraction comes from the enjoyable combat and huge range of weapons (swords, hammers and bows) each with unique attributes and combat manoeuvres. It's like a game entirely made of the boss fights usually found at the end of levels.
You can play on your own (often accompanied by a Felyne or Palico) or with others in the four-player cooperative online modes. This enables your group to hunt down stronger versions of monsters. Together or alone, you work through the main quest from Low-Rank to High-Rank missions.
- Monster Hunter (2004) on PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable
- Monster Hunter 2 (2006) on PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2.
- Monster Hunter Tri (2009) on Wii then enhanced for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
- Monster Hunter 4 (2013) on Nintendo 3DS.
- Monster Hunter: World (2018) on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
- Monster Hunter Rise (2021) on the Nintendo Switch.
Monster Hunter Rise followed the progress made by Monster Hunter World including new animal companions that can be ridden into battle, and Wirebugs that enable vertical traversal as well as climbing certain monsters.
Game Details
Content Rating: PEGI 12
Skill Rating: 12+ year-olds
Release Date: 26/03/2021
Platforms: 3DS and 2DS, PS2, PS4, PSP, Switch, Wii, Wii U and Xbox One
Genres: Action, Fighting, Open World and Role-Playing
Accessibility: 20 features
Developer: Capcom USA (@CapcomUSA_)
Lists
View our choice of games like Monster Hunter. This game is good if you want to:
Commitment
Costs
Monster Hunter usually costs £15.99 to £59.99.
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience.
You need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to play online with Nintendo Switch.
You need to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with PlayStation 4.
You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One. You can purchase consumable items, weapons and cosmetic upgrades.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Monster Hunter Generations
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Stories
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition Digital Deluxe
Monster Hunter: World
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience.
You need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to play online with Nintendo Switch.
You need to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with PlayStation 4.
You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One. You can purchase consumable items, weapons and cosmetic upgrades.
Age Ratings
Content Rating
Rated PEGI 12 because it features depictions of non-realistic violence towards human-like and animal-like characters, as well as depictions of realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters. This game contains frequent depictions of realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters. When creatures are struck, blood appears and they let out grunts of pain. In some cases, parts of their bodies, such as tails, can be removed, although there are no gore effects. When a significant amount of damage has been inflicted, the creatures begin to limp. When defeated, they fall to the floor where their body remains.The game also contains frequent depictions of non-realistic looking violence towards human-like and animal-like characters. Characters can be thrown large distances, both into the air and into objects such as rocks and trees. Human characters grunt in pain when they are attacked and some mild blood effects are shown, although there is no sight of injuries. Human characters tend to recover their balance before continuing the battle.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Skill Rating
12+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. The hunter, resource collecting, weapon crafting loop is enjoyed by pre-teens and teenagers. It requires resilience and planning when heading out to find the next big monster. More recent games in the series are also enjoyed for their team-work.Account Rating
You need be 18-years-old to to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for online play, but can then configure family accounts for younger players to play online with Xbox One.You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to Nintendo Online, but can then create accounts for children of any age to play online with Nintendo Switch.
You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to PlayStation Plus for online play, but can create sub-accounts for younger players of 7-years or older to play online with PlayStation 4.
Accessibility
You can specify how long you have to hold buttons (but not opt for toggles) and whether weapons are Auto Sheathed when not in use. You can control some buttons but not fully remap.
You can choose Hit Effects: Optional to turn down blood animations. You can choose whether you can see your characters outline when obscured and also adjust the visual representation of hits.
You can chat with other players via the on-screen keyboard, or by using preset shoutouts. There are also present ping shouts in certain circumstances. You can register up to three custom groups of preset shoutouts for easy access during a quest. Automatically translated shoutouts cannot be edited, but your shoutouts will be translated to match your companions' languages. You can also send stickers in the chat. Each sticker has a text box in which you can enter your own message.
Our Monster Hunter Accessibility Report documents 20 accessibility features:
You can choose Hit Effects: Optional to turn down blood animations. You can choose whether you can see your characters outline when obscured and also adjust the visual representation of hits.
You can chat with other players via the on-screen keyboard, or by using preset shoutouts. There are also present ping shouts in certain circumstances. You can register up to three custom groups of preset shoutouts for easy access during a quest. Automatically translated shoutouts cannot be edited, but your shoutouts will be translated to match your companions' languages. You can also send stickers in the chat. Each sticker has a text box in which you can enter your own message.
Our Monster Hunter Accessibility Report documents 20 accessibility features:
Games Like Monster Hunter
Our experts have hand-picked the following similar games for you. These offer a similar way to play to Monster Hunter or are games with a similar theme or topic. These are good alternative games to Monster Hunter, or are a younger rated alternative for players not ready for PEGI 12 or ESRB TEEN games.
