Game On

Art from the game Monster Hunter: World
Art from the game Monster Hunter: World

Title: Monster Hunter: World

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One (PC in Fall 2018)

Cost: $59.99

Rating: Teen for blood, language, alcohol use, violence

Score: 9/10

A total neophyte to the Monster Hunter franchise, I think I've become a convert after trying the latest installment of the action role-playing series. Capcom's Monster Hunter: World is the first time the franchise has been available on home consoles in America, with earlier editions designed for hand-held systems.

At first glance, Monster Hunter: World is an imposing game, with a large variety of weapon choices, upgrade paths for equipment, consumable items, and fairly complicated systems nested within systems. Every weapon has its own learning curve and fighting style, from powerful-but-slow guns and massive blunt weapons to lightning-fast sword-and-shield, with many more in between. There's a deep customization available, which is necessary to deal with the most powerful creatures.

The best method, then, is to just power through, learning a little bit as you go.

Set in a fantasy environment, the game takes place on a continent called "the New World." Hunters are there not to simply exterminate wildlife, but to do zoological and biological studies, ensure the equilibrium of the various species, and hunt and/or trap the most dangerous monsters -- ones that pose a threat not just to this New World but also the Old World, the continent that houses the rest of humanity.

Graphically, the game is quite intense and beautiful, with scores of unique creatures. One of the earliest encountered are the Jagras, reptilian creatures that hunt in packs like wolves, and the docile, cow-like Aptonoths, which resemble herbivore dinosaurs. Soon you'll see (and hopefully avoid) more dangerous foes, such as the Anjanath, a fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The game world is dynamic, with an entire ecosystem and food chain that makes every mission a unique challenge. A mission to capture one creature might be interrupted by the arrival of a second, more powerful foe. Each monster also has its own special abilities and fighting style to thwart hunters and require specialized tactics. Some are heavily armored, others can take to the skies or unleash special attacks.

It's not always clear who is hunting whom, as the Anjanath will try to chase you down and kill you on sight.

I played the demo version of Monster Hunter: World a few months ago, and after several tries with a 4-man party, finally took down that fire-breathing T-Rex, but the battle itself took almost a full 30 minutes. I also felt the gameplay of the official release was far more polished than the demo version, which is a plus.

It's good to remember that while you can embark on missions solo, you are not alone in the fight -- every explorer has his own adorable feline ally to assist him (called a Palico), which will aid in combat and provide a paw-lentiful supply of cat puns. Up to four hunters can tackle missions as well, which is crucial for taking down the most dangerous foes.

Defeating monsters unlocks resources that provide weapon and armor upgrades, making it possible to tackle harder fights, and exploring the environment gives more resources that will help with specialized tactics (like washing the mud off a monster that gets itself dirty to protect itself from attacks) and crafting superior healing potions.

There's a lot of complexity to how the multiplayer and matchmaking system works that I won't get into here, but the big takeaway is that this game provides an endless series of open-world epic boss fights, eventually scaling up to behemoth creatures the size of skyscrapers that require advanced tactics and special equipment.

At the same time, failure is not heavily punished. If you fail a mission, you can simply try again later, as many times as you need. There's even an S.O.S. option that other players online can respond to, jumping into your mission to give assistance in taking down a powerful foe that outmatches you.

Monster Hunter: World has a rather Jurassic Park feel to it, where if you want, you can sort of stand back and just observe the natural world at work, as the creatures go about their lives as prey or predators.

There are microtransactions available for Monster Hunter: World, but the vast majority are merely cosmetic items that allow for different outfits and additional communication options, such as gestures and stickers. That means there's no pay-to-win option. Brand new players can choose a basic version of every weapon type right from the start.

Currently the game is available on the PS4 and Xbox One, but is expected to arrive for personal computers in the fall.

Monster Hunter: World was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

photo

Art from the game Monster Hunter: World

ActiveStyle on 02/19/2018

Upcoming Events