Capcom begins teaching English players how to play Monster Hunter

by Andrew Yoon { May 19th 2009 at 3:40PM }

Are you a Monster Hunter n00b? Don't worry if you are -- Capcom understands that the franchise hasn't been too big outside of Japan. However, things are going to be different this time around. Capcom is trying to recreate the astronomical success Monster Hunter Freedom Unite found in Japan by launching one of its biggest promotions to date. We've already seen viral videos -- what's next?

This tutorial is but the first in a series of videos designed to teach Monster Hunter basics to the masses. Capcom is promising a massive adventure that "delivers over 500 hours of gameplay" through "over 400 missions." Does that pique your interest?

Tags: capcom, monster-hunter, monster-hunter-freedom, monster-hunter-freedom-unite, tutorial

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gibbs @ May 19th 2009 4:20PM

I don't get it, i bought the PSP version because it's suppose to be some great game but the only thing exceeded at was being extremely boring...

I think the Japanese and American markets are too different for a Monster hunter game to make much of an impact in North America... I could be wrong but I'm predicting a HUGE failure in US for this title... After the PSP game I definitly will not even think about picking this up.

Person(a?) @ May 19th 2009 5:48PM

I tought monster hunter sucked hard too... until I played multiplayer, if they can get some of those multiplayer convention thingys they have in japan things would be awesome.

daniel-kun @ May 20th 2009 2:29AM

I found Monster Hunter extremely boring (and difficult), too... but my guess is that it's because infrastructure is just not as strong here as in Japan. I for one don't have a pal that I see regularly and owns a PSP.

Budokan @ May 19th 2009 4:29PM

Grinding levels, upgrading equipment, mining, gathering, crafting, and of course fishing. Sounds pretty much like every other fantasy MMO that has been released in the last 5 years. Why is this game so popular? Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions, but based on this preview, this looks exactly like FFXI.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ May 19th 2009 4:54PM

You are mistaken, sir. It is not an RPG, it's a hack n' slash hunting game with rpg elements. These RPG elements include a very complicated weapon and armor crafting system and item combinations, as well as mining and farming ingredients.
You do not gain levels, but gain access to better armor and weapons as you hunt more difficult beasts.

As for hunting the monsters, this game really requires skill. The problem with a western audience might be that many don't have the patience to get good at it and therefore give up too soon. But this is where the game really shines. When you take down the big beasts you know that you, the player, have done this because you are good at it. This is very different from FF games (except for Tactics) that require virtually no skill at all.

ONi @ May 19th 2009 7:56PM

what Lunastra78 said is so true, this is a game of skill and strategy, as you need to time your movements with the monster's attack patterns, traps setting, weak spot targeting, etc. It also implies that you'll get a lot of times when you're hunting in group, that you have to talk with your teamates on how you will unleash the attack on the god-damn fire-spitting flying thing, or who's gonna be distracting the monster when the other one is setting the trap and the third one is preparing the combination for those tranquilizer bombs.

fun for the whole family

dgknight500 @ May 19th 2009 4:28PM

The only problem I have with MH is that its way too hard if you're tackling this by yourself. If Capcom/Sony brought Ad-Hoc Party to the Us, then it might be a different story!

Darlaten @ May 19th 2009 6:00PM

Those are my thoughts as well. I'd be more inclined to purchase this if it had a decent playable single-person mode. From what I've been told, the only way to "beat" this game is to play online or ad-hoc with friends. I just dont like to play games online anymore on account of all of the crap that is out there. Honestly, how many times do I have to listen to lonely guys trying to score with the women or with the drug dealers!

karlwulfekote @ May 19th 2009 4:47PM

Capcom should ditch the Wii version and make a good game on PS3. Instead of making a great console version, with cool online modes, Capcom has decided to go the cheap and easy route with waggle. Shame on you Capcom!!

Peter R. @ May 19th 2009 4:59PM

Ah man, I want this game! Only hardcore RPG fans need apply. I really don't know how well this game is gonna go over in the US, sure we have a lot of of rpg fans here, but not as much as Japan. Plus I always thought the US was a little to heavily dominated by the "FPS Only" crowd. As a multi-genre gamer, I also likes me a good FPS, just not all the time, so I welcome this addition to the psp.

500 hours of gameplay, 400 missions, challenging bosses, nice combat system, over a 1000 weapons/armor, mining resources, crafting, and some fishing action thrown in for good measure, there is no way Capcom can screw this up, it reeks awesome.

Ashitaka @ May 19th 2009 5:01PM

I'm surprised that I'm the first to say this:

'Monsta Hunta'

xD

arishateshotmail @ May 19th 2009 5:41PM

Im a non-Monster Hunter, and I probably represent the mass market this promo seems to be targeting. First, i can barely hear and understand the narrator in the clip. That's never good.
Second, and most importantly, jamming in 500 hrs of gameplay, 400 missions, a complicated combat system, 1000s of weapons and armor combinations, and extra other stuff you have to do farm, is not appealing to me. I just don't want to spend that much time playing a game. More, in this case is not better, and sometimes less is more. To a non MH this is overwhelming and does not interest me at all. I just don't have the 500 hrs to invest when there are so many better games out there.

Snailking @ May 19th 2009 6:12PM

Every time i read anything a review of these games it warns that unless you're playing as a group, you should steer clear.

Does it not scale or something?

ONi @ May 19th 2009 7:46PM

There's a lot of Quests in this game that are meant to play it alone, anothers however are too difficult to be fun when playing alone, although they're ment in the way that a skilled hunters can always finish them. Item farming and armor/weapon crafting takes you a lot of time in solo-quest.

Tsubasa @ May 19th 2009 6:13PM

Can't wait to get some X armor, S armor just isn't doing the job for me anymore.

Maximun2k10 @ May 19th 2009 6:35PM

I like flied lice...

Shin Xero @ May 19th 2009 7:39PM

wow.. what a bunch of losers.. u find the game boring and sucky because its hard? wow... and u call yourself a gamer? wuss! im playing monster hunter 2nd g, had it patched with english, my hunter rank is 9.. w/c is the highest.. im not bragging about it.. i've alot of friends better than me, here in the philippines... yes its hard.. very hard.. but the joy of slaying wyverns and elder dragons by yourself or with yer friends help... worth it... maybe its just me and my friends.. and japanese gamers... but we find monster hunter a great game...

DirasyajX @ May 19th 2009 7:48PM

i love monster hunter but hurry up & thow this to the 360 i cant play with the crappy psp controls why dont they have a second nub on the psp?

Sai @ May 20th 2009 1:30AM

Well, since there has been a patch for MHP2ndG since quite a time ago, I don't think I'll be replaying this, maybe change the region so I can keep my save file.

I-Knight @ May 20th 2009 8:33AM

I played the first Monster Hunter Freedom and didn't think much too it. I decided to give it a second chance when the second one came out and now i'm hooked. It was about 10 hours into i realized that this is on fact gaming crack. I just think that this type of game has a really steep learning curve. Hence Capcom trying to team people up so we learn together.

Maverick Saturn @ May 20th 2009 9:39AM

Those without the patience won't have time for this game, yeah, there are elements that are repetitive, but name a game that doesn't have that, Crisis Core is exactly the same, battle battle battle and so is God of war, hack, slash, hack.

It's doing nothing indifferent to many other games, so I don't much agree with the repetitive argument, if you hate repetition, you'd steer clear of games fullstop. However, I will say it does have a steep learning curve, battles can be frustrating, and you can sometimes be fighting the same monster for ages in an attempt to kill it. Overall, it is a great game, I can see why Japanese are addicted to it, I certainly am, though I agree, it's better with more players, I do have one wish though, why is it when partners die completly, its game over for all of you, I think those remaining should be allowed to continue until they too die, only those who have remained alive and done thier share of the battling reap the rewards.