Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

Well first of all I want to state I' am an avid monster hunter fan, from the ps2 game to the psp ones. So my review might be a little subjective but I will try to be as objective as possible and put myself in the position of a newcomer to the franchise. And also I apologize for the length of the review. It really is a vast game there is soo much to do and so little space to explain it all in.

A few things for players from MHF2 thinking this is a brand new experience, think again. Think about it as an expansion with new missions, monsters armors, weapons, and hunter ranks. You still reside in the quaint little home up in the mountains, and all the lovable characters are still there from the cooking Felynes to the old lady who gave you the elder quests.

Now on to the review. For the newcomers this game has an amazing ray of things to do, put yourself in the position of a hunter, you are constantly hunting monsters who reside around your village. From giant dragons to giant crabs (and not the STD type) you have 5 different land types where you hunt them from the jungle, desert, snowy mountains, forest, and volcano. Also each land type has time cycles so you can hunt them at night or in the day. Now each hunt is received in the form of a quest, there are 2 places you can get these, from an elder how will give you village quest (which you may only complete by yourself) or by going to the hall.

The hall can be played offline meaning you can do the quest there by yourself (although most can be complete alone there are some that you should look for help) or online via ad hoc. Online is fun as hell, if you have 3 others friends who have the game they can join you in the hunt and you all get the benefits of the kill (as a side note if you don't have any friends to play with you can play online for more info go to www.teamxlink.co.uk/). Every time you kill a monster like a true hunter you crave their bodies. You get special items from the carve and also a prizes for completing the hunt. These items in turn can be sold for money or saved up to make special armor, items, or weapons. Aside from hunting you can, farm (meaning you can literally plant seeds and reap the rewards) you can hire Felyne to cook for you so you go nice and full into battle. And even more amazing as a new addition you can hire a Felyne to join you in battle! He will provide back such as setting traps and attacking the beast you are hunting. You will easily spend 100+ hours in this game.

Now for the veterans, a few additions have been added. As mentioned above you can hire a Felyne to help you out, there are tons of new armor and weapons to make. Your item box size has increased and items now max out at 99! Meaning no more having multiple 10 items in your box. Like 10 flash now they all combine until you get to 99 so precious space in the box has been saved. There are now G rank missions imagine hr 6 missions but 10x harder, and there are 3 new ranks to move up to.

Pros:

-New missions, new items, new Felyne battle companions.
-Also now you have the options to data install, this drastically lowers the loading time.
-Great graphics as always, each armor and weapon have a unique look. No 2 armors look like.

Cons:

-Like previously stated the learning curve sucks but there are alot of tutorials and training quests.
-Some armor attributes have really been lost, example is I had the akantor armor and lost my high grade earplugs in the transition.
-For a new comer you might tend to feel overwhelm with the amount of farming you have to do to get ONE item you need to make a weapon/armor, it's all based on luck.
-The ability to play online worldwide should be included in the game, it takes outside programs and items to make it possible.
-And also it does get a little repetitive from time to time.

Over all this is an awesome game. You either fall into the obsessions or hate it. See you in the hall.

It's not difficult to see why the Monster Hunter series has become the leading PSP franchise in Japan. Offering gamers the chance to hook up together on quests to hunt ferocious monsters and search for hidden treasures across an appealing fantasy game world, this action RPG possesses many of same addictive qualities that have made other role playing games, such as the Final Fantasy titles, so popular. High praise has been lauded on the latest game in the series, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, after it became the top selling game in the Land of The Rising Sun last year, besting the likes of Pokémon Platinum and Wii Fit. In the U.S. and Europe, though, Monster Hunter faces a very different type of audience. Will it appeal to the taste of Western players?

Monster Hunter Freedom's combat mechanics will test even the most hardened of gamers. The third game in the series, Freedom Unite once again places you in the role of an up-and-coming hunter who must complete various hunting, slaying and gathering missions to achieve glory. Setting off from your base camp of Pokke Village, you pick up quests from the Guild Hall and embark on treacherous missions across stunning environments, including snow-capped mountains and harsh desert terrain.

Freedom Unite is all about learning your craft and learning it well. If you begin a quest without preparation, you'll be obliterated by the tough monsters lurking around every corner. Whether you're heading out on a level-one quest to pick mountain herbs or braving the cold desert nights on the hunt for the land shark, there's a lot to learn if you plan to come back alive and earn your reward. Combat in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is difficult to grasp at first, but once studied and practiced, it is intensely satisfying.

The lack of a lock-on targeting function means that you have no assistance in battle and ensures that combat is challenging. Freedom Unite tests your patience by pitting you against some formidable and clever opposition while asking that you spend a lot of time learning the ins and outs of the deep combat system. You have to learn each of the monsters' strengths and weaknesses and those of your weapons. Learning monster "tells," monitoring monster attack patterns and knowing when to strike is also part of the hunt. Other variables add even more strategic layers to the combat. The environment, for example, plays a part in battle (your energy gets sapped when it's cold), and every weapon and item you choose to bring along all factor into the equation. Make the wrong decisions and you'll head back to Pokke Village empty-handed.

Speaking of Pokke Village, there's plenty to do there as well. You're given a plot of land where you can mine, fish, catch bugs, gather mushrooms, and plant seeds to raise different crops. When you finish each quest, your farm becomes an essential visiting place that grows in stature the more you nurture it. These resources can then be used for cooking, which increase abilities, or to combine and forge new items that may come in handy during battle. Though you're constantly repeating the same actions to mine ore or catch Rumblefish, you're earning money from the land, which subsequently allows you to develop your character into a stronger hunter.

Gathering and collecting items in the game world is extremely important to your progression. Not all items must be hunted, gathered, or farmed; many objects can be combined to make more powerful objects or potions. There's a great deal of fun to be had out of finding new ingredients and then combining them. You can, for example, mix a fire herb with a nitroshroom to make gunpowder. Though there's a large element of trial and error, there's great reward for your efforts as you find and create powerful items that aid you on the battlefield.

Part of the appeal of the Monster Hunter series in Japan is the ad-hoc multiplayer functionality, which allows up to four players to meet up and embark on quests together. In the U.S. and Europe, however, that feature isn't such a strong selling point -- there just isn't the same social PSP-playing culture in these two territories as there is as there is in Japan. Social hand-held gaming in the U.S. and Europe is largely faceless, an activity confined to gamers' living rooms and bedrooms where there's an Internet connection. In fact, you're more likely to get mugged getting your hand-held out in public than to find a like-minded gamer to join your lobby for a spot of monster hunting. It's a crying shame that Freedom Unite doesn't offer true online functionality, because the four-player questing is absolutely brilliant. So, the bad news is that unless you've got a bunch of mates willing to join you around your house, your Monster Hunter experience is going to be a lonely one.

Still, with demanding and fun combat mechanics and a huge index of items, weapon types, armor, beasts, and quests, Freedom Unite will delight RPG gamers seeking a real challenge. With hundreds of hours worth of gameplay waiting for you, it's an RPG that's meant to be played at a slow pace, though the frequent load times slow it down a bit more than we would have liked. In short: if you're expecting a quick thrill here, you won't find it. Freedom Unite is for those who wish to master new skills with patience and hard work. It can be tough to get going, but Freedom Unite won't disappoint anyone who spends some quality time with it.

This review will focus on the single-player experience. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (MHFU) is one of the most-challenging games available for any platform, and the sense of accomplishment when besting enemies in the game is unrivaled. This is especially so for those who play the game solo, relying purely on skill to get by rather than the backup and mercies of other players.

This wasn't always an entirely reasonable option in the MH series. Making MHFU significantly more agreeable for solo play is the addition of "felyne" fighters, small AI fighters who provide various support and attack roles. Primarily, they help to provide another focal point for belligerent monsters to provide necessary openings for the otherwise solo player. They can also be given a limited ability to heal or buff the player character, but at the whims of an unpredictable AI. As such, the solo player can assume the possibility of, say, an impending health boost from the felyne companion (importantly, only one accompanies you) but can only rely on him or herself to do so on demand.

Regardless, one will never get anywhere in solo MHFU without significant gameplay skills. And this can be especially daunting in the early going. There will even be those who possess the requisite gaming skills but determine this isn't for them. Which is fair, as there is no storyline worth mentioning and not much compelling progress beyond the opportunity to build better weapons and armor and fight increasingly challenging foes.

Which brings us to why some of us ARE so enthused about the game. Most importantly, there are very few games that so successfully mix graphics, sound, and control "feedback". The monsters in the game move, animate, and attack with unparalleled sophistication, making the hunt for them truly engaging. None of them are pushovers, with the exception of some early monsters being overwhelmed by significantly enhanced weaponry. Later monsters are never less than a serious challenge regardless of one's weapons and armor. Indeed, depending on monster type even the most impressive looking sword may actually rebound off the tough skin, causing a life-threatening stumble. This is the aforementioned "feedback" which really keeps a player on his toes.

The reward for this serious challenge is, as mentioned. the opportunity to make increasingly impressive--or simply fancier--weapons and armor sets...and then to try to use them successfully against a new rank of monsters. "Try" being the operative word here.

If you love true gameplay challenge and never quite feel challenged by the "bosses" in most other games...this is the game for you.