First entry in the Monster Hunter franchise, founding one of the most popular JRPG sub-genres. Cooperative hunting of giant monsters with varied weapons and the material collection loop for crafting better gear define a unique formula. Less accomplished than its successors but historically major.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG4 players12+
Co-op
Description
A foundational Capcom action-RPG released in 2004 (Japan) and 2005 (US, Europe), the first stone of the Monster Hunter franchise. Players hunt dragons and other giant beasts in teams, harvesting their materials to forge weapons and armor. Slow, methodical, demanding combat: the DNA of a full-fledged Japanese genre.
Monster Hunter review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Hunting colossal creatures to forge ever-better gear sets up a hunting loop that never stops. Preparing your expeditions, carving your prey and facing even more fearsome monsters fills hundreds of hours, especially in co-op. That call of the hunt, the series' founding loop, earns the title a stubborn reputation as a time-devouring game.
An action game from Capcom, Monster Hunter lays the foundations of the famous hunting series, where you track immense creatures in natural environments, observing their behaviours, preparing your equipment and felling the beast at the end of long, demanding clashes, solo or cooperatively. The satisfaction of the methodical hunt, the progression through crafting and the pleasure of cooperation lay the bases of a lasting genre. The rough handling and the absence of online servers bound the experience today. For a fan of monster hunting or someone curious about the series' origins, the title keeps a preserved demand and satisfaction, in a dated edition.
