The Mummy awakens in new trailer for Universal’s monster movie

The Mummy awakens in new trailer for Universal’s monster movie

The first installment in Universal�s Monster Universe

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The Monster Hunter Testimonials Day Three!

The Monster Hunter Testimonials Day Three!

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After the short break with the last update, were now getting back to the MonHun... And in case you missed it, Im running these because 

one of our long-time readers (Hi Alv!) requested that I take some time to get into the essence of the series, and really get under its skin to explain its appeal, similar to the way our own@GC_Danny dissected his love of the modern classic, Deadly Premonition. 

I thought this was a fantastic idea, so I decided to go one step further. Rather than Simply sharing my own feelings (which I will do a little later on) I got a host of Monster Hunter fans to help me illustrate what makes it such a singular experience. 

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To me, the real hook of Monster Hunter lies in its presentation.

As someone who balks at the idea of having to play hours and hours of a game before fully comprehending it, I was initially very turned off by the very premise of the series. Never before has a game lacking any real narrative caught my interest enough to want to invest that kind of time, so why would Monster Hunter be any different?

In the end, curiosity and some kick-ass monster designs won me over, and I ended up with a copy of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for the Nintendo 3DS.

Now, I can�t profess to having played enough to say I honestly know exactly what I�m doing, but what I can say is this: I�m completely obsessed.

Stepping into the world of Monster Hunter for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the cohesive aesthetic of the game and minute attention to detail put into everything from environmental designs to dialogue. While many cautioned me of the notoriously slow first few hours of the game, I found myself content just venturing out into the unknown, exploring terrain, harvesting items, and witnessing the diverse wildlife that populated the early game�s grassy fields.

Of course, the thrill of tracking down one of the game�s many majestic beasts and engaging in the lethal dance that ensues is inarguably the highlight of Monster Hunter. But were it not for the always-amusing interactions with NPCs (they weren�t lying when they said the Guild Sweetheart was a riot!), medieval wilderness aesthetic, and endlessly-charming touches such as the ability to cuddle your farm�s pig, I can safely say I wouldn�t have been nearly as eager to join the hunt.

Monster Hunter excels in creating a world that you just can�t wait to get back to, and I, for one, know it�s a world I will happily spend a hundred hours in.

-- by Anne Lee, @apricotsushi

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One aspect about Monster Hunter that I love is its ability to bring people together. In a time where couch co-op is rare, it is refreshing to see a game that centers on cooperative gameplay.

Each hunter, depending on their playstyle, can do their part.

The Great Sword user can deal the damage, the Bow Gunner can apply crippling statuses, and the Long Sword user can cut the tail while the Sword and Shield wielder can lay bombs and traps. I was the first of my friends to play the game, but because of its cooperative nature, I have been able to attract 6 others to the franchise.

While some critics decry the franchise for its lack of guidance, I see it as a boon to the community. This game�s following is fantastic: multiple podcasts, online wikis, google groups, and chats all work together to better the players and welcome newcomers.

Hunting with friends and family exhilarates me more than any other game I have played. It should not be missed.

-- by @RetroRedemption, http://retroredemption.tumblr.com/

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Like a few, Monster Hunter Tri was my 1st foray into the MHworld  - and by the time I stopped playing that version a month or so ago, Id racked up almost 1,000 hours of gameplay time! Also like most, I didnt really know what I was doing at first. Similar to others - my friend @Leneux on twitter to name just one -  I came into MH with a background of having spent many, many hours on PSO, which was of course multi-platform but GameCube, was my console of choice back then.

So what makes the Monster Hunter so franchise special or unique? This is a tough one to answer.

Its not the story. Although the single player does have one, it was all done after about 60 hours for me in Tri, and thats not what kept me playing. As series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto has said himself, you create your own stories when you play online.

For 4 player online (or local) gaming, there is nothing else quite like MH. The monsters reacting slightly differently each time means no two fights are the same. Its about the camaraderie and the sometimes unlikely victory, grasped from the jaws of defeat - or equally, defeat when you thought youd most certainly succeed!

It�s about the different play styles that your teammates will bring with their individual weapon classes. Learning how to become an effective team, no matter which three of them youre playing with at that time. 

It�s about that moment of elation, when you finally capture your first-ever Deviljho, or kill your first Alatreon with (literally) moments to spare.

It�s about cutting off a monsters tail or breaking one of its body parts and getting you that same moment of satisfaction every time, and then finding that same item in the rewards because you broke it off the beast, and then finishing that armour set or weapon that youve been wanting for so, so long... And then you see the next weapon in the tree and somehow you want it even more, even though it seems like its going to take you forever to farm all the materials for it.

It�s also about the fact that a small group of people who you�ve only met online have become some of your best friends (@Discobeaver , @Kainelor , @Huntervp and Painjunkie666 to name just a few) even though we all live in completely different parts of the country and rarely get all together in person. 

These are the kind of things that make MH different. 

It may not be perfect - the 1st 4-5 hours of each game in particular need some reworking if they ever want it to be as popular as likes of WOW or COD - but it fills a hole in my gaming life that nothing else can or ever will.

--by Jeremy Fowler, @j_monster

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I think, in many ways, Monster Hunter fills the primal need to hunt that has largely been suppressed in modern society. The game, to me, is as much about hunting as it is about its titular monsters. Learning how to track and find your prey, learning its behaviour and how it moves, and knowing when its wounded enough to capture, these are all valuable hunting skills.

But where the game really shines is in establishing the mentor-student relationship. Having someone who knows what theyre doing come along and teach you the ropes, in the field: thats Monster Hunter.

Just as you (probably) wouldnt attempt to learn how to hunt game for the first time without instruction, equipment, and a person to guide you, the same holds true in Monster Hunter. The game itself provides only the most oblique hints in snippets of dialog with villagers as to what to do. It almost expects you to have outside help, perhaps betraying its roots as a handheld game with local multiplayer only. When you sit together in the same room, its natural to help each other out and for experienced hunters to help out newcomers.

That spirit of helping out those less experienced is definitely passed on from one generation to the next. Just as a number of people helped me out when I got started, I feel compelled to help as many new hunters as I can now that Im the one with experience.

My motives are not just altruistic: to be honest, I want to see Monster Hunter 4 come out in North America, so the more sales of 3 Ultimate we can generate, the more chance we have, right?

In the end, its that camaraderie and cooperative play that really makes Monster Hunter so enjoyable and rewarding. Theres no stronger bond than shared experience, and Monster Hunter gives that to the player in abundance

-- by Eugene Huo

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...And theres still more on the way. The coverage shall continue! 

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The Monster Hunter Testimonials Day Four!

The Monster Hunter Testimonials Day Four!

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Although its been slightly delayed (darn you, real life!) Im quite happy to present the final round of Monster Hunter testimonials! Well, the last round from people who arent me, anyway. Im going to close out the series with my own words on the game, but Im still cooking those up.

For now, please enjoy these final entries from my friends and readers!

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Ive never understood grinding.

Thats not to say I havent done it in games. I�ve certainly fought the same few monsters over and over again, waiting for levels to pop or rare items to drop, but its never something Ive sought out or particularly enjoyed - theres a reason I havent played an FF game since 7.

Im the type of person who, when forced to grind in JRPGs, always looks for a workaround - like using rubber bands and carefully placed weights to trigger an endless series of fights I can automatically win and then just letting the game sit for a few hours.

Really, Id do anything to keep from having to watch some spiky-haired person kill the same monster over and over again. This antipathy has bled over into games with loot drops - even if a game is fun, I could never quite grasp the attraction of sifting through a dozen swords/guns and trying to determine which of them was slightly better-suited to my play style. Id essentially cut myself off from entire genres of games.

Then I discovered Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

I was completely spun by the revelation that scouring a map for a few pieces of ore could be a thrill. I would never have occurred to me that I could love fighting the same monster four times in a row just to grab a few more of its fangs. What turned me around? The core gameplay mechanics.

Its impossible to say too many good things about Monster Hunters combat mechanics and enemy AI. The developers have created monsters that - due to their vast changes in size and appearance - each feel unique, despite the fact that they frequently draw from a common moveset.

Fighting any large monster in Monster Hunter is a challenge, but a rewarding one - not just because of the visceral thrill of defeating an imposing foe, but because the game does a great job of laying out the stakes: take this thing down and next time itll be a little easier, because youll have put together armour and weapons every bit as tough as the creature you sliced the parts off of.

Thats why grinding for parts not only works in Monster Hunter, but actually enriches the experience.

The fights are always good, but the loot/crafting mechanic adds another level of depth - the player chooses which monster they want to fight, and its always with a concrete goal in mind. Theres no intangible experience points being earned, just a chunk torn off the sea serpent that was just slaughtered.

Fighting monsters never feels like an obligation to move the characters forward so that they can further the plot - its an end in and of itself, giving every fight the kind of gravity that most games only manage in a few action setpieces, and every beast conquered feels like an unmatched accomplishment.

When Monster Hunter tells me that Im going to need six Dragon Claws to build a new sword, intellectually I know that its no different than any JRPG telling me to go and find a hundred thousand experience points, but the developers have so inexorably tied the absolutely best parts of their game to what would, in any other title, be total drudgery, that Im unable to object to the demand.

100K XP is a wall that content is hiding behind. Six Dragon Claws? Thats a challenge to be met.

�Not to mention a perfectly good excuse to play some more Monster Hunter.

-- by Dan Weissenberger, @GC_Danny

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I originally came into Monster Hunter way back on PS2, with the very first game.

Even back then it just felt different. There was no magic, no spells, no flying boots... instead it was a game about you vs. the monster.

A number of months later I imported MH2 on PS2, and my love for the game really cemented. It was a pain to play and translate on the fly, but eventually I was hunting with the craziest of them. Since then, Ive played every MH theyve brought over to America. 

In all the years Ive been playing, in all the versions, the core joys stay the same. Monster Hunter is a game about seeing a monster, learning how it thinks, and eventually making a hat out of it.

The monster will not give up that hat easily, so instead of just buying the best sword or axe, you have to become better. Your character doesnt level up, so its on you to gain skill. Each new area, each new monster is a new skill set to learn.

Theres little in gaming quite as epic as the first time a new monster rears its head -- the first time you see Rathalos roar or see Fatalis fly down from the sky, you know you are in for a serious battle. Then again, you might run into the Kirin and underestimate just how deadly that bloody horse is.

Monster hunter isnt perfect. The controls could use some work, its a slow starter (a problem with many crafting centered games), and occasionally the random number generator hates you when you try to loot. But, Ive yet to find a game that lets me hunt giant monsters with giant swords, huge hammers, high explosives, and sonic grenades. I cant wait to see what they do with Monster Hunter 4. 

-- by James Barry, Editor at Colonyofgamers.com, and diehard Monster Hunter fan.

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I�m dropped into the middle of the frigid tundra, alone, with one goal: slay a Barioth. 

If you�ve never seen one before, they look like a sabre-tooth tiger crossbred with a bat -- and, compared to him?  Well, I�m a housecat.  

I chug down a hot drink as my breath dissipates into the night air, and I�ve prepared for this hunt well.  My heavy bowgun can chamber exhaust shots to slow my target down, fire shots to take advantage of its elemental weakness, and poison shots to whittle down its relatively low HP.  But good preparation is only half the battle...

After locating the Barioth, I surprise it with a paintball.  In response, it roars with a pitch that instantly paralyzes my body.  

Touch�.  

I immediately begin unloading fire shots on its front wings, hoping to break them and lower the beast�s speed.  We exchange blows, and soon the Barioth�s attack patterns come back to me.  My evading, blocking, and reloading all become part of a familiar, choreographed dance.

With one broken wing, the Barioth�s lunges throw it off balance.  

This small opening means I can squeeze off an extra shot each time I block or avoid one of its attacks.  He�s getting sloppy...  Perhaps realizing this, the beast hastily flees to another zone.  I chamber my exhaust shots, specially designed to rob monsters of their stamina.

Following the trail of the paintball I tagged him with for easy tracking, I locate the Barioth attempting to feed on a recently-killed herbivore.  If he finishes eating, his stamina will recover and I�ll be on the receiving end of his renewed icy wrath. I�ve got to stop him. 

I aim my shots between his eyes and fire.  Recoil rips through my body, but I have to shake him from his kill.  On the fourth shot the Barioth stumbles backwards, foaming at the mouth.  

No time to celebrate. I continue unloading shots as the beast struggles to catch its breath.  Drool runs down his amber tusks, now shattered by my assault.  

On my last round of exhaust shots, the Barioth loses consciousness, clumsily flopping to the ground.  I quickly load my Poison shots, and in no time the venom has taken hold.  When the beast regains consciousness, he immediately escapes.

Even though the effects of my paintball have worn off, I know where the Barioth is headed: his nest.  After the thrashing I gave him, the Barioth will attempt to sleep and recover his health.  

While I want to avoid letting him recover, I also know that a sleeping monster is vulnerable.  I�ll have two options: place explosives near the sleeping foe and detonate them for immense damage, or set a trap under him and capture him alive.  Unfortunately for this Barioth, I need pelts --  I�m going for the kill.

Upon locating the slumbering beast, I place two large barrels filled with gunpowder right next to his head and step away -- far away.  

My crosshairs center on the barrels.  

The tundra is deafeningly quiet now.  My numb finger wraps around the trigger and slowly squeezes. The resulting explosion is instantaneous, and deafening.  Flames leap into the sky and surge over the beast�s body.  My target has been eliminated, and I step forward proudly to carve my rewards.

When I get back to the hunter�s tavern, some friends have appeared.  They�re drinking, cheering, and talking shop.  �Up for a hunt?�, they ask.  

You bet I am.

-- by Roy Blakely, @kotowari, author of the Monster Hunter Beginner�s Guide

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Still want more?

While I wasnt able to contact him with enough time for a new piece, Michael Abbott (@BrainyGamer) has written about the series several times and wanted to share. You can find some of those articles here and here.

Ill close things out next time with my own writeup, and this blog will go back to business as usual afterwards. Thanks very much to everyone who expressed such enthusiasm over hearing the stories of fellow hunters� and apologies to everyone who isnt a fan of the series, and has probably been bored to death over the last couple of weeks.  ^_^

... Or maybe youve been intrigued enough to try out one of the games for yourself? If so, I would love to hear from you about your first experience. Drop me a note and let me know!

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