Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP Bundle, Demo Announced

@Kuwabara Kazuo: In the blog, they have 'Hypnocatrice', 'Narugacuga', and 'Lavasioth'.

Revenge_of_Nekojin

@Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.: By most reports, Monster Hunter G has great online.

Revenge_of_Nekojin

unless they get infastructure, it will never sell well in the United States.

Nobody wants Ad-Hoc, its so pointless.

autob0n

@walls99: and as opposed to most RPGs your character doesn't level up, you just improve your armor and weapons which means you can completely change your weapon and armor class at any time and not have to change any skill sheets or anything. it also means you can have as many different weapons as you want for fighting different monsters.

awesome game, but best with a friend or two since playing solo on quests designed for up to four players can get frustratingly difficult.

I wonder if they'd English-ize monster names such as Yamatsukami and Ucamulbas.

Kuwabara Kazuo

It's a start, but they need to stop this stingy crpa and go for a world-wide release for this bundle. Sony has been skimping on the Ratchet bundles and I can't think of a better way to get someone to buy a PSP than to bundle it with a game they will play for hundreds of hours and a memory stick. Hell, toss in a cool slip case and I'll gladly put $200 down for a new PSP.

ChrowX

@microhenry: Only 80? I've got 240+ hours on my file and several other players I know boast 500+!

ChrowX

@UltimatePancakeSensation: Though I tend to gear down any time I'm not scared into my fat-guy armor.
It's not my fault that my favorite weapon and armor happen to be not-so-good in the stats department.
Spiked Hammer, ho!

@microhenry: Yeah, it's going to get insane. Especially with [ad hoc] party. I already have about 7 buddies that are willing to do some hunting with me online... but... It'd be better if it had infrastructure, personally... ;x

@Xerem: Agreed, you can definitely solo most things once you gear up and get to know the ins and outs of your weapon of choice.

@Xerem: Don't tell me that.

@Madeira: Ive gotten to the highest Hunter Rank in MH. The entire game is soloable. Its just faster with more people.

Xerem

@Madeira: I don't know if it's different in MH for the PSP, but I solo'd most of the game on PS2. I only started on the online portion once I had already beaten all but the final mission (when we finally got broadband at home). I still can't beat that final mission...

It's hard as hell, yeah, but more than doable. It's so rewarding beating those things all alone.

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: I played PSO on my DC and GC for several hundreds of hours. I played Monster Hunter on my PS2 for hundreds of hours.
Take PSO, add variation to its weapon combos and increase the weapon size to 500%, increase the enemy size to 1000%, add visually unique armor and weapons and a crafting system... It's everything PSU should have been. It's only missing magic.

Personally, I'll be buying that PSP pack if they release it in the US. I've been holding off on the PSP for just such a day.

@Meeeh: I don't know how I left that out.

Also, you could solo decently in PSO, but don't expect to get very far without help in MH.

@Madeira:

also a lot harder.

Meeeh

@walls99:

Thanks for the replies

LandMineLandSnake
UltimatePancakeSensation &
Xerem

This is the one game that is stopping me from buying a DSi right now, MHF2 has eaten around 80 hours of my life and I reckon will chew on around 80 more with multiplayer. God I love this IP.

Moar pl0x :)

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: If you were into PSO, you're going to really like this. Lots of rare loot and item collecting, weapon and armor crafting, great gameplay.

SCEA, please release that tunnelling software here, so we can play MH over the internet.

Yes I realize that this is not how MH is designed, but arcades are dead and nobody likes being seen outside with their handheld systems; we play games online here and MH sucks without multiple players.

Mokon

@tomsau:

ty

Meeeh

Quick, someone compare this to Phantasy Star Online.

I feel like this may be able to share it's place amongs my games.

@Meeeh: HUNTAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH? =/

tomsau

@walls99: People call it a grind, but I dont really feel it is after playing both psp games. Unless your going after a piece of gear that requires an item with a low drop rate you really dont need to kill the same monster enough times to qualify it as a grind.

Each monster you hunt is pretty much a boss battle with the exception of maybe "drome" type monsters which are just bigger versions of normal enemies. Each monster has its own unique behavior and can take 15-45 minutes to kill depending on the monster you are fighting.

The appeal of this game to me is just that. In other games you gotta go through dungeons and complete quests to get to the big bad guy. In this game you get right to the boss slaying.

Xerem

@Azza:It is. On the Wii. Pray Capcom has learned how to properly write net code.

@Ravel: You're thinking of Monster Fucking 3 Hunters, but I can see how you'd make that mistake.

@LandMineLandSnake: While fighting huge freaking dragons. :D It's awesome.

@Ravel: "What a beast."

@Azza:

Is that the pornographic version?

@walls99:It's got a lot more strategy then your typical hack and slash, with co op being almost essential. apart from that, yeah, it's a total grind......heck of a lot of fun though.

Haradaku

@walls99: Hack and slash usually have button mashing, you can't do that in monster hunter. You have to dodge and time your attacks, but ya you do grind just for better equipment.

MOOOOOONSTAAAAAH

Meeeh

I'd rather just Monster Hunter fucking 3 came out.

Damn; for once, the Europeans get it.

CosmicElement

nice!

GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE

ZombieRace

Never played any of the Monster Hunter Games. Is this like a hack and slach and grind to get better at hunting monsters and to get better equipment ?

Yay!

@autob0n: It does suck. But considering EVERY other online PSP game is RUINED by hackers, I think its for the better.

@Comatose Turtle: Well, for the PS2 the offline game (Quests from the elder) is made to be solo only. Only once Freedom came out in the US (Don't quote me on this, but I believe the feature came in G in Japan, since Freedom is a port of it) could you take on the guild quests solo without an online connection, but if you connected to the servers in MH then I think you could solo the quests.

The only difference is that the monsters are stronger and have more HP. Other than that, you also see a few more variant monsters, as well as ones you can't fight in the elder quests - the Fatalis, for instance, and his other colored forms. To compensate, the Elder quests have their own unique monster - Monoblos.

(And if you still can't beat that final mission, I recommend learning how to use a lance and using Undertaker. Mining for ruststones is a pain, but it's worth it.)

Trexxen

@autob0n: I disagree. I have at least 7 friends who play this hardcore as well as me. This is by far and away the best multiplayer experience on the PSP.

If you want over the internet multiplayer, use xlink kai.

Jaziek

@Comatose Turtle: agreed. One of my greatest moments in gaming was when I soloed Dual Diablos for Hunter Rank 2. I had the wrong sword (devil slicer) and died twice and it came down to the last 30 seconds and the second diablos finally died. Talk about a great sense of accomplishment. That's one of the reasons why I still believe Monster Hunter Freedom/ Freedom2 is one of the greatest games/series ever made bar none. I finished almost the entire elder quest and most of the hard missions before I seriously started playing multiplayer. It's definitely doable. Solo killing Fatalis is not only doable but recommended for skilled hunters.

@Madeira: I disagree. Skilled hunters CAN go far alone in the game. MH is heavy on player skills and understanding the terrain and the monster you're fighting. The average hunter may believe he needs a party to succeed against Lao Shan or Fatalis (or even lesser monster if the player truly sucks) but that's why they're average. Skilled hunters know that any creature in the game can either be killed and/or trapped or repelled (as is the case with G rank Lao Shan and Gaoren) with skill and the right weapon and armor.

I obviously already own a PSP, but if they release a special edition Monster Hunter bundle in the US, I'm buying it in a heartbeat. I'm such a man-ho for Monster Hunter and anything with Monster Hunter slapped onto it.

Geist002

@Jaziek: Agreed, I myself have gotten 15 people I know hooked into Monster Hunter.

Hooked them like a Plesioth :D

And no it's not the best multiplayer experience on the PSP. It's the best multiplayer experience of any system! Co-Op over VS!

Geist002

quality product LOL! Monster Hunter is just same old rehashed shit it always is, the Japs just keep buying them for stupid reason though..

PLEASE SONY GIVE US A MH SPECIAL EDITION PSP!!

Khezu_Warrior

@Comatose Turtle: Ah, but a good point in that some of the online quests are made to be basically impossible without a team of four (i.e. the 2 online-only dragons). I never did get to fight Fatalis, though, so now I'll never know if I could solo him in his PS2 incarnation. :/

Everyone forgets xLink Kai :| Oh well, at least they won't be playing online :3

Pity they insist on calling it "Monster Hunter Freedom Unite" when referencing Japan when it's "Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G" Which will get you more hits on a search engine.

I'm excited.

I'll probably buy this.

-Xehanort

@Jaziek: Thats great, good for you. However, most people in the US dont have four or more freinds with PSP's and the same game, that live close by. Its not like Japan for example, where everything is much closer together.

And as for xlink kai, why would I want to go through such an annoying process just so I could play online?

Anyways, in my opinion, there should be infastructure multiplayer if the game is to sell well here. Otherwise, I think this game will sell about like Monster Hunter Freedom 2 did. It is pretty much the same game after all.

autob0n

@Trexxen: I've got that rusty old lance laying around somewhere, but it's just not my style. There's a huge aesthetic difference between poking and clobbering.

Also, yeah, the online quests are harder than offline (and with an even harder tier once you get going), but it doesn't make much of a difference if you just don't get hit. :3
I was doing those quests solo, too, since I only really played online with friends. It's not a lot of fun playing with people who just go in with the best equipment in the game and then beat the whole thing for you (usually with exploits :/).

@Maverynthia: but if you have a Linksys WRT54G router Xlink won't play nice with it, making the setup useless. Adhoc party...that's where it's at. Now if sony would just release the fucking update already....

@autob0n: I disagree as well. I'm in philadelphia and there's a game/video store where people who gather just to play MH. I was there on a couple of slow nights and there were still at least 15 people playing...

YAY!!!!!!!!!!

ST19AG_WGreymon

@microhenry: 80...you're still a rookie. try 700+ over 1500 if you combine MHF and MHF2.

@Jaziek: You guys are not looking at the big picture here.The fact is, you guys are in the minority. Most people in the United States dont have anyone to play this game with via Ad-Hoc.And it sucks having to install things like xlink kai just to play with other people.

While I understand you guys have fun playing with your freinds. dont you agree it should have infastructure? I mean, I cant understand why you would defend a company for including only Ad-Hoc. But thats just me of course......

autob0n

@autob0n: I second this. Adhoc is more Japan-friendly, because of the population density. I don't want to take a 2 hour train ride just to play with my only friend with Monster Hunter.

@Xerem: You mean MHF2, or MHP2G?

@UltimatePancakeSensation: Your weapon*s* of choice, you mean. I don't see how you can clear High Rank without being familiar with at least 2 different weapon types, let alone G Rank. Unless you are beyond godlike with that one weapon.

@Striderhayasa - Can we get some damn m/kb support?!: G Rank Khezu. First time I tried to solo it, I managed to cap it with literally 5 seconds left on the clock :D I was really worried that the time would run out before it finished falling over!

@Afrocass: Idiot.

Revenge_of_Nekojin

@PatrickF**kingStar: Then stop sucking at the game and solo it. It's just as fun solo as it is in multiplayer, especially if your teammates suck. Trust me, I play MHFO and it's no picnic getting smashed, stumbled, and sent flying by your team mates all the time, plus the monster is way more unpredictable with others.

Revenge_of_Nekojin

@Revenge_of_Nekojin: If anything the game is worse in single-player and being constricted to single-player or ad-hoc only has driven more people away from the franchise. After a certain point, the game become impossible. You'll never take down a Lao-Shan-Lung by yourself, see the High ranked missions, or ever have an epic experience like having a friend flash-bomb a Tigrex just as it's about to trample your nearly dead body.

The thing that makes MH such a fantastic series is the co-op play and currently, as PatrickF**kingStar pointed out, America doesn't have the population density to back up Ad-hoc only. Some people may be lucky enough to have that group of people who are always around playing, but not everyone does and those people who be happy to just play online with Random people.

ChrowX

@Kuwabara Kazuo: English speakers have an easier time remembering things that have vaguely English-sounding names.
As cool as some of the Japanese names are, I can see it causing more problems as the uninitiated try to wrap their tongue around any Japanese words. Makes for bad marketing.

ChrowX

@ChrowX: If you can't solo a G ranked Lao by yourself, you're doing it wrong. Do you seriously believe you can't solo every single mission in the game? All you have to do is triple pound his belly the whole way down the level and even Ashen Lao will die before he reaches the gate in the last area. This is assuming you have a decent weapon and know how to use it.

If you're going to use something that sucks, like LS, or DS, then yes, you're going to fail.

Sure, everything is more fun co-op, but MH is an incredible experience either way. It's 100% solo-able. The problem is you just weren't good enough to win.

Revenge_of_Nekojin

@ChrowX: While I see your point, Naruga was barely changed at all, losing 2 syllables, Hypnoc just had an extra part added on, 'atrice', and Volganos > Lavasioth. It's just easier to say.

Revenge_of_Nekojin