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Capcom bring us yet another Monster Hunter game with Monster Hunter Generations on the 3DS but what does the next instalment for the series have on offer. Well as one might expect, more monster hunting but what else is new?

Monster Hunter Generations is a large game with plenty to hunt and collect. It’s a crafter’s dream as there are always new materials to collect from the different beasts surrounding environments. Collecting them all is a high priority as there are plenty of things to create from usable items to new equipment. The game works around quests that you set out to accomplish from a home base. Returning to the main camp allows you to sort and create things with your newly acquired bits and bobs. Though obviously, a monster hunting game there is a big focus on exploration and collecting things.

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You start out as new hunter and so begin with simple fetch quests but as you gain understanding of the game you find yourself hunting the next big monster that might be plaguing an area. The story isn’t much, you simply set of to hunt monsters for “research” purposes for the academy of which the base camp is stationed.

There various weapon options provide a diverse amount of play options and offer new ones if you so happen to get board of an old one. A new implemented system is the “Hunting Style”, these offer a four unique combat styles each utilising different Hunting Arts abilities that require charging during gameplay. These styles and arts and can be swapped out whenever and provide an extra level of combat diversity.

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One of my qualms with the previous entries is that the game feels made for diehard fans as it is not very friendly towards new users. Monster Hunter’s overly complex nature makes it quite tedious for any new comer to pick up the game. Monster Hunter Generations however, while still being mostly complex does have slightly simpler nature in some aspects making it just a bit more user friendly.

This game isn’t for someone looking for a quick something to play. Most games on a portable device accommodate quick play and easy saving but here you need to plan some time in advanced if you want to stop. Quests are generally a lengthy business and with time caps of 50 minutes its not something you just quickly do. That’s not to mention actual hunting quests which take a lot of planning and preparing various items to efficiently take down a particular monster. You can save the game mid quest but this involves heading back to the mini base camp at the start of the level and using the bed there to save. When in a quest, this is definitely something you would be disinclined to do especially as running all the way back to base does also waste precious time.

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Visually the game looks great. The aesthetics are rather fantastic and graphically improve on the last games already great graphics. The sound as well continues to impress and really enhances the already beautiful scenery.

One aspect I did find tedious is the reading. Many DS games are the type to have text boxes but with the elaborate mechanics of the game it becomes tedious quickly. It’s like they include the players hand book in the game, but who seriously reads those.

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While the predecessors did include cooperative gameplay, Generations seems very focused on playing with others in the community. There is a lot of dedicated content to complete with friends but sadly this aspect can’t really be explored by those of us in Australia and New Zealand as the community for the game simply isn’t big enough. In Japan, it might not be a problem but for simple lack of population its sadly a very unused part of the game for us.

Monster Hunter Generations is beautiful and a well put together, though complicated, game. Generations does make things simpler than its predecessors but there is still a lot to learn but once learned there is plenty of fun to be had.  The game takes the idea of monster hunting to a new level with fascinating beasts and great environments to hunt them in. For the fans this is another great instalment and for newcomers a little less overwhelming than its previous instalments.

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Monster Hunter Generations (3DS) Review

Released: August 2016
Rating: PG
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS / 2DS
Genre: Adventure, RPG
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Nintendo

4.5Overall Score
Gameplay
Graphics
Audio
Replayability
Reader Rating 0 Votes