Encyclopedia Gigantica is a virtual book written by Monster Hunters for new Monster Hunters. Capcom enlisted the help of the top four Japanese Monster Hunters in the world to help create this online resource, packed with tutorials, oveviews, and background on the Monster Hunter universe. The goal here is to prime westerners for the upcoming release of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, set to drop on June 23rd.
Encyclopedia Gigantica has a quick-start guide for new players, which I would have loved to have before I jumped in cold turkey. There's also a bestiary and data on weapons and armor, as well as overviews of quests.
I'm sure Capcom joins me in hoping that this guide helps new potential players get over that learning curve to finally get into a really fun game that they would have otherwise passed on.
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
5:00 PM on 05.14.2009
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I think what really confounds a lot of newbies to MH is that they may go into the game thinking it's gonna be about level-grinding and stuff. Only to be totally shocked when they find out that when you strip away the RPG elements and multiplayer that you're left with a game less like Final Fantasy or D&D and more like Punch-Out, old-school Castlevania and Street Fighter.
On the gameplay's own merits it is still compelling, challenging and fun. Because of that the game manages to retain a great deal of replay value due to the fact that it hinges progression on skill (individual or group, strategy or improvisation on the field, the game doesn't punish experimentation, only encourages it) rather than level grinding. And as far as being a multiplayer game it just does so much right that many other more successful MMOs do wrong (coughWoWcough) in terms of gameplay that it really should come as no surprise that P2G was the best selling game in Japan during 2008 overall.
Yes, I'm a fanboy for Monster Hunter. I'd have given up on video games if not for this wonderful series that marries old-school gaming with contemporary gameplay design that makes things convenient for the player, without sacrificing depth or challenge. And that's the mark of a damn good game.
In Japan there are: Monster Hunter (PS2), Monster Hunter G (expansion)(PS2 and now Wii), Monster Hunter 2 (aka Monster Hunter Dos and for the PS2), Monster Hunter Portable (PSP), Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (PSP), Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP), Monster Hunter Frontier (PC), and soon there will be Monster Hunter 3 Tri (Wii).
In the USA there are: Monster Hunter (PS2, no longer able to play online), Monster Hunter Freedom and Freedom 2 are the English versions of Monster Hunter Portable and Portable 2nd respectively. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is essentially Portable 2nd G with online capability (via PS3 and what else I'm not sure) and maybe some new content. However, Unite will not be out till the 23rd of June.
There are no "remixes" only ports of the games themselves over here. Monster Hunter G is just an expansion to Monster Hunter in the same way that like say The Burning Crusade is the expansion to World of Warcraft.
I cannot wait for MHFU as I'm about done with Freedom 2, but still play it every day. Just making a massive weapon / armour collection.
Nice to know I can transfer it straight to unite and continue with all the new weapons and monsters.
I just wish they would do a PS3 Monster hunter, Blu-ray and HD are perfectly suited to the beautiful worlds and enormous amount of content found in the series. Really sucks that it's gone to Wii.