Japans Monster Hunter craze just got stupid

Retr0gamer

I've been complaining that japans obsession with monster hunter is ruining franchises by them being turned into monster hunter clones and then being released on the PSP. I hate monster hunter. But this is just silly:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3178680

What the hell are they thinking???

Leiva

Retro ,
Its April 7th ...could this news be 6 days old ?

If not then I have no clue

M.

super_furry

Don't really see how it's any different from having the Ape Escape monkeys in it or having Snake fight Kirby.

Retr0gamer

super_furry wrote: »

Don't really see how it's any different from having the Ape Escape monkeys in it or having Snake fight Kirby.

Ape escape and smash bros are good games. Monster Hunter is awful.

tonydude

Monster hunter is a great game i had it on ps2 and couldnt stop playing it with m8s i met online , however the offline mode is fairly poor. Wish itd come out on ps3

GothPunk

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Ape escape and smash bros are good games. Monster Hunter is awful.

Shut your filthy mouth!

How isn't this awesome? It's part of the multiplayer component anyway, so if you wish to avoid it it'll be easy to do so. Everyone else will be enjoying the fun times.

It's a smart move by Konami/KojiPro, it'll probably be the biggest selling MGS ever in Japan due to this kind of support, which might make up for what are sure to be less than stellar sales in the West as it's on the PSP.

I for one can't wait to cook me up some well cooked rations and shoot a Tigrex in MGS5.

Retr0gamer

I only played the beta of monster hunter on the PS2 but still hated every minute of it. Then again I hate MMO anyway.

But you are right it will help this game sell in japan. MG isn't exactly popular over there and it might help boost sales.

Gummy Panda

I heard there is a front mission / peace walker tie-in now

GothPunk

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I only played the beta of monster hunter on the PS2 but still hated every minute of it. Then again I hate MMO anyway.

But you are right it will help this game sell in japan. MG isn't exactly popular over there and it might help boost sales.

It's not an MMO though, at most it's a social local multiplayer game. It's a single player game - in fact you can 'finish' the game all by yourself if you're good enough, it's just easier and more fun if you play with others.

I don't think you've given the games a fair chance if you've only played the beta of the first game in a series of games. The improvements across the years are many. Sure Monster Hunter is the type of series that's a slow burner, as it's quite hard and can be frustrating, but when you get good at it it's such a rewarding and fun game to play. It's a game with extraordinary amounts of customisation with epic boss battles, how couldn't you like that?

I don't see how the addition of local multiplayer to Japanese portable games is any different to the addition of online multiplayer to Western games. As long as the single player component doesn't suffer how does it negatively affect anyone? You say that franchises are being ruined by them being turned into Monster Hunter clones and then being released on the PSP, but I'm drawing a blank. Care to name a few? The only popular Monster Hunter clone on the PSP from an existing franchise that I can think of is Phantasy Star Portable which was an online game long before the PSP iterations.

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I heard there is a front mission / peace walker tie-in now

That's just to do with the action figures that Square-Enix are releasing - they'll have exchangeable parts or something to that effect. It has nothing to do with the games and only effects those people who actually buy Play Arts figures. I'm sure it was exciting news to someone out there!

Retr0gamer

It's just I'd rather play something other than monster hunter. I can't name any franchises off the top of my head that have turned into monster hunter now but I know listening to ATB every time it's out I keep hearing more and more games coming out as monster hunter clones. I might not have given it a chance but I didn't see any strategy to the boss fights other than get bigger weapons to cause bigger damage. It was too slow and cumbersome to offer any strategy than in, wail on it when it's open, walk out, heal, rinse and repeat.

GothPunk

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's just I'd rather play something other than monster hunter. I can't name any franchises off the top of my head that have turned into monster hunter now but I know listening to ATB every time it's out I keep hearing more and more games coming out as monster hunter clones. I might not have given it a chance but I didn't see any strategy to the boss fights other than get bigger weapons to cause bigger damage. It was too slow and cumbersome to offer any strategy than in, wail on it when it's open, walk out, heal, rinse and repeat.

That's not how it works at all, it's all about timing, learning their attack patterns, knowing the timing of your dodges and the enemies weak points and having the right weapon - say a bow, hammer or longsword. Anyways, that description of yours could be applied to pretty much any game that features a boss, say Ninja Gaiden, and if it's silly to say that about Ninja Gaiden then it's equally silly to say it about Monster Hunter. Sure the first few bosses might be easy and require little strategy, but it's laughable to say that there's little strategy to a game that requires levels of strategy that embarrasses other games.

But hey if you don't like Monster Hunter than all I can say is that I think you're missing out. Besides Peace Walker, the only other games recently for PSP that have adhoc multiplayer modes are God Eater (an original IP), Valkyria Chronicles 2 and I think Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep has a mode like that as well. Whilst God Eater is a straight up Monster Hunter clone, the other three games only feature multiplayer missions in addition to the single player component, not above it or replacing it. So what's the big deal?

Besides, adhoc multiplayer for portable games is nothing new, look at Pokemon. Sure you don't have to or need to battle your friends Pokemon or trade with them, but you can if you so wish and it is one of the most fun things you can do with the game. I don't see how a game giving you more content and more ways to have fun is a bad thing, especially when it's as well executed as the Monster Hunter x Metal Gear crossover missions seem to be.

Admit it Retr0, you're just old and grumpy and set in your ways! :pac:

WolfForager

Kojima is one crazy crazy man.

http://kotaku.com/5511861/metal-gear-solid-peace-walkers-other-big-crossover-front-mission

GothPunk

WolfForager wrote: »

Kojima is one crazy crazy man.

http://kotaku.com/5511861/metal-gear-solid-peace-walkers-other-big-crossover-front-mission

Oh Kotaku. You try too hard to be first sometimes.

There is no confirmed game crossover. The only confirmed thing is that the action figures will have interchangeable parts. That is why Square Enix was at the MGS5 conference today, to announce their series of Play Arts figures for the game. Notice how there's no picture from the conference of the Front Mission crossover? Not that it wouldn't be kinda cool, I just don't think it's true. If it is true it'll just be for the mecha building side game, I think you can build Metal Gears and trade them or something like that. Japan is asleep right now so there's been no confirmation.

WolfForager

They may try to be too hard to be first, however they do come up wth some positively golden articles! Like this interview with Casey Hudson of Bioware which contains a fascinating screenshot...

Back on topic though, this Monster Hunter collaboration doesn't spike my interest levels (which is currently in or around 0) in Peace Walker. However if Kojima were to add in something along the same line as this except with a well established western brand, then i might possibly pick it up to at least try it out!

eddhorse

Gothpunk vs Retrogamer on japanese games, uh oh ,its gonna be a long night !

Retr0gamer

GothPunk wrote: »

Admit it Retr0, you're just old and grumpy and set in your ways! :pac:

Well I admit I never gave it a chance but I also have absolutely zero interest in playing the series after playing the beta for a bit. It just seemed to have no cohesive structure or progress to it and this usually puts me off a game. Unless the game is extremely good (Theme Park, Dungeon Keeper) then a game without an ending or story progression holds no interest for me. I therefore don't feel I'm missing out on anything by not playing games of the monster hunter genre. Who knows, maybe in a few years I'll do a U-turn like I did with the Megaten games.

johnny_ultimate

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Well I admit I never gave it a chance but I also have absolutely zero interest in playing the series after playing the beta for a bit. It just seemed to have no cohesive structure or progress to it and this usually puts me off a game. Unless the game is extremely good (Theme Park, Dungeon Keeper) then a game without an ending or story progression holds no interest for me. I therefore don't feel I'm missing out on anything by not playing games of the monster hunter genre. Who knows, maybe in a few years I'll do a U-turn like I did with the Megaten games.

I have heard that Monster Hunter has made a significant improvement from the early days. I've never played them, so can't judge, but the first game is pretty universally accepted as awful. The PSP incarnations are more based on the social aspect, which is meant to improve them a lot. I tried the PSP Freedom Unite demo, but I was frustrated by the control scheme, as I just don't think PSP can handle third person action games all that well. However, the more I've read about the series, the more curious I get, so I think I'll try Tri on the Wii when they release it, with a classic controller, as long as they don't charge for online like they've threatened.

VenomIreland

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I have heard that Monster Hunter has made a significant improvement from the early days. I've never played them, so can't judge, but the first game is pretty universally accepted as awful. The PSP incarnations are more based on the social aspect, which is meant to improve them a lot. I tried the PSP Freedom Unite demo, but I was frustrated by the control scheme, as I just don't think PSP can handle third person action games all that well. However, the more I've read about the series, the more curious I get, so I think I'll try Tri on the Wii when they release it, with a classic controller, as long as they don't charge for online like they've threatened.

Don't worry, online for US and EU is free, it also supports Wii Speak.

GothPunk

WolfForager wrote: »

Back on topic though, this Monster Hunter collaboration doesn't spike my interest levels (which is currently in or around 0) in Peace Walker. However if Kojima were to add in something along the same line as this except with a well established western brand, then i might possibly pick it up to at least try it out!

Wait... your interest level in Metal Gear Solid 5 is 0... for serious? But you own a PSP?! Have you seen this video?

WolfForager

GothPunk wrote: »

Wait... your interest level in Metal Gear Solid 5 is 0... for serious? But you own a PSP?! Have you seen this video?

The only reason i don't want to but it is the control scheme, i got my ass whooped in the demo trying to use X,square etc. to control the camera.

Only reason i have a PSP is because i got sucked into the hype when it was released, if i had realized how annoying i would find one analog stick i never would have bought it. However i have enjoyed games like GOW and patapon where you don't need a second analog stick,

GothPunk

The game has auto-aim though, so if you find it very difficult to control you could use that for aiming and shooting. I'm pretty sure you can switch the controls around, so you could use the analog for aiming and the face buttons for movement. The controls are much improved over Portable Ops, which has disgusting controls. I quite like the controls in Peace Walker although like all PSP games it takes a while to get used to it.

MGS5 just has so much content, and the gameplay looks like a lot of fun. MGS3 is my favourite Metal Gear and this looks like a true successor to that game. I think it would be a pity if people ignored it just because it's on PSP when it looks like more fun and has more content than MGS4. I'm also interested to see if the story of the formation of Outer Heaven is any good.

johnny_ultimate

WolfForager wrote: »

The only reason i don't want to but it is the control scheme, i got my ass whooped in the demo trying to use X,square etc. to control the camera.

Only reason i have a PSP is because i got sucked into the hype when it was released, if i had realized how annoying i would find one analog stick i never would have bought it. However i have enjoyed games like GOW and patapon where you don't need a second analog stick,

I have the exact same problem with the PSP. It really is a significant handicap in games like MGS or Monster Hunter demand manual camera control on a second analogue stick. It is fine in anything that is turn-based or 2d or has a decent auto camera, but in games where you actually need to look around all the time and at a split second's notice, the lack of a second stick is a serious issue. That's why I'm glad Monster Hunter is moving to the Wii, and why I'm a little disappointed MGS is going PSP. I liked the demo (its like MGS3 Part 2, which is win, plus portability means Kojima doesn't get bogged down with hour long cutscenes and focuses on gameplay), but yeah choosing between two fairly borked control schemes isn't the most welcome development.

VenomIreland

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I have the exact same problem with the PSP. It really is a significant handicap in games like MGS or Monster Hunter demand manual camera control on a second analogue stick. It is fine in anything that is turn-based or 2d or has a decent auto camera, but in games where you actually need to look around all the time and at a split second's notice, the lack of a second stick is a serious issue. That's why I'm glad Monster Hunter is moving to the Wii, and why I'm a little disappointed MGS is going PSP. I liked the demo, but yeah choosing between two fairly borked control schemes isn't the most welcome development.

Monster Hunter isn't "moving" anywhere, it's just that the third (Technically fourth) console game is on the Wii, there will still be portable versions of the game.

The controls on the PSP are OK, but the Classic Controller configurations are brilliant.

nachoman

is this game worth getting for the wii, is it an immersive environment like fallout 3 or just a linear hack and slash game?

VenomIreland

nachoman wrote: »

is this game worth getting for the wii, is it an immersive environment like fallout 3 or just a linear hack and slash game?

If you want a game with an extensive upgrade system and a game you can put hundreds of hours into, get Monster Hunter Tri.

johnny_ultimate

VenomIreland wrote: »

Monster Hunter isn't "moving" anywhere, it's just that the third (Technically fourth) console game is on the Wii, there will still be portable versions of the game.

The controls on the PSP are OK, but the Classic Controller configurations are brilliant.

Indeed, the portable iterations rake in too much money in Japan to move entirely. However, after seeing impressive demos of Tri playing in every shop front in Japan last year, I've been looking forward to playing the game myself, as a home console feels like a more natural fit than the PSP. Especially here, where ad-hoc and mutliplayer PSP play is nowhere near as popular and widespread.

Good news if they've definitely announced free online though, that was the one issue that had me a little concerned.

VenomIreland

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Indeed, the portable iterations rake in too much money in Japan to move entirely. However, after seeing impressive demos of Tri playing in every shop front in Japan last year, I've been looking forward to playing the game myself, as a home console feels like a more natural fit than the PSP. Especially here, where ad-hoc and mutliplayer PSP play is nowhere near as popular and widespread.

Good news if they've definitely announced free online though, that was the one issue that had me a little concerned.

There won't be any friend codes either, although each hunter is given a 6 digit code to identify him, but you don't need to swap friend codes to play with anyone.

Apparently, you can also add people to a friends list by putting in their 6 digit code, where you'll also be able to join the town they are in, or so I've heard.

nachoman

VenomIreland wrote: »

If you want a game with an extensive upgrade system and a game you can put hundreds of hours into, get Monster Hunter Tri.

extensive upgrades, well that makes it interesting, think I'll rent it out for a night and see, thanks.

VenomIreland

nachoman wrote: »

extensive upgrades, well that makes it interesting, think I'll rent it out for a night and see, thanks.

This isn't a game you can base your opinions on in a few hours, it takes a good while and a steep enough learning curve to get into the game.

nachoman

VenomIreland wrote: »

This isn't a game you can base your opinions on in a few hours, it takes a good while and a steep enough learning curve to get into the game.

kay