Monster Hunter Tri is the latest iteration of a franchise that is growing all the time. It initially started off on the PlayStation 2, then quickly found a new home on the PlayStation Portable and has more recently gone to the PC in the form of Monster Hunter Frontier. However, Monster Hunter Tri makes the first time that the franchise will appear on a Nintendo platform and at a recent Monster Hunter event, Gaming Union got a chance to try out the game, and listen to a presentation by Monster Hunter producer, Ryozo Tsujimoto.
The Wii is often seen as a more casual platform, but Monster Hunter is anything but a casual game. As such, Capcom have tried to cater for both audiences as shown by the announcement of the Classic Controller Pro, a must for all serious Monster Hunter players. It's worth saying that it's still possible to play with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, but the experience isn't quite the same.
While on the surface, Monster Hunter Tri doesn't feel overly different from the recent PSP game, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, there have actually been quite a few changes made. Sure, the controls have remained the same, but the weapons have been switched around and this has lead to the introduction of the Switchaxe, a new type of weapon which can switch between being a sword and an axe. Ranged players will be slightly disappointed though, as only the Bowgun has been transferred over to Monster Hunter Tri, so it means that all but one of the weapons has a melee focus. There are also some special (community designed) weapons, which didn't appear in the Japanese version.
Tsujimoto was keen to point out the game's ecology. There are lots of different monsters in the game, and they all have their unique behaviours. Even some of the smaller monsters, which look like raptors, can pose a threat, and they will defend their territory against even the mightiest of foes. Some of the larger monsters also have stamina levels, like players, and if they get tired their moves become ineffective. If this happens, they are likely to run away and stock up on some food by eating nearby herbivores. It means that hunting takes on an extra level of depth as scoping out the area for potential feeding grounds is just another way to potentially track the monster. Monster Hunter Tri also adds in the ability to fight underwater, and there is a new monster type which can even call in other monsters to support it.
To compliment the traditional hunting, there is also the village. This time, it's called the Moga Village, and it's a village that has been plagued by earthquakes. The residents believe it's because of a monster, but it's the player's job to find out. Here, they can also grow crops and enjoy a nice seaside apartment. They will also meet their companion, called Cha-Cha. He will follow players everywhere and players can alter his style by changing his mask.
The game also comes with the expected multiplayer components. There are two-player areas, which can actually be played split-screen, although there are some graphical concessions to make this possible. The game can also be played online with up to three other players through the Loc Lac, and there will be no friend codes required to actually play the game. Nintendo also announced that Wii Speak will be compatible with the game, which should make online questing much easier. With regards to online fees, discussions are still ongoing.
Overall, Monster Hunter Tri is shaping up to be a game that will be ultimately quite familiar to Monster Hunter veterans. It's still extremely tough and unforgiving, but it looks like there will be enough new additions to keep players happy until the next version rolls around.
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