Monster Hunter Freedom: Unite

The Monster Hunter series has always prided itself on bringing the best bits of action-adventure and RPG together under the compelling idea of being a dragon slayer. It’s not entirely accessible to noobs, but why dilute the gameplay for the sake of a Western audience when you have a fan base of millions in Japan?

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is hard going to begin with, even for a seasoned RPG gamer. It might look as simple as picking up a quest and wandering the wilds in search of your quarry, but getting your equipment right can mean the difference between abject failure to even scratch whatever beast you’ve been charged with killing or capturing, or making it look as if you’ve been sent trout-tickling.

The key lies mostly in your choice of weapon, ranging from enormous Final Fantasy-style great swords and gun lances, to spears and bows. Each weapon type will vary in effectiveness against specific monsters, so getting to know your prey as well as the dynamics of your weapon in combat takes time, yet is crucial to your success.

Monster Hunter purists will be pleased to see a return of some of the features from the original game, including the Pokke Village and frosty low-level hunting grounds. Felyne sidekicks rank among the best of the new features and there’s an ad-hoc multiplayer mode for hunting parties taking on the deadliest creatures. It takes a little getting used to, but the effort pays off in hundreds of hours of entertaining slaughter.