Monster Hunter Now: Mobile Hunting at Summer Game Fest
A quick hands-on demo of Monster Hunter Now at Summer Game Fest let me learn a lot about the upcoming game that will be bringing the world of Monster Hunter to mobile devices this fall.
Not too long ago, Niantic announced that they have partnered with Capcom to bring Monster Hunter Now, a new mobile way to experience Monster Hunter. So far not much gameplay has been revealed to the public, but this weekend at Summer Game Fest, I had the chance to hunt some monsters myself.
The user interface for the app was well designed and free from clutter, with the majority of the screens used for the map. Players will be able to zoom out to get a larger view of the surrounding area and what monsters or crafting materials can be found. But zooming in reveals what is in the immediate area, and what monsters are available to fight.
Mobile Monster Combat
The combat was simple, but felt very good. Simple taps on the screen launch attacks at the target while swiping in any direction will perform a dodge roll in the respective direction to avoid incoming attacks. Monsters will flash red just before they strike to give players a chance to react. Successful attacks build up an ultimate attack that deals massive damage and is incredibly satisfying. While it seems simple in concept, it’s kind of amazing how fluid it feels. It really does feel like a tastefully boiled down Monster Hunter.
There also is incredible depth and customization, even just in the limited demo experience. I was able to test out using a greatsword, a longsword, a hammer, and a crossbow and they all felt different. Each of these weapons can also be upgraded using monster parts and other gathered items. The full release in September will bring in much more weapons and many more monsters to customize and upgrade with.
Mobile Monster World
The demo included three types of biomes: desert, forest, and swamp. These change daily so don’t worry about being stuck in any one biome if you are stuck in one neighborhood. Los Angeles was a desert today, but apparently yesterday it was a swamp. Different monsters appear in different biomes, so it’s worth checking out different areas to see what there is to hunt.
Niantic also emphasized how they do not want to create more “smartphone zombies,” or people who don’t look up from their phone as they walk. Monster Hunter Now remedies this by using the fan favorite cat companion, the palico. The little guy will diligently serve its partner by gathering any resource in a certain radius even if the player has their phone locked and in their pocket. This frees up the player to focus on enjoy their walk and worry about the game later.
Players also have paintballs which can be used to tag monsters. Any tagged monster can be battled anywhere, anytime over the next two days before the tag expires. So players won’t need to stop and stare at their phone and engage in battles every few steps.
The multiplayer feature was also impressively seamless. Simply tap on a monster, select the option to invite nearby players to join, and a message pops up in the corner of their screen. It really is that simple. Teaming up makes taking down bigger monsters much easier.
Try Monster Hunter Beta Now
Players will also have story based missions along with daily challenges to keep pushing them forward and exploring. Plus, if you are missing a certain item to upgrade your weapon, the game will tell you which biomes it can be found in. Simple tasks like this are how a hunt begins.
Monster Hunter Now has a closed beta going on right now. If this seems interesting, you can sign up on their website for a chance to get in on the action.
Thanks to Niantic, Capcom, and Summer Game Fest for the opportunity to try out this new game. Monster Hunter Now launches for iOS and Android this September.
