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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Monster Hunters Unite!

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is a monster hit in Japan. It doesn’t have the same title in Japan, but it’s essentially identical except for one major difference; and it’s a major difference. The Japanese version includes an online mode, whereas the North American release features a four-player ad-hock mode. That’s a big difference considering the nature of this game, especially if you can’t find like-minded enthusiasts in close proximity. You might hear the phrase “expansion pack” being bantered around, and not in quiet tones.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite screenshot

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is a bigger and better versions of Monster Hunter Freedom 2; plain and simple. I don’t want to hear any arguments. The new features are significant, but not enough to consider this game an evolution of the series. It’s firmly built on the Freedom 2 platform, so much so that’s it’s more of a guest room that’s been added on as opposed to a free-standing structure. The graphics and the gameplay remain virtually unchanged. You’ll see old characters and monsters and hear some familiar sound effects and soundtracks. Don’t get me wrong, the new additions are a welcome treat for Monster Hunter fans, this is one seriously long and complex game. But, it can also be a disappointment for those looking for a unique direction to the series.

Billed as an action RPG, Unite combines a lot of elements that have not always been combined successfully by other games. Unite has the recipe down. Elements of hack-and-slash, shooting, strategy, collecting, farming, leveling-up, crafting, and playing cooperatively are woven brilliantly into the fabric of the gameplay, giving it more depth than it may warrant. This is not for casual gamers, let me stress this. Despite the good training missions, there is a steep learning curve. The game is like an insecure lover, requiring a serious commitment. In order to progress, you will have to equip your character with new weapons, stronger armor, and increased skills. These come at a price. That price is time. You’ve got to spend a lot of time playing the game to amass the points and materials necessary to level-up. This will result in a lot of repetition, not only in terms of gameplay but you’ll have to repeat plenty of the same missions. Most hardcore players know the drill, but if you’re a weekend warrior looking to blast through this game, I can only laugh. And it’s an evil, belligerent, mean-spirited laugh. One that would make you want to punch me I’m sure.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite screenshot

At the core of the gameplay you are hunter – a monster hunter. The monsters that you hunt are in the form of mutated prehistoric dinosaurs. These monsters come in different shapes and sizes and display different deadly characteristics. Some are huge and fast. They will simply squash or eat you. Others have the ability to kill you with their tale or incinerate you with their fire breath. Others can render you unconscious with a special gas, or slice you up with razor sharp claws and plates. The monsters show a great deal of variety in their attack patterns and in their reactions to your actions. The boss battles can be extremely challenging, even when you’re adequately prepared in terms of weapons and skills. You’ll be rewarded for successful kills, earning money from the towns that you are hired to protect. You’ll also be able to scavenge various organs and other parts of the beasts to sell or use for crafting. Some of your upgrades can be purchased in the towns, but others will require extensive searching of the environments.

Resources will be found in caves, in rivers, behind the flora, inside the fauna, in trees, under rocks, and even in the monsters’ waste. Expect to do lots of searching. Potions will be required to give you special powers. Food will give you health and stamina to keep you alive longer. Clothes will keep you warm in frigid temperatures. You have to always be mindful of your environment and the stresses it can cause to your character. For example, if you don’t dress warm, you’ll freeze to death.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite screenshot

There are literally thousands of different weapons and pieces of armor. And if that’s not enough, you can craft your own. Many of these resources can be combined to create new hybrids, or entirely unique weapons or tools. You’ll have a farm where you can take, store, and craft these items. The farm frees up your inventory so you can grab more stuff on your next outing, while providing you with a safe location to experiment and produce your crafts. Weapons range from hammers to swords to electrical traps. It seems as though there is no limit to the amount of combinations that you can create. It’s addictive to see what you’ll come up with next, and then see what you can do with it in the field.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite screenshot

Unite has more weapons, armor, monsters, and missions than Freedom 2. There are more than 70 new missions spread over a mix of old and new maps. The Felynes are back, and this time they not only cook for you but fight with you. You can take them into battle with you, and while they may be a little weak with attacks and strategy, they do provide excellent distraction. Having the monsters divert their attention can give you the advantage you need to attack them where they are most vulnerable. The Felynes can be trained and also upgraded with weapons and armor. But, they still don’t take the place of a team of human players. The four-player co-op mode is fantastic. It’s like another game altogether. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to find three other players that have a PSP, a copy of the game, and live in close proximity. But it’s worth it to track them down. Strategy takes on a whole new dimension within a group. Another great feature is that you can import your character from Freedom 2 – cool!

Graphically the game is identical to Freedom 2. It even includes the same cutscenes. There’s nothing wrong with the graphics in the first place. The animation is smooth and the character models are stunning. There are some nice voiceovers, but there could have been more. Despite the great soundtrack and sound effects, it’s a fairly silent game. The camera is a huge pain. Like Freedom 2 it’s difficult to maneuver, requiring you to contort your hand so that your fingers are covering the shoulder buttons and working the D-pad at the same time – awkward.

Unite is an excellent game for those that haven’t played Freedom 2. Otherwise, it’s just a fun and addictive addition to an otherwise excellent game that already exists.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.0 Graphics
Great graphics but with little to no improvement over the last version. 3.0 Control
Camera requires dexterous and often awkward use of digits. 4.3 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Could use more voiceovers. Music matches scenes perfectly. 4.8 Play Value
Hundreds of hours of play. Good variety. Multiplayer is a must. 4.2 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Fans of the series can transfer their character data from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 to continue their adventures and face five new monsters.
  • The biggest Monster Hunter title to date, with over 500 hours of gameplay and a huge variety of character customizations, including 1,500 weapons and 2,000 armor sets.
  • Building on the social gaming aspect of the overall Monster Hunter series, players can form a team of up to four players through wireless Ad-Hoc play and experience the multiplayer social gaming phenomenon.
  • Media Install option where players can save the game to a memory stick, allowing the game to load from the memory stick and UMD simultaneously for faster loading times.
  • A.I. “Felyne” companion who will accompany players on quests and gather extra resources. With the ‘felyne casting’ feature players can share their companions with other players, transferring data using the PSP’s sleep mode.

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