

The real-world integration of Niantic’s AR tech plus the already-established brand of action and adventure from Monster Hunter puts a lot of expectations on Monster Hunter Now. Also, the remapping of MH control systems to touchscreen devices is something to prepare for. Like most games that aren’t accessible to casual players, expect the same difficulty scaling to exist here. It has a rather complex combat mechanic, requiring you to hit specific monster targets or keep in mind your weapon’s sharpness. Of course, it’s also subject to the same learning curve as other MH games. Whether popular beasts like Kirin and Rajang will make an appearance remains to be seen.

Also, expect some of the franchise’s beloved and feared monsters to appear in various locations in the real world. Additionally, your fighting moves depend on your weapon, from different swords to bowguns and lances. In true MH fashion, expect a good variety of weapons and armor sets available for players to collect and upgrade.

You will, however, have to find monsters that are scattered everywhere. Your hunter will still wield weapons and fight on your behalf. However, instead of simply moving around through the lens of their phone camera, this entry will still rely on customizable avatars. The addition of an augmented reality aspect will have players going around. That's where Monster Hunter Explore throws in another entertaining element via cooperative missions for up to 4 players.Monster Hunter Now is obviously different from previous entries in the franchise. Plus you'll gain access to new game modes and increasingly challenging missions that you'll need help in order to finish. From there you'll get to enjoy the whole game in vertical mode using just a single hand.Īs you complete missions, you'll gain new resources to unlock new items and other resources to deck out your equipment. Missions consist of a chain of short battles, where all you'll need is to tap on a single action button. In each area you'll find there are shops, people to chat with and, of course, all kinds of creatures. Rather, you'll also have to unlock missions and advance around your map as if it were a tabletop game board. The main difference in this MMO in regards to earlier iterations is that it's not just an open world game. Monster Hunter Explore is a Capcom spin-off for mobile that brings back hunting down giant monsters, but this time through a streamlined game experience with controls that fully adapt to touchscreens.
