In America, however, the series has not quite taken off to the same degree despite several offerings on the PSP. Not one to back down from a challenge, Capcom is trying once again to bring the social phenomenon to American audiences with the Wii-exclusive localization of Monster Hunter Tri. In a world where man shares the land with fantastical creatures, the preferred profession is that of a hunter-gatherer.
Despite the fact that many of the creatures tower several feet over the humans, the hunters are trained to fearlessly stalk and slaughter the fauna and use any useful materials from the corpses to assemble more effective weapons and gear. Unlike past games in the series, though, the motivation to hunt is not for equipment alone; by completing NPC-given quests, the character’s earthquake-devastated hometown is slowly restored to prosperity once again.
Not all is easy for the hunter, however. Some monsters are so immense and powerful that a single human challenger is child’s play to them. The only means to defeat such a foe is to team up with other hunters, and while players can employ an AI teammate in single-player, the primary focus of Tri is multiplayer. As a game that relies heavily on tactics, the greatest chance for survival comes from hunting with up to three other humans online or a friend in split screen co-op.
Japanese players currently have to pay a monthly fee to access the online portion of Tri, but as of press-time Capcom has stated an interest in making the experience free for the Western audience. In addition, Capcom is currently looking into incorporating WiiSpeak into online play, another feature that the Japan release lacks and one that will certainly aide in strategizing attacks.
To make the experience all the more immersive, Capcom has developed what it touts to be a living, breathing ecosystem. There are several environments, ranging from mountainous landscapes to frozen tundra, and each region’s creatures realistically interact with each other. So if a player is stalking a monster, he can be sure that he’s not the only one on the hunt. Top this with a top-notch graphics engine that puts most other third-party Wii developers’ work to shame and we’ve got an offering sure to visually captivating.
To say that the Monster Hunter series has been a success is an understatement. It’s simply one of the best selling franchises of all time…except in America. Luckily Capcom went all out with Monster Hunter Tri, so there is no better time for Americans to see what they’ve long been ignoring. And maybe start some summer training camps.
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