CES 2010: Monster Hunter Tri Hands-on

by Matt Casamassina - IGN.com | 08 January 2010 12:00
 
We explore the vast landscapes and waters of Capcom's monster-filled universe. And it's all in English.
 
The latest in Capcom's beloved Monster Hunter series -- a true phenomenon in Japan -- is coming to America this spring. The Wii-exclusive Tri aims to satisfy longtime fans with gameplay mechanics and a graphic style reminiscent of previous Monster Hunter outings. But Tri is nevertheless a very ambitious effort simultaneously designed to draw in new players with a more balanced and approachable overall difficulty, newly improved camera controls and a more intuitive and accessible online system.
 
The game's been available in Japan for months and we've got the import build, but of course it's all in Japanese. The CES 2010 iteration on display in Vegas this week runs in full English and spotlights three distinctive boss encounters spread across the immense land and water masses that comprise the endlessly stretching arenas of Capcom's inspired fantasy universe.
 
Stop.
 
Before we get to the specifics of the demo, let us operate under the presumption that you're new to the franchise. The long-running and immensely popular series puts you in control of a fully customized hunter and then challenges you to quest through the mountains in search of huge monsters to kill. Straightforward enough. Hardcore fans have united around the series for its expansive world, unique monsters, fun carving system in which you can create weapons from dead creatures and more, and the addictive four-player online cooperative mode.
 

 
Previous Monster Hunter games have simultaneously proven too daunting for many new players because of their nearly insurmountable length and complicated online setup. The Wii version, of course, seeks to change all that. As a Capcom rep explained, while Tri does include more than 20 new monsters (and three returning, all with new attacks) and therefore countless hours of gameplay, players needn't invest months to enjoy the experience. The title has been balanced so that gamers who spend less time in the world will still see many of its exotic locations and encounter a variety of powerful monsters.
 
Meanwhile, the online interface is much more approachable. Gamers simply enter a hub world made to look like a vast village and there they can enter into quests and search for monsters with friends or alternatively do whatever suits them. Build new weapons. Go eat some food to increase stats. Arm wrestle with friends over a barrel. (If you're using the classic controller, which the game supports, you swivel both analog sticks around wildly and whoever's faster ultimately wins, sending their opponent to the ground.) And even drink beer to get drunk. Yes, your hunters will stumble around the village, too, and if you let them idle, they might even look around dizzily before falling over.
 

 
Capcom shed the traditional Wii friend codes for an online interaction system built exclusively for the game. When you load up Tri and go into the online mode, it will behave similarly to Live or PSN with immediate connections to friends. If your buddies are entering a quest and they send you an invite, it will appear on your screen and you can join immediately. Also, if you go on a random quest with someone outside of your friends list, you can add them quickly and intuitively and play alongside them again.
 
Tri shipped in Japan sans WiiSpeak support, a disappointment given so much of the experience revolves around questing with your pals and therefore it'd be nice to chat with them. Capcom is hoping to correct this oversight with the American release of the game. The subsidiary is working closely with Monster Hunter producer Ryozo Tsujimoto to implement WiiSpeak support to the stateside version. It wouldn't confirm to us whether it was a go yet or not, a rep on-hand at CES said only that "... we're trying." But we're optimistic.
 

 
Wii owners can also play the game with the remote and nunchuk and there's waggle -- if, that is, you want it. If your character equips a bowgun, you can reload the weapon with a quick shake of Nintendo's controller. Similarly, you can slash the long sword at foes with a swipe of the remote. That said, the controls are fully customizable and if you simply don't like waggle, you can turn it all off in favor of buttons.
 
Back to today's version.
 
The CES demo allowed us to kill some pesky monsters via three quests.
 
There's the Qurupeco hunt, in which you must battle against a relatively smaller bird-like beast. The creature itself is not much of a threat and it is more inclined to run from your attacks than stay and fight. The catch is that it's able to call in and mimic other more fearsome monsters, including huge dragons. Inevitably, you will find yourself fending off attacks from giants while the Qurepeco runs about unharmed.
 
The Barroth Hunt pits you against an enormous land monster that seems inspired by the tyrannosaurus-rex. The creature is covered in rocky bones -- a formidable shield against your attacks. It charges around the landscapes like a bull so you'll need to dodge its advances. If you're smart about your defenses, you can set traps for and stun the beast, at which point you can run in and chop away, cutting huge chunks from his head and tail. All of these materials can of course be carved into weapon pieces to create a powerful arsenal later on.
 
Finally, the Lagiacrus hunt transpires underwater -- itself brand new to Tri. The gargantuan, slithering creature looks like a cross between a menacing electric eel and a dragon. You can choose to lure it out of the water and fight it on land if you'd rather, but that's not necessary because the hunters can wage war underwater too, swimming here and there while making attacks.
 
Monster Hunter Tri is set for release this spring. We'll have much more on the game in the near future.
 
Supplied by IGN.com