Old Monster Hunter vs New Monster Hunter

[sullynathan]

Thread to compare and contrast between pre-World Monster Hunter games and post World Monster Hunte games, or if you'd like, divinding the games per generation (First gen - Freedom, 2nd gen - Freedom Unite, 3rd Gen - 3rd & portable 3rd, etc.).

I've finished MH World for now, and I'm jumping bacc into portable 3rd. First thing to notics is the UI was so much worse, and my last save was 87 hours which was a lot of farming.

 

[Jacob]

so, what's the appeal of these games?

 

[Mustawd]

I’ve been thinking of firing up old MH games either on my 3DS or emulated on other platforms.

Any games I should avoid outright? Or are they all pretty much playable?

The thing that concerns me is that they seem to be very MP based, while i only really play SP games. So I’m worried SP just won’t be viable for some monsters.

 

[sullynathan]

so, what's the appeal of these games?

Grinding and fun combat but at a certain point grinding is the long lasting appeal. You will grind until you finally get tired of it.

Any games I should avoid outright? Or are they all pretty much playable?

They're all playable and are emulated well, the portable ones likely are better emulated anyway since you can change controls to get better camera control, but monster hunter freedom, the first game, is especially shit (ok it's mediocre).

The thing that concerns me is that they seem to be very MP based, while i only really play SP games. So I’m worried SP just won’t be viable for some monsters.

Really, if you're getting into the series, just start with monster hunter world. It's the best game in the series and it's far more noob friendly than the rest, not that the rest of them are particularly against new players, they just have high level amounts of tedium mixed with a lot more grinding.

They are multiplayer but single player is very much fun and good to play. Depending on how much you personally like it, you'll probably want to engage in multiplayer because it's a bit more fun, adds challenge and certain later game/ optional monsters are recommended to play with others.

 

[Vorark]

I enjoy both old and new MH. I've achieved balance nirvana.


That being said, Freedom Unite will forever be my favorite -- after 3 years of on and off playtime, slowly progressing alone through the ranks and finally reaching and downing Ukanlos was fantastic. Only game which I consider somewhat similar to FU is the first Dark Souls, both have the slow paced combat which I'm very fond of.

To newcomers, either World or 4 Ultimate would be good entry points. Afterwards, if you still want more, give a chance to the previous titles. They have their ups and downs but are all worthy and quality entries.

 

[Perkel]

Thread to compare and contrast between pre-World Monster Hunter games and post World Monster Hunte games, or if you'd like, divinding the games per generation (First gen - Freedom, 2nd gen - Freedom Unite, 3rd Gen - 3rd & portable 3rd, etc.)..

If you want to play older MH games:

MH1 - not worth your time other than to look what it was and how older MH games didn't chance a lot since mh1
MH2 - Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is definitive version. Easily emulated on PPSSPP. Has old animation system which makes most of monster feel like robots most of the time. Multiplayer works via PPSSPP and requires hamachi.
MH3 - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is definitive version. Both WiiU emulator CEMU and Citra emulator play both version at 100% of speed. This game has revised animation system, underwater which was a problem for initial Tri release as controls sucked ass but with normal pad it works good. Also imho has shitload of good monsters. Multiplayer works only on Citra version via local play.
MH4 - Best old monster hunter. Amazing amount of content, 60fps, great monsters all around, added verticality, new gleive weapon, story mode is quite fun and G-rank is fucking amazing in it. Unfortunutelly as of right now only multiplayer part of MH4U works great on Citra. Story cinematics freeze game after few missions. Multiplayers works great with citra.

MHXX(or GU on switch) - Latest old MH game, mhxx works perfectly well in citra both single and multiplayer. IT is greatest hits edition of mh game where they bring back shitload of old maps and monsters from across mh games sometimes imho needless like Cephalodrome or generally dromes, it is front loaded with shitload of fetchqyests but if you go through it high rank and G-rank are amazing. Game got downgraded to 30fps but it has huge amount of additional moves. Some like them like i some people don't like them (they are optional though).

If anyone want to go back to older MH game imho on PC they should go for MHXX with english patch.
Not only games works without issues on citra but online multiplayers works great

Also worth noting is that any fan of MH games should play MH3U. Despite it being older it has so far the most unique content of all mh games and a lot of monster which don't show in other mh games.

 

[Mustawd]

MH1 - not worth your time

Can you go more into detail? Was thinking of revisiting all the MH games, and this is second post that’s suggested that Mh1 is skippable.

 

[Perkel]

MH1 - not worth your time

Can you go more into detail? Was thinking of revisiting all the MH games, and this is second post that’s suggested that Mh1 is skippable.

Because MH1 is kind of like MHFU 0.2 version.
I don't think you want to play MH game for story so...

Aside from that instead of buttons you need to fight with right analog (which i thought was interesting..)
Game has like dozen monsters so you will be able to quickly finish it.

Monster hunter Freedom is PSP version of 1st game with G-rank and additional end game content.
Though ti is PSP game instead of PS2 and looks a bit worse.

PCSX2 also works great with those games. PPSSPP works amazing for PSP games.

MH for PS2 in english doesn't have G-rank
MH freedom is MH1+Grank+additional content on psp

 

[sullynathan]

I'm playing Portable 3rd and I see that I've done all the regular main low rank quests. I go into the offline hall (because I don't want to waste time with setting up multiplayer like last time because barely anyone was playing), and find that I can't play high rank because I haven't done enough lower rank quests. Should I do the offline hall low star rank quests till I get star rank 4 or finish the quests in the main low rank quests in the town?

Can you go more into detail? Was thinking of revisiting all the MH games, and this is second post that’s suggested that Mh1 is skippable.

It's due to the worse mechanics and Monster Hunter's iterative nature. MH Freedom has no camera control outside of quickly facing your characters front. Hitboxes are out the wazoo, enermies will hit your character without connecting.

A lot of the mechanics, UI and grinding has been iterated on so much that by World it's so much better. MH Freedom needed you to craft everything, and crafting had a percentage to fail for whatever reason unless you bought multiple crafting books that boosted the chance for success.

The UI is garbage.

There is a lot of shitty grinding that by World has been severely cut down and is mainly automated. Things like Gathering plants, bugs, drop rates for specific monster items, etc. You'll get annoyed by it at some point.

You had the stupid flex healing animation which MH World does better by having gradual healing + movement.

MH World's use of scoutflies and collecting tracks is superior to following a small map to find a monster and throw a paintball to track them across the map.

General combat is far more restrictive than later games.

Finally the big point, practically all the monsters in MH Freedom have reappared in multiple monster hunter games afterwards and have been improved.

This is kind of the crux of why I don't think it is necesarry to replay all the Monster Hunter games. MH1 had monsters, MH Freedom improved on it with more content, then MH2 brings back a lot of those monsters + new monsters and MH Freedom Unite brings all those monsters back with even more new ones. MH3 leaves a lot of those monsters behind for newer monsters and underwater combat, but MH3 Ultimate brings back old monsters. MH4 brings back a lot more old monsters and some new ones. MH4 Ultimate, MH Generations & Generations Ultimate all follow this same path.

In essence, 2, 3, 4, Generations to an extent and World bring the most new changes to the franchise and all the first 4 mentioned have an ultimate/definitive edition. World does just about everything better than those games but it doesn't have as many monsters as 4 Ultimate & Generations Ultimate.

 

[Deflowerer]

MH Freedom has camera control iirc.

Didn't remember a problem with hitboxes, although possible.

 

[sullynathan]

MH Freedom has camera control iirc.

Didn't remember a problem with hitboxes, although possible.

proper camera control to put things specifically. Camera was mapped to the d-pad iirc, which doesn't work well on a PS2 controller.

Fight the rathalos again.

 

[Perkel]

Also it is worth noting that with PPSSPP you can remap buttons.
Even Vita had that ability and you could map left/right to right analog stick.

MH1 and MH2 on PS2 even need that more. Not only camera movement is shitty but attack buttons are connected to right analog stick.

 

[sullynathan]

Also it is worth noting that with PPSSPP you can remap buttons.

I pointed this out already, which helps, and running the game at double speeds to speed up farming.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

I've finished MH World for now, and I'm jumping bacc into portable 3rd. First thing to notics is the UI was so much worse, and my last save was 87 hours which was a lot of farming.

it's even worse in older games? MHW is my first MH game and while I like it I can't get over how shit the UI is. Minimap takes up a quarter of the screen, pop ups everywhere, item bar is way too big, health bars too big.

I wanna look at the monsters not a minimap

 

[sullynathan]

it's even worse in older games? MHW is my first MH game and while I like it I can't get over how shit the UI is. Minimap takes up a quarter of the screen, pop ups everywhere, item bar is way too big, health bars too big.

you can turn a lot of that off in world, don't think you could do so in previous games

 

[Correct_Carlo]

I find Monster Hunter World to be dull. I played it for 80 hours, but it was a pretty bland 80 hours. Even though it's multiplayer, it really wasn't designed around teamwork as the monster kills don't require much strategy. Everyone just beats on the HP sponge monster for 10 minutes, until it suddenly falls over dead.

Still, I played it for 80 hours because it's the sort of low-commitment game that you can pick up and play for an hour, then leave off for a week, then pick up and play again. Unless you want to grind for every armor (which is tedious), it's a very low comitment game with a really low learning curve.

 

[Perkel]

Well like everyone points out World doesn't have G-rank.
G-rank for hardcore gamers is true end game.

In G-rank you can't just hit stuff like you did in low rank/high rank.
Same with multiplayer. While in both LRandHR multi is easy in G-rank unless you have actually team that can communicate it will be hard to kill stuff.

Monsters like Nergigante are pretty good indicators of early G-rank and you could see how much people in multiplayer have issues with it.

 

[DJOGamer PT]

so, what's the appeal of these games?

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

it's even worse in older games? MHW is my first MH game and while I like it I can't get over how shit the UI is. Minimap takes up a quarter of the screen, pop ups everywhere, item bar is way too big, health bars too big.

you can turn a lot of that off in world, don't think you could do so in previous games

Really? I know u can turn off the keymapping ui element but I couldn't find an option for turning off other things like minimap. Gotta check again

 

[kalganoat]

If you are going back before mhw. The only game worth trying is MH Generations Ultimate on switch. It has the best graphics, controls and mechanics and the most content. Its the culmination of all MH into one game. Anything before that you are gonna have to deal with outdated games on outdated hardware.

The general concensus in MH community is MHW has been made easier for the casuals. Some say it's dumbed down but that's debateable and people still argue about it to this day. Some of it is fueled by console fanboys though.

I think the lack of G rank and monsters hurt MHW. But people forget previous MH games without G rank suffered from the same problem. I think once Iceborne comes out and complete MHW people will judge this game differently.

 

[sullynathan]

Switch axe was my main in Portable 3rd and it really sucks compared to world. Lack of buttons on the PSP means lack of switch combos between the axe and sword form. There is no uber grab move nor does your sword axe gauge grow in power or use when using axe form.

 

[Hobo Elf]

It's pointless to go back in the series because of how fast the gameplay devolves, unless there are specific monsters you really love to hunt.

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

If you want to play old Monster hunter go to:

- Monster hunter freedom (The original game is "magic". You should give it a try)
- Monster hunter freedom Unite
- Monster hunter 3 ultimate (Still probably my favourite thanks to the swimming and the water creatures)
- Monster hunter 4 ultimate

And from the new ones, World of course. And XX if you can tolerate the insane lazy and rehashed content. I can't.

The other games of the franchise tend to be prior versions of the games I mentioned above. So there's no much reasons for trying them.

 

[sullynathan]

Before World, which is it that range weapons become properly viable? In Freedom Unite, the shootah and bow controls are more cumbersome than just getting a greatsword and spanking a monster, why would I play with the former?

 

[Valky]

I’ve been thinking of firing up old MH games either on my 3DS or emulated on other platforms.

Any games I should avoid outright? Or are they all pretty much playable?

The thing that concerns me is that they seem to be very MP based, while i only really play SP games. So I’m worried SP just won’t be viable for some monsters.

I have exclusively played them as singleplayer and I think of them as excellent singleplayer games. I killed Dire Miralis solo and even stubbornly managed to kill the event abyssal lagiacrus in 3U with a funlance in order to complete my perfect set of armor that I charm sniped for before realizing that if I got more HR that a normal abyssal lagiacrus would show up.
Haven't played world yet but the most obvious thing that I can see is the severely low number of monsters compared to the games before it.

I got around 500 hours in 3U with all of the armor and weapons made and multiple perfect charms sniped through manipulating RNG, and finished all of the quests, when I got bored near the end I completed a few of the big event quests with my brother over multiplayer wiiu, it was a nice gimmick to hunt together a few times.
Only about 300 hours in 4U so far and I'm half way through G rank but I stopped playing about 2 years ago because I just lost interest. I want to go back and finish it some day, I never got to the cool stuff like apex monsters and weapon honing. That electric monkey terrifies me, but 4U has a lot of my favorite monsters in it like Seregios, Gore Magala, and Nerscylla. I wish the 4U monsters get put in World along with Zinogre and Agnaktor.