Monoblos

At times the localisation of the Monster Hunter franchise can be frustrating for dedicated fans in the West; it's a sales phenomenon in Japan and, as a result, there are more frequent releases in the country. Despite this Capcom is to be commended for its increasing commitment to making it a success outside of its homeland - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate arrives as a meaty package that could be the finest series entry yet.

Let's start with the familiar - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is still a game for those committed to a deep, immersive experience. It continues many of the traits that have made it such a hit in Japan, including a dizzying inventory and equipment mechanics that can become absolutely impulsive; you'll still be eyeing up that Ludroth Helm that you always wanted, or dutifully tackling tough monsters in the hope of getting a specific drop. There are layers upon layers of statistics, elements and more to contend with, yet the rewards for persistence are very real.

This new entry also retains gameplay traits that are at once distinctive, brilliant and perhaps frustrating. In the heat of battle you'll need to chug a Mega Potion to top up health, for example, yet your hunter will not only drink the elixir of life but insist on completing a triumphant pose, all while a hulking beast is charging at you. It's pretty ludicrous, but then so is the premise. It's absolutely wonderful, too, and indicative of a game that has a 'prance' animation just because it's fun; if this kind of thing irritated you in previous entries, be advised that they're still ever-present.

For fans, then, much will feel reassuringly familiar. Yet this is far from a simplistic re-skin with a handful of new monsters - fabulous as some newcomers are - as there are design choices that fundamentally change how you approach a hunt.

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A notable addition is stage verticality, which applies multiples tiers within some areas of a territory. This isn't just to show off new animations for climbing, but to give you a tactical advantage when taking on a daunting creature; you can leap off a high point and - with a well timed attack on the back of the monster - trigger a sequence. In this your hunter clings to the monster and shanks it with their short blade, with a balance needed between attacking and using R to hang on as it tries to buck you off. This can do a lot of damage and be hugely important; in one battle with a Basarios - which has rocks all over its body - this became the best way to cause damage. With your Palicoe (felyne) buddy - replacing the Chakalakas of the last game - distracting your pray, it can be thrilling to leap off a vantage point and initiate an up-close attack. Or embarrassing if you miss, naturally.

Moving on, we have new weapons. The Insect Glaive is particularly innovative, as it incorporates range attacks, close combat and its own unique levelling mechanic. Early on you use gun controls to aim and 'mark' your target, and then position yourself - ideally as close as possible - to propel a large insect towards the monster. Depending on the targeted area it gathers nectar that relates to a particular strength - such as attack and defence - and then returns it to you; this fills temporary slots that enhance your abilities. You can then get in close and attack with similar speed and moves to a long sword, while a fantastic ability allows you to vault over beasts and even attempt to mount them; that balance of melee, gunning and elemental strategy adds a new level of sophistication to the hunt.

There's more to the Insect Glaive away from the hunt, too, as you can gather elemental nectar that is then infused to boost the weapon's XP, which in turn allows you to upgrade it - as you do normal weapons - once you have the right resources. That sounds like a lot of depth for one weapon, but it becomes instinctive; it's a revelation.

Heavens Mount

Credit is also due for the Charge Blade, which provides an evolution over the Switch Axe. It blends a sword and shield with an axe, but there's depth and surprising power when used with skill - you attack with the normal sword and, when it glows, bank that energy into vials (there are five in total). Once vials are charged you can trigger the axe - with some terrific animation on the transformation - and attack with much slower, deliberate power. Even better, the 'elemental attack' can be executed with the A button, and - in a move reminiscent of spirit attacks with the long sword - if you string together a few consecutive hits you unleash a hugely powerful combo attack. That blend of blocking and speed, that transitions to brute force, could become hugely popular with the Monster Hunter community.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate also takes the series forward - beyond these combat and environmental design innovations - with its missions and story structure. We're a good number of hours in already, but the early stages and tutorial quests seemed far quicker and more interesting than in this one's predecessors, even considering the fact that we're well used to the series by now. There's a stronger story shaping up, right from the dramatic opening when you conduct a scripted battle on seas of sand. You get together with a Caravaneer who possesses a mysterious article, and already we've brought together a crew - a chef, an armourer, 'guildmarm' and trader - that is following clues to new areas.

While quests are still there with the purpose of introducing beasts, new objectives and to allow you to gather lots of materials, the overarching plot and expanding cast is a far more interesting backdrop than the humdrum Moga Village threats in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Travelling to new areas creates multiple hubs, each with their own characters and tales to tell, while the Moga Forest area of its predecessor - typically used for gather resources - has been replaced by a more dynamic Expedition option. This consists of areas that evolve with each visit, and the monsters to be hunted and items to be found change consistently, sometimes throwing up 'rare' opportunities. Considering the fact there will be points where you need to top up on resources, it's a far more interesting environment in which to do so.

Ultimately, there is simply incredible depth here, yet Capcom has made clever decisions that make the dynamic more engaging, varied and accessible; that accessibility is in the context of experienced gamers, still. Additions like arena training sessions that teach the basics for every weapon, down to the return of skill-based sub-quests, all speak to a development team truly refining its formula. It's the Monster Hunter that fans know and love, but has enough new features, ideas and improvements to surely turn the heads of those that have previously struggled to 'get' the series. We're still just scratching the surface, too, including online multiplayer - this isn't linked to the Japanese servers, unfortunately making for limited opportunities to try it, but we'll test it extensively for our review.

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One key area we'll cover off here is performance and differences on the New Nintendo 3DS. First of all, there are no differences in content or functionality between the new and old hardware; in fact, loading the game on a New model brings up a message that it's detected a Circle Pad Pro, showing that the C-Stick is simply being picked up as the peripheral. However, unlike older games it does utilise the New model's stronger CPU and improved speed. Like Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS it loads a lot quicker, and while quitting the game on our old XL prompted it to reboot the hardware it doesn't do that on our New Nintendo 3DS. About a quarter of our time with the game has been on the New hardware, and we've also noticed an improved framerate, particularly in busy outdoor areas with a lot of smaller monsters on the scene.

That said, we were perfectly happy on the older model before the upgrade, just occasionally taking notice of a slightly stuttering performance. On the older models the performance is definitely comparable - perhaps a smidge better - than in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the same hardware. On the New system we have enjoyed the smoother framerate, especially when the screen is busy, but Capcom has done a solid job for those using the original models.

On that note, we'd also encourage gamers to not let YouTube videos convince them this game isn't a looker. It doesn't blow up well on a PC screen, no, but it looks rather nice on the 3DS. The 3D effect definitely adds to the experience, and the environments pop with colour and diversity, even in the early stages. Sound is also an absolute delight, with the orchestrated music really setting the mood.

It's so difficult to summarise Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate without producing a thesis, but we want this preview to have one key message to take away. This latest entry, with its enhancements and new ideas, is shaping up to be the best yet in the series; Capcom may have produced something truly special.

Be sure to check back on Nintendo Life over the weekend for our interview with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate's executive producer Mr. Ryozo Tsujimoto, and creative director Kaname Fujiok.