Capcom has announced yet another Monster Hunter title for the Nintendo 3DS. Despite only having a reveal trailer to go by, we’ve managed to fathom a few key bits of information.
Firstly, this isn’t the follow up to Monster Hunter 4 many fans will have no doubt been anticipating. Instead, “Monster Hunter Stories” appears to be a cutesy spin-off with a distinct cartoon style.
Watching the video, you will notice that it features a child protagonist and his Felyne companion, the name “Stories” suggesting that this latest instalment could adopt a more structured narrative.
Another thing worth mentioning is Capcom’s emphasis on the term “RPG”. Although Monster Hunter is often labelled as an action role-playing, Stories may be a more conventional example of the genre, featuring turn-based combat and monster training.
Overall, it looks as though Capcom is trying to expand its current Monster Hunter fanbase to include younger gamers as well as those turned off by its addictive hardcore template.
The publisher made a very similar move in 2012 with the launch of E.X Troopers, a co-op focused, anime-infused RPG set in the same universe as Lost Planet.
Monster Hunter Stories is expected to launch in 2016.
Kennykazey
This looks like it could appeal to me, I’m liking the art direction, and I’m not a fan of traditional Monster Hunter.