Free to play mobile game Monster Hunter Outlanders is trying to make the battles of the main series into a more relaxed format.
For many years fans have played Monster Hunter games on consoles and on PC. These games are loved because of their large worlds and huge monsters. The fights are full of action. Each weapon has its own style. Every monster has its own attacks and weak spots. Now with Outlanders the idea is to keep all that fun but bring it to phones. This is a big challenge. Phones are small. The screen is small. The controls are different. But the team believes they can make it work.
The game takes place on an island called Aesoland. This island is full of secrets. A strange substance is spreading. This substance is making monsters more powerful and more wild. They are called radiant species. These monsters are stronger versions of the normal ones. They can get frenzied during battle. That means they can suddenly become very aggressive. Fighting them is more difficult but also more exciting.
When you start the game you will create your own adventurer. You can choose how the adventurer looks. You can choose the face the hair and the clothes. This makes every player feel unique. The adventurer you create is called your fated adventurer. After creating your hero you can choose a role or class. There are 3 main classes in this game. The first is Assault. This class is for players who like to deal damage. The second is Disruptor. This class is for players who want to control the battle and weaken monsters. The third is Support. This class is for players who like to heal and protect the team.
Each class comes with a special buddy. These buddies are creatures that help you in fights. If you pick Assault you will get a Palico. A Palico is a small cat that has been part of Monster Hunter games for many years. If you pick Disruptor you will get a Rutaco. Rutaco is like a small monkey. It is cute and funny but also useful in battle. If you pick Support you will get a Trillan. Trillan looks like a mix between an owl and an eagle. It can help you and your team with healing and buffs.
Weapons are very important in Monster Hunter. Outlanders has 5 weapons in the early version. These are Greatsword Longsword Dual Blades Bow and Heavy Bowgun. Each weapon has its own style. The Greatsword is slow but very strong. The Longsword is faster and allows for smooth combos. The Dual Blades are very quick and let you attack many times in a row. The Bow lets you shoot from far away. The Heavy Bowgun is like a big gun with very strong shots. In future updates more weapons will be added. The full Monster Hunter series has 14 types of weapons. The team did not say if all will come to Outlanders but they plan to add many more to make players happy.
The control system is changed for phones. On consoles and PC the controls are complex. You have to press many buttons together. That is hard to do on a small phone screen. So the team created a new system. On the screen you will see many icons. You can tap them to attack or to use skills. You can also target weak spots on monsters by locking on. This makes fights easier on mobile. At the same time it keeps the feeling of real Monster Hunter combat.
The world of Aesoland is made up of many regions. In the preview build at Tokyo Game Show the region was called Grand Archipelago. This area is full of colorful plants. There are mushrooms and sea algae. The place feels alive and beautiful. Of course the main focus is the monsters. In the preview players saw monsters like Rathian Rathalos and Pukei Pukei. Some armor in the game also shows signs of other monsters like Paolumu and Diablos. That means more monsters will appear later.
The battles are real time. That means you fight the monster live without turns. Monsters can attack suddenly. To help players on small screens there are warnings. For example if Rathian is about to do a tail spin the monster will flash red. That helps players know danger is coming. It gives time to dodge or block. This is useful because it is harder to notice small movements on a phone screen.
During battles you are not alone. You can team up with other players. Together you can perform special co op skills. These are powerful moves where everyone attacks one part of the monster at the same time. This can deal huge damage. It also feels exciting because teamwork is important in Monster Hunter.
There are also special characters in the story. One is Midori. She uses a Longsword and focuses on counter attacks. Another is Pepe. He uses a Heavy Bowgun and is very cheerful. These characters will join players and make the adventure feel lively.
The producers say that Outlanders is made to be relaxed and not too time consuming. This is because phone games are often played in short bursts. People play them while waiting or during breaks. So fights are designed to be shorter but still fun. At the same time the game keeps the true spirit of Monster Hunter. Players will still need to learn monster patterns. They will still need to pick the right weapon and role.
One big question is if Outlanders will come to other platforms. Right now the team says it is only for mobile. They want to focus fully on making the mobile version good. So if you want Monster Hunter on PC or console it is better to play World Rise or Wilds. But if you want Monster Hunter in your pocket then Outlanders will be perfect.
The first closed beta will start in November. Players can sign up on the official website. This will give them a chance to try the game early. It will also give feedback to the team. The team can use this feedback to improve the game before full release.
Monster Hunter Outlanders is an exciting step for the series. It tries to bring the big battles of Monster Hunter to phones. It has radiant species that make fights more intense. It has 3 classes that let players pick their style. It has buddies like Palico Rutaco and Trillan that make battles fun. It has weapons that feel powerful. It has regions that look beautiful. It has co op skills that make teamwork shine.
Fans of Monster Hunter may worry that a phone version cannot capture the real feel. But looking at Outlanders it seems the team has worked hard to make it close. They know that mobile players want real action and not just a light version. Games like Genshin Impact have shown that phones can handle big games. Outlanders may be another proof of this.
The game will grow over time. More weapons will be added. More monsters will appear. More regions will open. Players will have reasons to keep playing. With free to play model anyone can join. That means more friends to hunt with.
In the end Monster Hunter Outlanders is a bridge between traditional Monster Hunter and the mobile world. It respects the past but looks to the future. It gives players a way to hunt anywhere anytime. It may not replace the big console games but it will stand beside them as a strong new adventure.
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