Highlights
- Niantic collaborates with Capcom to bring Monster Hunter to smartphones, featuring core gameplay elements from the franchise’s mainline games.
- Monster Hunter Now retains the unique hunting and capturing gameplay, item crafting, and weapon types, despite mobile hardware limitations.
- The game offers six confirmed melee and ranged weapon types, each with their own special skills, catering to different playstyles.
Niantic has become synonymous with mobile alternate reality (AR) games since it released Pokemon Go in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company. Since then, it’s put out various games with other prominent developers like 2K Games. This time, it’s working with Capcom to bring the latter’s prominent franchise to smartphones with Monster Hunter Now. The game, while limited by mobile hardware, will feature core gameplay elements from its mainline counterparts, like Palico assistance, item crafting, and various weapon types. So far, there are six confirmed weapon types.
The Monster Hunter franchise started in 2004, and it became massively popular because of its unique gameplay that revolved around hunting and capturing creatures, which rewards the player with materials. They can then use such items to craft and upgrade their equipment. They can also get materials for traps and potions through foraging. These items can, in turn, help them take on stronger and more difficult monsters. While the sequels have improved the graphics, added quality of life improvements, and taken players to different settings and periods, its core gameplay remained the same. This is true for Monster Hunter Now, even with its simplified combat mechanics for mobile and AR elements.
All the Melee Weapon Types Confirmed for Monster Hunter Now
There are four melee weapon types in Monster Hunter Now that can suit different playstyles:
- Sword and Shield: For those who want to quickly switch between offense and defense should reach for the sword and shield. It also comes with an SP skill called Perfect Rush Combo, which unleashes a flurry of slashes in quick succession.
- Great Sword: This classic, larger-than-life weapon is perfect for players who like to bide their time and deal massive damage that can take down even the largest of Lavientes in Monster Hunter. The damage of this blade increases the longer the player charges their attack. Its special skill is called “True Charged Slash,” which uses all the character’s strength to deal massive damage in one swing.
- Long Sword: Players who like staying nimble on the battlefield will love the Long Sword, as it deals moderate damage in favor of quick attacks that let them reposition swiftly. This weapon also charges up a Spirit Gauge that increases the player’s damage with every hit they deal. The Long Sword’s special skill is the “Spirit Helm Breaker,” which launches the player character to the sky, dealing devastating damage to the monster they land on with their sword.
- Hammer: This weapon is great for those who favor the roughness of a blunt weapon instead of a precise blade. Its special skill, called “Spinning Bludgeon,” turns the player into a violent tornado that ends with a strong upper attack.
All the Ranged Weapon Types Confirmed for Monster Hunter Now
Monster Hunter Now also offers weapons for players who like to deal damage from afar:
- Light Bowgun: This is great for players who like to kite enemies because of its fast fire rate. There are different kinds of bowgun bullets, and players can pick which ones to use depending on the opponent they’re facing. The weapon’s special skill is called “Wyvernblast Counter” and launches an exploding bullet that can deal great damage to the monsters it hits.
- Bow: The classic bow and arrow is perfect for medium-range attacks. It works similarly to a Great Sword in that the player needs to charge their attack. However, the bow’s charge is split into four levels, each with a different kind of arrow. This weapon’s special skill is called “Dragon Piercer,” and it fires an arrow that can go through the hardest of hides and scales, dealing significant damage to monsters and the creatures behind them.
Monster Hunter Now’s starting weapon types cover a whole host of playstyles, from the slow and methodical great sword and bow to the chaotic and fast long sword and light bowgun. The specific items that fall under these weapon types haven’t been revealed just yet. However, with Monster Hunter Now‘s release date right around the corner, players may get some new updates on what they can expect to wield at launch.
Monster Hunter Now is set to release on September 14, 2023, for mobile devices.
