Another year, another Monster Hunter title. Although the west just got Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate only a few months ago (the first mainline game to hit the west since 2013's Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate) - in Japan, the series has almost always been an annual affair. Despite this, the series has managed to evolve at a steady rate across the years, and even across iterations in the same Monster Hunter "generation". The title on the table this time, Monster Hunter X (Pronounced Monster Hunter Cross) seems to be no different.
Although details regarding the new game are somewhat scarce, the information that has been released thus far paint a picture of a very different game than the ones that long-time Monster Hunter fans might have been used to. This time around, each weapon will have 4 different playstyles that can be used, and flashy "Super Skills" are at the forefront of the action. Additionally, building off of MH4U's return to previous game's locales - Monster Hunter X will sport 3 returning villages from prior games, as well as it's own new village. Keeping in line with the idea of "4", this title will also have 4 "flagship" monsters for players to fight - a series first. In fact, some of these new monsters shown seem to be fought in areas that haven't been seen in a Monster Hunter game since 2009's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite!
Capcom have released a trailer for the new title (as has been standard with Monster Hunter releases in the past), and can be found below. Monster Hunter X is currently not announced for a western release -- but considering how well Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has done in the west, it's likely that we'll see the game hit our shores in one form or another eventually. If you're interested in some more in-depth analysis on the title, Youtuber Gaijin Hunter has a few videos analysing both the trailer and the Japanese announcement that you can check out here.
So; what are your thoughts regarding this new game? We reviewed Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate back in February (we really liked it!) but even then, it's hard to compare the two games as of right now, despite the obvious similarities. Is this a good change for the series?