Monster Hunter Now, a new augmented reality (AR) game for mobile devices from Niantic and Capcom, intends to deliver a “here and now hunting experience” based on the well-known brand. Certain users will be able to participate in a closed beta starting on April 25 after beta registration opens on April 18. The game will then go on sale in September 2023 on the App Store and Google Play, handled by Niantic, the company behind Pokemon GO, and with a license from Japanese gaming juggernaut Capcom.
There is a lot to parse here, but the two firms called the game an “action game in which everyone can play” and a “combination of communication and action.” Both businesses discussed the challenges of streamlining the adored Monster Hunter fighting for a mobile game during a recent webinar that Game Rant attended but claimed that such a struggle was enjoyable. To “maintain the core” of its tried-and-true fighting with “simple, authentic gameplay,” trade-offs had to be made that resulted in the loss of some old elements and the addition of new, cutting-edge ones.
The longest combat a player can have with a classic Monster Hunter monster, like Rathalos or the Great Jagras, is limited to 75 seconds. They can even do this in bouts involving up to four people. The ability to paintball a monster is a brand-new feature in Monster Hunter Now that lets players take select creatures with them and fight there either by themselves or with buddies. In fact, gamers of Monster Hunter Now have a palico companion who can lob paintballs their way even when they aren’t actively playing. The game will be playable in either vertical or landscape format, which Niantic claimed was done to account for how differently someone would play when at home or while on the go.
Beast Hunter Players can now collect resources and materials to manufacture equipment, though the two businesses did not go into detail about how extensive this feature was. But, considering the Monster Hunter series, players ought to be able to manufacture to their hearts’ delight. Character customization is a crucial aspect as well, although the firms barely mentioned it. Significantly, both stated that the game has a lot of special features that would be disclosed both during the closed beta and thereafter.
Therefore, post-launch support and monetization are two essential components of any mobile game. The two businesses said fans should anticipate more weaponry and monsters to be introduced as post-launch support, even if they weren’t yet ready to confirm every monster players can encounter in the limited beta. It should be noted that only the Great Sword, the Sword and Shield, and the Light Bowgun for Monster Hunter will be accessible during the limited beta. Monster Hunter Now is marketed as a “free to start, free to play game” with balanced gameplay for those who choose not to pay, adding that doing so simply improves the experience.
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