Lets take a look at how this incredible transformation happened.
To keep things simple, Ill focus on only the main games in the series.
Understanding these behaviors and aligning your skills and tools around them is key.
It is fairly well established that handheld games have generally been more popular in Japan.
The portability of the platform combined with generally smaller living spaces are significant factors.
This reality also played a role in one of the more popular series features the four-player cooperative mode.
New events could also be downloaded to the system from time to time.
After the PSPs untimely death, the fourth main game was released exclusively on the 3DS.
It wasnt exactly a runaway hit on that platform, but sales were decent enough.
Each monster is akin to a boss in other games.
Defeat is defined as either an outright kill, or using traps to capture the monster for more loot.
In keeping with this general theme,Monster Hunterscombat is also wholly unique.
Monster Huntergets creative in the way it builds on this formula.
Each one of the games (currently) 14 weapon types are completely different in terms of moment-to-moment usage.
The developers even go as far as to incorporate different UIs based on the weapon in use.
These components all makeMonster Hunterspecial.
But its in the end game where the franchise really shines.
Earlier on, I mentioned that everyMonster Huntergame received a remastered version that containedpost-gameexpert level content.
Most importantly, this is where the developers unlock brand new, extra-difficult monsters.
Some of these are expert variants of the ones already featured in the game.
But they might also be totally original creatures, or they could be returning fan favorites from previous titles.
Although this was the case, the handheld versions of the game werent necessarily friendly to new players.
For one thing, the camera controls were a problem.
So, fundamentally, the games were designed to utilize the face buttons for camera control.
Another problem was onboarding new players.
Ultimately, this was the story ofMonster Hunterfor more than a decade.
And it paid off.
This focus on home console provided a broader canvas for the developers to work with.
The improvements went well beyond aesthetics and performance, too.
The game featured full camera controls and greatly improved tutorial logs and videos to help new players dive in.
Even well into the new game plus mode, tutorials would still appear to explain newly-unlocked features and content.
Being able to play with other people was as easy as selecting quests on the bounty board.
Capcom has actually demonstrated this several times in the past with theResident Evilfranchise.
There are other examples too.
One theme Ive touched on many times is that complexity is not the same as depth.
Anything that obscures or makes that loop more difficult for players to get into isnt helping the game.
