"A Hunter's life for me!"

Monster Hunter is virtually an in-depth look at the life of a Hunter. It started as a PS2 game called "Monster Hunter 2." Capcom converted it into a PSP title. Originally from Japan, this port from the PS2 integrates you into a both dangerous and breathtaking world. It's hard to dislike the detailed graphics as you climb up a snow-capped mountain or trek the harsh and heated desert. This game is the pinnacle of the PSP hands down.

Gameplay
And all the aspects. The game is heavily mission based. You can repeat almost any quest over and over again in order to gather more materials. There are two types; the Elder Quests where you pursue alone, and the Guild Quests where you can build your HR (Hunter Rank.) You can also receive items normally you wouldn't find during Elder Quests. You begin doing simple assignments, gather Mountain Herbs, slay a few pesky monsters, and then you move onto a higher ranked quests. As you progress you'll find yourself in extremely difficult situations where only your skill can save you.

There are no levels in the world of Monster Hunter. The only way to gain strength is to improve your armor, or your weapons. I guarantee some clock over a hundred hours searching for that Monster Bone+ for your next Gunlance upgrade or an Armor Sphere+ to further improve your armor's defense. Though hardly traditional it provides gamers a challenge that surpasses most.

What is a hunter without the tools they carry? Flash Bombs, Hot Drinks, Rations, Mega Demondrugs, Armorskins, ect. Though some are not hard to find, items can make or break a battle against anything you hunt. It's always nice to have a Farcaster to return to camp after gathering everything you need.

The Maps are based on a Numbering System. Areas are labeled by numbers dividing terrain into sections where your target may be. The areas themselves are a wide variety of well designed maps with breathtaking aesthetic effect. You can travel to a tropical forest, a rainy swamp, and a scorching desert. Each landscape was well designed to the last detail which seldom have other titles duplicated.

Hey! What's that over there! That thing that's running towards you is your target. There is a boss in each area, even if you are on a Gathering Quest a monster is bound to rear its ugly head. You'll notice it by the eye appearing in the left corner of your screen. It starts out with monsters such as Bulldrome (a very large hog) or an annoying Congalala (a very stinky monkey) as innocently as it seems they get tougher.

Then along came Yian Kut Ku. What is a Yian Kut Ku? YKK is a wyvern. It is possibly the hardest monster a beginner could ever meet. As a Monster Hunter it is your job to study its attack movements and commit them to memory. You'll need to know what the thing is going to do before it does it, and block, or jump, or just run away. Wyverns of the bulk of monsters a Monster Hunter must go after in order to advance. They vary in shapes and sizes and attacks and in everything imaginable. Some are large and fierce (take Rathalos) and some are small but fearsome (take a Yian Kut Ku) and some are just unfair (insert wyvern here.)

You start your journey by selecting your character's name, gender, custom hair color, face, voice, ect. The level of power you have over yourself puts other titles to shame. Perhaps you like shaggy hair with a bit of salt and pepper? Or a man who thinks his afro is a lucky charm? You can change your hair color and hairdo even after you've selected your character. The level of customization in the game once again disgraces other titles.

Felynes are humanoid cat-like creatures. When you get to a certain point in the game you can hire these comic characters to cook for you. Depending on what skills they have or what level they are you will either end up poisoned or with a little extra health. In fact Felyne Skills are activated when you mix the right foods together. And depending on what you ate will increase your defense, attack, throwing distance for bombs and paintballs, and make you Mega Lucky! However whatever enhancements you receive are only good for one mission so don't fret when your health drops because of a bad meal.

There is no better game if you are looking for armor. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 has over one-thousand four-hundred armor items. Each has their own unique ability that might give you the extra edge against nasty Yian Kut Ku or Congalala. Armor comes with skill points that when attribute to ten points or more earns you extra skills that could be as vital as victory. Many spend hours searching high and low defeating enemies, searching in volcanoes, even sifting through dung to find the right materials to make your armor. An added bonus that wasn't in its previous version, armor can now be enhanced using Armor Stones. Their tricky to find but the added defense is a welcomed bonus.

What makes a hunter is the weapon that they use. In most games your character can pick up a sword and fight like he was born to do it. In the world of Monster Hunter it is a far different tale. When you choose a weapon you must master it because the weapon is only as powerful as the person using it. Sure you can enhance the attack power; however that can only do you so good. Your skills must be honed or no matter what weapon you do use your going to lose. With over four hundred different weapons and twelve weapon types (Lance, Gunlance, Greatsword, Katana, Sword and Shield, Dual Swords, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Bows, Light Bowguns, and Heavy Bowguns) the world is yours!

Monster Hunter is a "Love or Hate" series. If you like taking on giant winged monsters in an exciting and challenging world then cancel your appointments and hop in. If you're searching for an easy game then you might not want to purchase. With more then three-hundred fifty challenging missions that makes you want to smash your PSP to pieces in frustration, Monster Hunter Freedom's gameplay is flawless.

Graphics
Without equal. Comparatively speaking, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 graphics are the best. Period. Though it has its rivals (Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII) the details, to put it simply, exceed other titles and pushes the limits of the PSP. The proof can be found anywhere, under the celestial starry desert nights where if you look up can see shooting stars blazing across. Maybe during a stormy night in the jungle where the rain beats down against the treetops like a drum (even adding a little more dramatic effect to fights.) Trust this reviewer when I say I'm not exaggerating.

Overall, the graphics in Monster Hunter Freedom 2 are a work of art. No detail was ever left undone. Every aspect, every piece of armor, every weapon was carefully and painstaking done. Without a doubt, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 graphics are the best the PSP has to offer.

Sound
The contributor. Often overlooked (mainly because you're focusing on surviving the next blow) but contributes a fair amount. It could be as subtle as the raindrops in the jungle, or the footsteps of a nasty wyvern. Battle music is thrilling to say the least. When a Monster Hunter confronts its target both are enthralled into a life or death struggle. The music is bound to reflect that struggle.
Though overshadowed, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 wouldn't be the same without sound.

Replay Value
Goodbye social life! Gathering, mining, fishing, slaying, capturing, forging, all in the pursuit of better armor and weapons. You bring bugnets to capture the insect that will allow you to forge that one weapon in order to defeat your latest obstacle. Maybe you need an ore so bring a lot few pickaxes and drive into the deepest cave in the area. Perhaps you need a fish or just hoping to catch a few goldenfish.

Defeated that one wyvern finally? Guess again, you need to beat it multiple times in order to get more materials to forge armor. Meaning you can't just beat it once, but many! Weakened it to the point of where it's crawling huh? Trapping and tranquillizing it will capture it. It's tricky to do because some tend avoid and destroy them; however if they are trapped the rewards are so much better. A good player can quickly become enthralled in the strategy and skill it takes to defeat the monster. Proving that once is just not enough.

Overall
Flawless - perfect on every level, couldn't be any better! There is so much more Monster Hunter Freedom 2 has to offer that isn't in the review. For gamers that have a want, a need to challenge themselves. To challenge their skills against what Capcom has to offer then buy this game. Games like these you don't rent. A game like this you rush to the nearest store and start playing like a madman!

Join us! Join the legion of Monster Hunter's that comb the lands of Pokke. Live the Hunter's life as you carve scales, shells, hide, bone, ect. away from the fallen. As you sharpen your weapon before you proceed to the next area where a small pink dot on the map is waiting. As you experience for the first time (but not the last) anxiety as you reload your bowgun, hoping that wyvern won't crash into you.

Stand up and say loud and proud then say "A Hunter's Life for me!"

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/10/07, Updated 09/23/08

Game Release: Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (US, 08/28/07)