"A Japanese game with giant monsters... How origional can it be?"

In Japan theres a game that has giant rampaging monsters... And its not a Godzilla ripoff!

Game play- Monster Hunter 2 has you doing the same things you did in Monster Hunter 1, go around hunting giant dinosaur-like monsters so you can collect money and parts so you can upgrade your weapons and armor. After you do once, you do it again, and again, all the while
unlocking bigger and badder monsters so that you can build that bigger and badder armor and weapon. On the surface it sounds like a boring formula but it comes as a surprise how incredibly addicting this can get. You might spend an hour just to get one piece needed for a weapon that requires several. It does not get old though like most RPGs due to this being an "Action" RPG. This means instead of sitting back and choosing an attack for your character to do while you sit back and rely on luck for dodging and killing little enemies over and over again to be able to take on stronger ones. You take full responsibility for whats going on. This means that theoretically a very experienced player might be able to take on the strongest monster in the game using the armor and weapons you start out with at the beginning of the game by using his skills. Of course, thats just theoretically.

Controls- For a hand held, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 controls very well. There's a few buttons for hitting and dodging monsters and their furry of attacks. The game makes use of the d-pad as camera control and pressing the r-button will pan the camera directly in front of you so you can see whats ahead. In fact the only real learning curve, along with knowing when and how to dodge and block, is being able pan the camera effectively at all times. Loosing track of your target or the many other animals around you can mean getting hit and not seeing it coming. If you played the first hand held Monster Hunter game then you will come into this game already feeling like a seasoned vet.

Graphics- Now this is where the game really shines and sets itself apart from the pack. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 is probably the prettiest games to look at on any hand held, ever. When you get off your boat in the jungle area and you are on a beach, the crystal blue water along with the noise and beauty of the waterfalls all come together to create a place you wish you could vacation to. It is quite the visual treat. The snowy mountains have snow falling all around you and when the wind picks up the snows blows around and your character will start to shiver if it hasn't had the proper power up yet. When you stand onto the edge of a cliff you can see on and on at what looks like a vast mountain range. In the forest you are surrounded by trees and sometimes you can't tell what might be up ahead waiting to ambush you. I could go on and on about the graphics and how they set the tone for the game but I'll end it with those examples.

Audio- Along side the graphics is the audio. When you enter a hunting area you can hear the local bird calls and insect noises. The sounds match what you see perfectly. When you're on the beach you can hear the waves lapping up onto the sand. It really sets the atmosphere and allows the gamer to feel like they are really there in the moment. Theres no arcade game noises or 2-d remakes to annoy and become bored of. The music is catchy but never in your face. It really fades into the background nicely and matches where you are and whats happening at the moment.

Replay Value- With hundreds of missions and thousands of weapons and armor combinations anyone who gets addicted to this game will find no reason to put it down anytime soon. All the weapons and armor have a unique look and feel to them so half the fun is seeing what kind of cool combinations you can make.

Multi player- Whats the fun of working hard to make awesome armor and powerful weapons if you can't show them off?
The game has a multi player feature that allows a hunting party of four to go into any mission through the guild and take on monsters together. It really captures that MMORPG feel and you can even have your party members have specialized jobs. You can have an archer to perform ranged attacks while and great swordsman attacks up close and a battle horn player gives the party health and power ups. The multi player is however only local unless you can get a third party program like Xlink Kai up and running to allow you to take you're skills online to find fellow lonely hunters.

Overall- This is a must own game if you have a PSP. This isn't that baby game we grew up with where you try to capture monsters and have them fight for you in a battle where no one dies. Its you, a deadly weapon, and a four story monster who wants to have you for dinner. Only one of you will limp away. Who's it gonna be?

Score: 8.5/10

I do not think this game quite deserves a 9 and so since Gamefaqs only allows solid number I chose to give it an 8 through them... But I think this game is more of an 8.5.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/13/07

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