How to Get the Most out of 'Monster Hunter 4' Ultimate

Ryan Smythe ‘16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

The Monster Hunter series is not for the casual gamer. The Monster Hunter series is for the gamer willing to sink Skyrim-level hours into a way of life; the MonsterHunter series is for the gamer who looks at Dark Souls and thinks, “I like this, but it needs more boss fights and cats.”

Monster Hunter 4 came out in Japan In October of 2014, and as of January 3 sold 2.41 million copies according to VGChartz.com. The series has never been nearly as popular in North America, so the delayed release over here is understandable, if not unfortunate. Luckily, that wait comes to an end on February 13. For those looking to jump into the series now, here are a few tips to ease the growing pains.

Bring Snacks

Learning how to cook properly in Monster Hunter is an important way to keep up your stamina in-game, but equally important is keeping up your stamina in real life. The risk of going for 12 hours straight due to addiction is real, and having easily accessible food to keep the blood sugar at good levels is a must.

Don’t Leave Room for Jesus

Get ready to grind. The best monsters don’t start appearing until your armor and weapons start looking like they belong in either the Smithsonian or Museum of Modern Art. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though. It just means there’s ample time to practice the controls before getting mauled by a Gravios or Deviljho.

Accessorize

For those used to console gaming, the right and left sticks are the norm. For handheld games, this aspect of control is left out for the most part. Except of course for games like Monster Hunter. With the basic 3DS, the right stick is kept on the touch pad, and once bigger monsters start showing up that will make your life miserable. Nintendo has a cheap and quick fix to take care of the camera controls for those interested: the Circle Pad Pro. There’s even an XL version because size unfortunately matters when accessorizing.

Put On Those Reading Glasses

For the best results, research. Research, research, research. The important monsters have important bits that need to be chopped off for the best goodies (fyi, it’s usually the tail). Learning which beasts drop what will go a long way to getting the best weapon and armor sets, and those are necessary to take on the best of the best. At the very least, Tim Gunn will appreciate your efforts to get full sets of armor.

Be Sure To Polish That Weapon

There are fourteen different kinds of weapons in Monster Hunter 4, and all of them feel very different. It’s going to take a lot of time to figure out which one suits your playstyle best, and even longer to master them. Some, like the Dual Blades, are fairly straightforward, but others, like the Great Sword, require precise timing and aim to maximize their potential. There’s always a sweet spot, and learning how to hit it while not being mauled by a screen-sized beast is a painful and rewarding experience.

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone

The game drops the day before Valentine’s Day, and the only thing more painful than reminding yourself that you’ll be alone forever is dying for the sixth time because you thought going toe-to-toe with a Gurenzeburu alone was a great idea. While playing alone is perfectly viable for the majority of the game, Monster Hunter 4 allows for three friends to join in on the hunt. Take that option. For the sake of your sanity, take that option.

For more information on Monster Hunter 4, keep checking Emertainment Monthly for the upcoming review.