Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Developer/Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Hunting Action
Release Date: September 14, 2013 (Japan)
Multiplayer: Up to 4 players online and local play
Price: 5990 yen
Digital version: 13,920 blocks, approx. 1.74gigs
Official Website: http://www1.capcom.co.jp/monsterhunter/4/
Screens (Taken from the official MH4 site)
Fields
What's in Monster Hunter 4?
Multi-tiered hunting
Unlike previous Monster Hunter games, you now have the ability to climb up walls swiftly as well as jump off cliffs and wall faces. The terrain is also varied in height, meaning both you and monsters can attack from above and below, unlike the flat terrain in past MH games. You can also attack in mid-air, and if you score a lucky hit on a monster, you'll knock them down and ride them rodeo-style. Hang on and keep on stabbity-stab-stabbing them until you score a knockdown or they brush you off! Monsters can also climb on walls too, meaning no place is ever safe! All of the returning weapons will also get new attacks to accommodate for this new wrinkle in the combat system.
Felyne Comrades Return!
Monster Hunter Tri and 3 Ultimate introduced us to Cha-Cha and Kayamba, but this time around we're getting Felynes as our companions on quests. Unlike the mighty duo of MH Tri, Felynes can be equipped with armor and weapons, and can also team up to do mighty combo attacks.
Zombie Monsters!?
When a monster dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right. Er, sorry.
But sometimes when a monster is slayed... they come back to life. Zombie monsters? Not exactly, but what happens is that the monsters become infected and go a bit nuts. Actually, they go freakin' nuts and become even more unpredictable with their attacks. An infected monster will do even more damage to a hunter, and infect them with the same virus. If you succumb to the virus, any time you get hit any red regenerative health you had will go bye-bye. However, if you can hit the monster back enough, you'll conquer the virus, "synchronize" with it and power up.
Online play
The portable version finally goes online! No longer restricted to local play, players can play with others online, and search using a variety of criteria. Meet up in a gathering hall, pick your quest and get to work! You can apparently communicate via text chat or preset messages.
Guild Quests
New to the series are Guild Quests. Hunters will explore an area called the Unknown Woods via an Exploration Quest to hunt monsters and excavate weathered/ancient weapons and armor. The layout of the Unknown Woods changes every time you enter it, and so too do the monsters and the gear you can find. Once you have excavated something, you'll need to have it examined and polished up before you can find out what it is. The gear you find starts off as "rusted", but getting it polished up is well worth it; you may find say, a Rathalos helm, but it may differ in look and stats compared to the normal one you forge via slaying a Rathalos! The more you do these Exploration Quests, the higher the chance of a rare monster showing up! If you find that a particular quest had some great loot or a monster that you want to keep hunting for materials, you can save that to your Guild Quests and then share it with others via StreetPass. You can also play these quests with friends online!
New weapons: Sochukon staff and Charge Axe
Two new weapons are at your disposal in Monster Hunter 4. The Sochukon is a staff-like weapon that has the ability to shoot out "markers" that do little damage to monsters. This weapon is coupled with a insect called the Hunting Bug (Ryochu) that, when commanded, will fly to the location that the staff marked and will suck out monster extract. The effect of the extract varies depending on where you hit the monster with the marker. You can receive a movement, defense, attack or regenerative boost. You can also get multiple boosts at the same time! Combining boosts will also make effects more powerful. i.e. If you get a movement and defense boost, you'll receive better defense plus the Earplugs skill for a short time.
The other new weapon is called the Charge Axe, and like the Switch Axe, hunters can switch between two modes: Sword/Shield and Axe. Phials will begin to charge while in Sword mode, and then when the phials turn yellow or red, press a button to store the energy. Then when in Axe mode, you can use this stored up energy to deal even more damage and even stun the monster.
NEW MOOOOOOOOOOOOONSTERSSSSSSSSSSS
Gore Magala: The poster boy of the game. It emits a black, plague-like cloud that infects hunters and weakens them.
Zaboazagil: A shark-like monster that swims under the water to attack its prey from beneath. It can also balloon in size and crush enemies with its immense weight.
Garara Ajara: A snake-like monster that can constrict its prey. It shoots out projectiles that stick into the ground, and when it rattles its tail these shards shatter, producing an ear-shattering sound.
Kechawacha: A monkey-like monster that can fly. It also uses its ears to hide its face when enraged.
Tetsukabura: A frog-like monster with huge tusks. It can lift up boulders from the ground to crush its prey.
Neruskyura: A spider-like monster that can attack from the ground or above with its webbing.
Alseltas: A flying insect that can attack with projectiles.
Genel Alseltas: A crab-like monster that attacks with its fore claws and its scorpion-like tail. It can work in tandem with Alseltas, and can even fly when Alseltas grabs it.
Returning Monsters
Kirin, Rajang, Zinogre, Rathian, Rathalos, Tigrex, Kusha Daora, Teostra, Gravios, Basarios, Lagombi, Khezu, Yian Kut-kut, Yian Garuga, Congalala, Gypceros, Iodrome, Great Jaggi, Gendrome, Velocidrome
Bonus Content
Like all Monster Hunter games, this one has a ton of bonus content to entice gamers who haven't experienced the series. This time around, we're getting Mario and Luigi outfits for your Felyne comrades, and... Link armor with accompanying weapons!
There will also be special Nintendo-themed backgrounds for your Guild Cards (basically your character info to exchange via StreetPass).
Videos
Opening Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9de7mRhXWk
Monster Hunter 4 Direct: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Tfg6ojxr0
Mario & Luigi Felyne Comrades: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDeIvp200L0&feature=youtu.be
Link armor and weapons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnEFmtKWUUY
TV Spot 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6niNq11cMBE
Trailer 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5G6FcC4Nns
Trailer 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h3CsdHzVjY
Trailer 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05GVsk_smO4
Trailer 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-NaW2WGHdY
Trailer 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XInD7Hz47MI
Links/Helpful Resources
Gaijin Hunter: Great blog from an English-speaker in Japan who's hardcore into Monster Hunter.
Monster Hunter Wikia
Friend Codes
If anyone is importing the game, or if you're a part of Japan GAF and plan on buying the game and need some friends, send me a PM to get your friend code listed here. Please include your hunter name in your PM. Also make sure to send a PM to anyone you're adding!
Oichi: 0602-6555-3879 - 北浜アンディ
Zornica: 5000-2755-2639　- Zornica
InternHertz: 0087-2351-6428 - さくら
Anura: 4940 5820 4761 - Mary
RagingA: 5155-4269-8153
Kyuuketsu_Night: 4828 4787 5917
RyougaSaotome: 5327-0852-6433
Zenaku: 3609-1093-1753 - レン
gashikun-FLCL: 5241-3156-6584 - gashikun
Netto-kun: 1478-3663-3445
Shurayuki: 4081-6450-5195 - LoVendoR
sdarkshadow: 3823-9444-1906
Parakeetman: 1779-0571-9762 - ラビ
Hasemo: 5413-0722-0244
ranmafan: 3179-6099-1468
komaruR: 4914-3291-4688 - komaru
Festwill: 2895-7514-6707 - Selenae
la_briola: 0877-1178-4278
HipHopCat: 2938-7021-0623
CommonWriter: 4038-7440-3862 - CommonW1
Tenbatsu: 0559-7153-4662 - Tenbatsu
Kaji 0834-1729-7762 - Kaji
Kuren: 1676-4082-8665
Amankhan: 2552-1656-3266 Jonathan
Yagami-sama: 1891-1879-7556 - 八神様
Please be excited.
Updated the OT.
