Live Monster Hunter Freedom
Live Monster Hunter Freedom is a video game for the PlayStation Portable
composed of a complex mix of adventure, hack 'n' slash, and RPG elements. The
game's aim is to complete quests given by various people in the goal of
attaining higher and more prestigious hunting ranks. This game is the third
installation in the Monster Hunter series and is based mostly on the second
game, Monster Hunter G. However, this game contains many changes in order to
allow playing through most quests alone. Monster Hunter Freedom has been a
tremendous success in Japan, being the second-best selling PSP title there -
only beaten by its sequel -, with some limited success overseas pushing it above
1 million units sold worldwide.
Gameplay
Just like its predecessors, Monster Hunter and Monster Hunter G, this game
revolves around completing quests and gathering materials to upgrade one's
equipment in order to advance. The more rare the items and equipment, the
stronger the main physical aspects of the character will be. Unlike other hack
'n' slash games, this game requires planning, study and skill in order to
overcome large monsters instead of brute force. In order to succeed in this
world of monster hunting, you need to have patience, or just general
awesome-ness that someone of the class of BeeWhy shows.
G-Class
G-class is a new addition to Monster Hunter Freedom. These quests are taken
straight from Monster Hunter G, which is unreleased in the U.S and Europe., and
present a much more difficult challenge for hunters. In return for this, hunters
receive better rewards for completing the quest. G-class quests are the elite
groupings of quests, new monster variations, new monsters, more hp and attack
power then ever before.
Weapons
Weapons are gained by first creating them from a set of items, and can then be
upgraded to make newer weapons. The improvements can take several paths, each
having their own look and elements (fire, water, thunder, dragon, sleep, poison
and stun). Each weapon has an attack rating, a sharpness level, and sometimes
even a defense bonus.
Changes
The game is different in quite a few ways from Monster Hunter, and Monster
Hunter Freedom has some changes from Monster Hunter Portable.
Changes From Monster Hunter
Since this game is based on Monster Hunter G, a game never released outside of
Japan, the game contains a much larger set of weapons and armor and more things
to do:
New weapon creation/improvement paths
More splits in paths to mix with other, previously unrelated paths
New sharpness levels: Blue and White, White is the new strongest sharpness level
More armor sets
Armor skill enhancements are modified for many existing pieces
More armor skills and Felyne Whim skills
New Wyverns (Yian Garuga) and color variations of the old ones
Instead of having to go to the inn to get food, you can now hire different cats
to works as chefs to make a wide variety of food.
New items
The addition of the Kokoto Farm allows hunters to harvest herbs, catch bugs,
fish and even mine ores that can be used to make armor. Usage of the farm can
upgrade it after hunters accomplish a number of quests from the Village chief.
Guild cards, which allow more in-depth information of friends to be viewed at
anytime, as well as your own ( though this information is only updated when two
or more people finish a quest together, and have already given their guild cards
to their recipient ). This information includes about the owner: equipment,
number of quests finished and rank of those quests, chosen title, personal
phrase, friendship level, awards, the size of previously defeated monsters, and
treasure hunt scores.
Changes From Monster Hunter Portable
Monster Hunter Freedom suffered a large change compared to its Japanese
counterpart:
Downloadable quests are unattainable through conventional methods.
Hunters do not have to link Monster Hunter Freedom with Monster Hunter 2 to
unlock "The Rage of Yian Garuga" mission.
Gore censoring to reduce blood splatters although when hunters hit a monster's
weak point more blood will appear than average.
Note: Some people believe that MHP has an online mode but it doesn't, it's
infrastructure is only to download quests.
Hunter Ranking
The Hunter Rank (HR) determines the amount of quests available in the Guild
Hall. All Guild Hall quests can be done alone or in any form of multiplayer
(except the treasure hunts which can not be done alone). There are 5 possible
ranks, each unlocking dozens of new online quests. Each Hunter Rank can be
achieved by completing a certain set of Guild Quests as well as the
corresponding "Urgent Quest" that unlocks the next rank.
