Back in my generation-
MONSTER HUNTER GENERATIONS ULTIMATE IS NOT THE SEQUEL TO MONSTER HUNTER WORLD.
I REPEAT.
MONSTER HUNTER GENERATIONS ULTIMATE IS NOT THE SEQUEL TO MONSTER HUNTER WORLD.
Ok fine, it came out months after MHW here in the States, but originally, the game was developed and released before MHW. Perhaps Capcom was gauging the interest for all things MH in the States with MHW before pulling the trigger with localizing this title but honestly, that’s just speculation. However, what is undeniable is that it has the unfortunate luck of following a landmark title in the franchise that changed the very meaning of what it means to be a Monster Hunter game.
I could try with all of might to try and pretend I played this right after Generations at a futile attempt to be faithful to the intended release order but the 300+ hours I’ve spent playing MHW over the course of this year has irreparably changed the way I view MH. In that regard, jumping back into the classic formula has been a dose of harsh medicine that ultimately had me appreciating the franchise as a whole even more.
If you played Generations on 3DS, don’t forget to transfer over your save file by using the free application available on the 3DS eshop!
MSRP: $59.99
Platform: Switch
Multiplayer: Ad-Hoc local and Online Co-Op
Length: 60~ for village missions and much more for G-Rank content
Just as the title states, this is the “Ultimate” version of the game that was initially released exclusively to the 3DS. Generations was a celebration of… you guessed it, the many generations of MH games over the ages and boasted Monsters from all manner of entries and included a brand new mechanic called the “Hunting Styles”. Continuing the theme of things being exactly what they’re named, each of the unique styles endowed the player with both passive and active skills that encouraged a certain style of gameplay.
For example, the agile Adept style promoted my insistence on never blocking or moving out of the way of attack but instead, doing a flashy dodge that avoided damage entirely and giving me a damage buff for a short time afterwards. In ultimate, two more styles are included and while I’ve only scratched the surface of what Valor and Alchemy offers, I welcome their inclusion as they felt unique and useful in their own ways.
It also included the ability to fully control a Palico with their own set of skills but to be frank, I never got too much into that before and while I appreciate its inclusion, it’s not my preferred way to play.
In addition to all the content available on the original release, there are now brand new Village(single player) content as well as the coveted G-rank mission that offer some of the most difficult missions I’ve had the pleasure of conquering. The title monster, “Valstrax” is notable encounter as this rocket powered dragon is not only impressive in its design but also in the challenge it provides. Valstrax is far from the only new addition to Generations as the game offers a staggering roster of 93 monsters to hunt and with monsters comes the same impressive variety in weapons and armor. The sheer quantity of content to go through felt imposing and this is after transferring over my 100~ hour full clear save from Generations.
Valstrax is easily one of my favorite fights in the game.
Visually speaking, the move to Switch has done wonders as the constant frame rate drops that plagued the 3DS version is no longer present here. In its stead is a rock solid 30FPS presentation and through my lengthy playthrough, I didn’t notice a single noticeable drop. The visuals look much sharper now as well thanks to the higher resolution and the various environmental effects like twisting tornadoes and lightning storms helped making what is otherwise a dated game looking and more importantly, feeling immersive.
The jump to switch also meant I could use the Pro Controller which allowed me make much more precise movements and land those critical shots with my trusty bowgun with ease. The use of the right analog stick proper instead of that weird little knob thing on the n3DSXL allowed me to forgo the use of the lock-on entirely which is my preferred method of combat.
Despite the numerous improvements over the 3DS version, where the experience faltered for me was in its gameplay – aimlessly wandering the map for 5 to 10 minutes at a time looking for my prey made me wish for tracks and native map indicators. Having to bring pickaxes to mine and seeing them break over and over again made me wish resource gathering tools weren’t a thing. When I was knocked past a loading zone to another segment in the map during a fight, I wished that there weren’t any loading zones at all. While doing the same urgent mission for the fourth time, I wished that doing it once counted for everyone in the party. Lastly, I wished that I could turn on damage numbers as an option to see if I’m doing decent damage to the monster to see if I’m attacking the part, with the right weapon, at the right distance.
Frankly, I wished that I was playing MHW instead.
It’s an odd thing because I don’t think MHGU is a completely inferior title. In fact, it has a lot of unique mechanics not present in MHW. However, due to the irresponsible amount of hours I’ve poured into MHW at this point, going back to the classic formula took more time to adjust to when I finally got the hang of it again, I found myself becoming easily frustrated by many obtuse classic MH conventions than I was prone to accepting before when I believed, “this is just how it always is.”
The online functionality works well without issue but don’t expect to be able to send out or receive SOS signals to join hunts mid-way.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate earns the “Ultimate” in its moniker with visual and gameplay improvements as well as a wealth of additional content compared to its original counterpart on the 3DS. Whether you were first introduced to the MH series with Worlds or you’re a long time fan that’s kept up from the beginning, there’s a lot to enjoy here. It presents some of the very best of the various generations of MH, sporting a roster of over 90 different monsters to hunt but with that history, it carries the tried and true conventions of the franchise before the fifth fleet made shore on a new world and changed everything. For better or worse, that’s for you to decide.
Fun Tidbit- I think it’s safe to say that I would’ve had a more positive reception to MHGU if it released before MHW like it was in Japan but all in all, I walked away appreciating the series as a whole even more seeing where it came from to where it is now as well as where it seems to be headed. The future looks bright for Monster Hunter fans all around the world.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
