Old Monster Hunter Gameplay

Also one of my gaming slump at the moment is replaying Monster Hunter Freedom Unite along with a friend. Also enjoying it so far. Now that I thought about it, I suddenly remembered my old MHFU gameplay that I recorded and uploaded on YouTube last year. So I thought of sharing it here...

This was one of the first few gameplay videos I had made. You can see the video rendered not quite good. I was a noob when I edited it back then so excuse me for that. And the gameplay itself was not something to be impressed about either. It sounds really funny coming from me but after watching it again, I say that, my gameplay there was really LOUSY. If I could send a message to the past, I would have said to my past self – “Josh, your gameplay just sucked!” XD

If I could compare my current gameplay with that same scenario, I could have done better. I guess back then I was too cautious on hitting Khezu. There were lots of openings there but I hesitated. Not to mentioned, my precisions there was really bad. And I was actually hit by Khezu's combo! Damn! Now I'm starting to wonder myself why did I recorded this in the first place XD Anyway, hope you enjoy the video for now. =p  

Nekoht Quest - Old Jungle Lightning
Weapon: Lance
Armor Set: Mixed Ceanataur Z/U armor set

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Monster Hunter Portable 3rd / Weapons Review Part 3

This time, let’s talk about Old and New. MHP3rd finally introduces a new weapon in the line-up of MH arsenal, the Switch Axe. Although Switch Axe is originally taken from Monster Hunter Tri series, it’s the new weapon to introduce in the Portable series ever since MHP2nd (MHF2 in US). On the other hand, the Long Sword which was one of the exclusive new weapons for the MHP series. Long swords were originally Great Sword class then it became an independent weapon class in MHP2nd/MHF2.

Long swords never lose its popularity for its becoming more like an iconic weapon for the MHP/MHF series while Switch Axe is starting to grow fame because of its double-faced switching weapon style, and we all know, weapons changing from one type to another are badass >=) So what makes the SA look awesome, and how’s an old weapon like LS still keeps its charm and become more badass than before?

Long Sword

Originally came from the GS class, it has a decent damage not far from other hard-hitters like GS and Hammer, it can throw more hits compare to big weapons, also having a decent mobility making it well-balanced in speed and power and plus an ability called the Spirit Blade that enable to temporary increase attack power once the spirit gauge is full from every hit you’ve made and can perform combo by pressing R button. The only drawback is lack of ability to block. For an LS user, a consistent attack is needed but having no block to support your defensive strategy would make it challenging to keep up the momentum.

LS’ maneuvers are still the same only with few additional moves and abilities. You can now do the Fade Slash (usually called back-hop slash) towards left or right by pressing left or right directional analog simultaneous to Triangle + Circle.

The Spirit Blade ability is also improved as its combo is extended up to 4-hits. If the 4-hit spirit combo strikes successful, the color of your sword’s aura will change and your sword level-up. You can keep up with the spirit combo to level-up up to 3 (sword’s aura will turn red). But just like how usually the spirit gauge wears-off, it will also gradually drains itself overtime until it levels down unless you consistently doing the combo.

I always have a good impression in using LS, not to mention that it was my very first weapon back in MHF2. The improvement of LS is simple yet it gives a great advantage. The new left and right Fade Slash gives more maneuvers, the extended combo and the new Spirit Blade ability make the LS more interesting and it greatly improves its offensive damage. But using the weapon is still challenging as ever.. or even more. You have to keep up the attack consistent to be able to make use of the LS’ ability but since LS don’t have any ways to defend but evading, finding an open spot to attack while keeping yourself not to be hit is always a challenge. You will surely be torn between attacking aggressively and move defensively.

Switch Axe

It’s the new weapon originally introduced at MH Tri. SA is pretty much an interesting weapon to use for it has various tricks on its sleeves.

You can switch to 2 different styles, axe or sword form by pressing R Button. Axe basically does regular attacks and its mobility it’s similar to LS while Sword attacks with added effect of Coatings and its mobility is similar to GS so it’s pretty much slower. You can even do connecting combos out from both axe and sword form. Each form has its own maneuvers and abilities.

Axe form has an ability to swing the axe in almost continuous phase by pressing Triangle and Circle Button first to perform the Rising Slash then tap Circle button. The major drawback of this ability is it greatly consumes the Status bar for every swing.

Sword form on the other hand has the ability to Overload Coating until it burst. It is done by pressing Triangle and Circle Button then tap Triangle until it explodes. But the sword form’s limited for it drains its energy bar for every attack made, and it consumes more when using the coating overload. Once it depleted, it will change to axe form and it will need to reload before using it again. Its energy bar would fill up gradually while in axe form.

One thing that I personally love in SA is that its regular attacks have a good reach even in mid distance, and other than rolling, you can also do Side step much similar to Lance/Gunlance by pressing directional analog (left or right) then press X Button after an attack. This makes the SA user evade while keeping the distance to have consistent attacks.

So far, SA is the most versatile weapon you can use in MHP3rd in terms of having either raw or strategic-based attacks. It doesn’t have any blocking ability but I guess having both side step and rolling is enough for defensive maneuver. You can’t make good use of its mobility, however and just like LS, keeping a consistent attack (especially if you’re going for the coating overload) while keeping yourself away from being hit will be a challenge.

So that’s Part 3. This is longer than I thought, heheh! Anyway, see you in my next review

Until then!

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Monster Hunter Portable 3rd / Weapons Review Part 2

Now let me share my opinion on 2 of my main weapons before at Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. They’re the Great Sword and Hammer. Both of them favor brute strength and most likely one of the preferred weapons by most MH players. So what could make these weapons even better at MHP3rd?

Great Sword

It’s simply a big-ass sword able to deal great damage than any other swords in MH although your overall movement is sacrifice over it. GS can be charge up by holding Triangle button but it will need a moment and have to stay still to execute it so timing is needed. You can also able to block from it, even better than the Sword and Shield but blocking will also loses it sharpness level

The overall maneuver of the GS remains the same at MHP3rd, only with additional new moves. You can do a quick Short Slap after the regular slash (pressing the Triangle to do the regular attack then follow it with another Triangle press right after the first attack lands). The short slap is an impact attack although it’s kinda hard hitting the monster (specifically to the head) with it. You can also able to Kick (press triangle while blocking) and can connect it with short slap.

One of the most noticeable additions is the Overhead smash which is basically similar to GS’s regular slash only in different stance. The overhead smash can be perform after the short slap attack. After the slap, tilt the directional analog followed by Triangle button. The overhead can also be charge by holding the Triangle button. The GS’s charging is also change, particularly when launching a level 3 charge. To execute level 3, while charging (holding Triangle button), you have to release Triangle button in time (release it when your charging aura turns reddish white) or else you will only do level 2 charge.

In general, the major improvement of Great sword is having more variations of attacks and more connecting combo’s to throw around. The change of approach in charging level 3 made a bit challenging but I guess it’s a good thing so players can give more attention to it. All of these new features made the Great Sword a lot cooler than before, although there are some moves that I don’t see of any practical use like the Kick and the Short Slap. As an old GS user, I think the old moves are still much effective. But by all means, the new moves could probably open a new approach to the Great Sword’s strategy.

Hammer

Much like Great Sword, Hammer deals great damage while it suffers from overall speed. Hammer is purely an impact type (obviously) so its basic strategy is to hit the monster more from its head for more damage and easy knock down. It can also charge its attack by holding the R button. Unlike GS, you can freely move while charging up but it will gradually drain your stamina bar.

Some of the basic maneuvers of the Hammer are pretty much the same but further abilities are totally refine at MHP3rd. The Double Pound which was done by doing a level 2 charging before can now be executed by pressing R button followed by Triangle button. The level 2 charging is now change to a new move, an Upward Strike (or something like that. Don’t know how I would call that).

Other than the regular 3-hit strike (Triangle x3) to do the regular Golf Swing, you can also do a different variation (pressing Circle, Triangle x2) to do the same Golf Swing but in a bit faster phase.

The Spinning Golf Swing is still the same where you do a Charge Spin first by holding R button to charge, charge for level 3 then release the R button while pressing the directional analog. Then press Triangle button after 4 spins. The new thing on it is if you press Triangle button early before the 4th spin, you can do a Clockwise Golf Swing (swinging the hammer to the left) instead.

The changes in some of the moves of the Hammer have made it more effective, in my opinion. Just like what I thought in GS, Hammer has more variations in attacks and combos now. As an old Hammer user, I found the new maneuvers are much refine making the Hammer much easier to use compare before. Personally, I like how they improve the Hammer here.

That goes for my Part 2 review. See you in my next post. Hope I could complete this review right before New Year. (^^)”

Until then

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Monster Hunter Portable 3rd / Weapons Review Part 1

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd is already available for Japanese release! Though the US release of the game is yet to be announce, hardcore fans from outside Japan are already preparing as they taking the first step in learning the new moves of old weapons from MHF series and the new addition to the arsenal, the Switch Axe from the Monster Hunter Portable 3rd Demo.

So for now, let me share you my personal impressions and opinions on the new groove of each weapons of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd based on my first hand play in the demo game.

Sword and Shield

It’s the most basic weapon of all. Although its sword attacks doesn’t deal much damage compare to heavy ones like Great Sword and Hammer, its quickness compensates it, also having a shield to block but greater attacks will only make you push away really hard.

Sword and Shield’s move didn’t change much. There are some new swings of the sword but didn’t greatly change the overall maneuver of the Sword and Shield. The most noticeable improvement is the addition of the move that I would call the Shield Bash where the hunter will attack using the shield. Shield Bash executes when pressing the directional (analog) followed by Circle button. Shield Bash does 2 hits (pressing circle twice)

The shield bash is actually an impact type of attack. Like any impact weapon’s basic strategy, the attack is very effective when hitting the monster on the head resulting for easy knock down of monsters though I’m not sure how strong its impact attack. I was able to knock down Royal Ludroth couple of times but still, I cannot say if it’s just the monster was weak or the shield bashing was that strong.

Personally, I like in the sense that Sword and Shield became a more balance weapon because of having both slash and impact type of attacks. But I’m afraid that it will still be the least usable weapon in MHP3rd, unless you’re a hardcore MH gamer and willing to take up the challenge of using Sword and Shield all the way.

Dual Swords

Like Sword and Shield, it doesn’t have much of a raw damage but rather giving quick attacks. Its main skill is to go “demonize” and perform an attack what they called Devil Dance. Despite of its many disadvantages like losing sharpness level very easily and no blocking abilities at all, Dual Sword still have this charm for most players.

Just like Sword and Shield, Dual Swords doesn’t have much of a change in their moves. There are some but doesn’t change much of the overall maneuver. The new things are, when in demonize mode your rolling maneuver is change to dash making you a bit quicker to move and there added a gauge that fills up for every hit you’ve made only when you’re in demonize.

Once this gauge fills up, you’ll be envelope by shiny red aura (much lighter colored) and you’ll undergo a certain mode (don’t know what is called yet) where you can do moves like in demonize mode even NOT in demonize mode at all. Does my sentence sound confusing? To make it simple, if the gauge’s full, you can attack like in demonize mode and you can dash like in demonize mode even without being demonize, only exception is the Devil Dance. The only thing I’m not certain is whether if your attack also increases in this mode. Overtime the gauge slowly drains especially when performing a move. It’s very much similar to Long Sword’s Spirit Blade ability.

Personally, the improvements on Dual Sword’s ability have made it more interesting to use though it may need time on getting use to it. The new ability may offer new strategy for the Dual Sword users much better than overusing Power Juice and abusing the Devil Dance.

That goes for my Part 1 review. See you in my next post.

Until then

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