Best Monster Hunting Games for Australian Gamers: A Comparison
Monster hunting games offer a unique blend of action, strategy, and customisation, making them incredibly appealing to a wide range of gamers. With so many titles available, choosing the right one can be daunting. This article compares some of the most popular monster hunting games, focusing on aspects crucial for Australian players, such as server availability and ping. We'll delve into gameplay, graphics, storyline, and multiplayer features to help you find your next monster-slaying adventure. You can learn more about Monsterhunter and our commitment to providing informative content for gamers.
Gameplay Mechanics and Customisation
This section explores the core gameplay loops and character customisation options available in each game.
Monster Hunter Rise
Gameplay: Monster Hunter Rise features fast-paced combat with the Wirebug mechanic, allowing for incredible mobility and aerial attacks. The Palamute companions offer a unique riding experience, making traversal quicker and more engaging.
Customisation: The game boasts extensive weapon and armour crafting systems. Players can tailor their builds to suit their playstyle, with numerous skills and decorations to enhance their abilities.
Pros: Accessible combat, excellent mobility, deep customisation.
Cons: Can feel repetitive after extended play; some may find the story lacking.
Monster Hunter: World
Gameplay: Monster Hunter: World offers a more grounded and realistic hunting experience. Tracking monsters, utilising the environment, and strategic combat are key to success.
Customisation: Similar to Rise, World features a robust crafting system with a vast array of weapons and armour. The layered armour system allows for cosmetic customisation without affecting stats.
Pros: Immersive world, challenging combat, extensive content.
Cons: Can be slow-paced; requires significant time investment.
Dauntless
Gameplay: Dauntless offers a more streamlined and accessible monster hunting experience. Hunts are shorter and more focused, making it ideal for quick play sessions.
Customisation: While not as deep as Monster Hunter, Dauntless still allows for significant weapon and armour customisation. The cell system allows players to further refine their builds.
Pros: Free-to-play, accessible gameplay, regular updates.
Cons: Less depth than Monster Hunter, can feel grindy.
Wild Hearts
Gameplay: Wild Hearts introduces the Karakuri system, allowing players to build structures and traps during hunts. This adds a unique strategic element to the combat.
Customisation: Players can craft and upgrade weapons and armour, each with unique properties. The Karakuri system also offers customisation options, allowing players to tailor their hunting strategies.
Pros: Unique Karakuri system, visually stunning environments, challenging hunts.
Cons: Performance issues on some platforms, story can be convoluted.
Graphics and Visual Appeal
The visual presentation significantly impacts the overall gaming experience. Here's a comparison of the graphics and art styles of each game.
Monster Hunter Rise
Rise features a vibrant and stylised art style inspired by Japanese folklore. The environments are detailed and visually appealing, though the game may not be as technically impressive as World.
Monster Hunter: World
World boasts realistic graphics and detailed environments. The monsters are incredibly detailed and imposing, creating a truly immersive hunting experience.
Dauntless
Dauntless features a colourful and cartoonish art style. While not as technically advanced as the Monster Hunter games, it is visually appealing and runs well on a variety of hardware.
Wild Hearts
Wild Hearts offers stunning visuals with detailed environments and impressive monster designs. The game's art style blends realism with fantasy, creating a unique and captivating world. However, performance issues have been a concern for some players.
Storyline and Narrative Depth
While gameplay is paramount, a compelling storyline can significantly enhance the overall experience. Here's a look at the narrative depth of each game.
Monster Hunter Rise
Rise features a story centred around a mysterious phenomenon called the Rampage. While the story is engaging, it's not the main focus of the game.
Monster Hunter: World
World features a more involved storyline, with players investigating the Elder Crossing. The narrative is more fleshed out than in previous Monster Hunter games.
Dauntless
Dauntless has a relatively simple story, focusing on protecting the Shattered Isles from the Behemoths. The narrative is primarily a backdrop for the gameplay.
Wild Hearts
Wild Hearts features a more complex story involving the Kemono and the ancient technology of the Karakuri. The narrative is more prominent than in some other monster hunting games, but can be confusing at times.
Multiplayer and Cooperative Play
Monster hunting games are often best enjoyed with friends. Here's a comparison of the multiplayer features in each game.
Monster Hunter Rise
Rise supports up to four players in cooperative hunts. The game features a robust online matchmaking system, making it easy to find other hunters.
Monster Hunter: World
World also supports up to four players in cooperative hunts. The game's online system is well-established, with a large and active player base. Consider our services if you need help optimising your online gaming experience.
Dauntless
Dauntless is primarily designed for cooperative play, with hunts typically involving four players. The game features a simple and effective matchmaking system.
Wild Hearts
Wild Hearts supports up to three players in cooperative hunts. The game's multiplayer system allows players to easily join and create hunts.
Australian Server Availability and Ping
For Australian gamers, server location and ping are crucial factors. A high ping can lead to lag and a frustrating gaming experience.
Monster Hunter Rise: While there aren't dedicated Australian servers, the game's netcode is generally well-optimised, resulting in playable ping for most Australian players connecting to Asian or Oceanic servers.
Monster Hunter: World: Similar to Rise, World doesn't have dedicated Australian servers. However, the game's large player base means that there are often players from the region to connect with, resulting in reasonable ping.
Dauntless: Dauntless has servers in multiple regions, including Oceania, which provides excellent ping for Australian players.
Wild Hearts: Wild Hearts also lacks dedicated Australian servers. Player reports suggest that ping can vary depending on the connection and the region of other players in the hunt. It's advisable to check online forums for the latest information on server performance. You can also check frequently asked questions about common gaming issues.
Overall Value and Replayability
Ultimately, the value and replayability of a game depend on individual preferences. However, here's a general assessment of each game.
Monster Hunter Rise: Offers excellent value with a large amount of content and a constantly evolving endgame. The fast-paced combat and deep customisation provide plenty of replayability.
Monster Hunter: World: Provides exceptional value with a massive amount of content and a challenging endgame. The immersive world and strategic combat offer endless replayability.
Dauntless: As a free-to-play game, Dauntless offers incredible value. While it may not have the depth of Monster Hunter, it provides a fun and accessible monster hunting experience with regular updates.
Wild Hearts: Offers good value with a unique gameplay mechanic and visually stunning environments. However, performance issues and a convoluted story may impact replayability for some players.
Choosing the best monster hunting game for you depends on your individual preferences. Consider the gameplay mechanics, graphics, storyline, multiplayer options, and server availability to make an informed decision. Happy hunting!