When I walked into Capcom's Gamer Day event in Las Vegas, one of the last titles on my mind was Monster Hunter Freedom. I maybe played the original PlayStation 2 game casually, for like an hour or so, before putting it aside and swearing to return to it. And, due to my timely schedule and my massive sessions of other games I prefer, I never did. But during the presentation of the game, I was hit with a curious little fact- the series is doing impressive business in Japan. Over 500,000 copies of Freedom have already shipped overseas, giving it a huge push as it prepares for its May 2005 release. That alone piqued my curiosity in the game, and has recently re-generated my interest in the first game as well.

In the game, you basically play a monster hunter, one you customize from the ground up, right down to the outfit you wear, the face you possess, and even the voice dialect. You want to talk like a sissy? Well, you have the option, go for it. I prefer to sound normal. After customization is complete, you partake in a number of missions, either single player or mulitplayer, and kill monsters. With each new monster you take out, you're able to find new equipment that can come into play either in value or boosting your armor, as well as food to keep your energy on an acceptable level. This value comes into play when you visit the item shop, where you can buy more desired items to become that much better a monster hunter.

The game blends the two elements of role-playing and action together very nicely, as the game was a treat to play. The action moves along at a slow yet steady pace, as you approach each new battle with a monster with caution. You don't want to just run in and hack and slash, as that can easily put a drain on your energy bar. But, by the same token, you want to have some kind of strategy to take them down, or you'll never get anywhere in your monster hunter rankings.

A new feature in the portable edition of this series is a better focus on the single-player missions. There's a number of missions that you have to complete, and, on your own, they're a bit of a greater challenge. However, as you accumulate items and brandish them wisely, you find yourself getting more skillful in your tutelage. You can also lend a hand in the development of areas, and work on a virtual farm on a number of skills, like running a garden or catching a few fish. There's also a house you possess, where you can store items, save your progress, read some magazines for tips, or turn to your Felyne kitchen, where a number of cats are ready to make you some fine cuisine.

Even the Felyne kitchen has some strategy to it. You can watch your cats power up with each new meal they make, and even mix up the variety of cats you use in your kitchen, as they offer individual ingredients that add a rather quirky blend to the menu. Now, mind you, the game's based on fantasy, so this is no time to teach your Mew-Mew how to make soup. Next thing you know, your kitchen's on fire and the kitty litter's dumped over. Just stick with the game, it's got lots to offer for feline chefs.

But, like the original PS2 version, a huge emphasis will go into the multiplayer aspect. Up to four players can take part in cooperative bouts through Ad-Hoc hook-up, making some monsters a bit easier to slay. However, it's through this cooperation that you earn a broader sense of points to help power you along, as well as guild cards that give you little bonuses also. The option is yours, but, me, I prefer some friends to come along and pound the hell out of monsters.

The version we played was very near complete, and well translated into English so we had a good idea of what was going on. The graphics look very detailed thus far, bringing the monster world to fluttering life while not losing any pace in excitement or loading. I didn't get a chance to test out multiplayer yet, but it sounds like it's going to be promising.

Any game that's inspiring enough to get you to play earlier chapters in the series has to have something really going for it, and Monster Hunter Freedom fortunately does. It has huge layers of customization that will take hours to perfect, and the single and multiplayer sessions should more than justify a purchase. We'll be back with a full review once the game releases this May, along with a new pitch for the cookbook "99 Recipes For Your Cat To Really Mess Up". Chances are it won't make publishing, but at least the folks in the break room had a laugh, right?