I have to admit, somewhere during my course of playing Capcom games into the ground, I've somehow overlooked Monster Hunter, a game that was released for the PlayStation 2 a couple of years back that has since garnered a small following. I finally managed to track down a copy and took a liking to it, although it's not exactly the kind of vivid experience I come to expect from Capcom. But, hey, that's just my approach- players in Japan love this stuff and have bought the PS2 and PSP editions and savored every moment of monster killing.

So, of course, with Monster Hunter Freedom's success overseas, Capcom saw fit to give the game a try on these shores to see if lightning strikes twice. And while the power of innovation is going to carry this over for a number of fans (as will the number of monster fights you actually get into, in which there's a bundle), the game has a few things holding it back from being the classified, jagged-toothed monster hunter it wants to be. It's like you want this beast to show its fangs and all you find is daunting metallic braces.

In the game, you take control of a monster hunter in the middle of the 2000 era BC, which is a bit confusing. I mean, it takes place way, way, wayyyy back in the day, and yet you have hold of technology that almost looks like someone from Radio Shack put it together. Of course, there's also talking cats, so I guess some imagination would have to come into play. I'll forgive it.. As the game progresses, you are able to get your hands on a number of creative tools that not only let you create an ideal monster hunter from the ground up, complete with matching identity, but you also gain access to tools of the trade that let you customize your own weapons and armor. If you want to take the lazy way out and buy your tools of the trade, that option is open as well, but that's like purchasing beer when you can make your own. Besides, there's very few things to buy anyway. It's all about getting into battles and using something called ambition.

The game is basically separated into two kinds of quests. You have your gathering quests, which basically enable you to look for items and food in certain parts of your area, but the real meat and potatoes of the game lies in the monster hunting quests, where you find yourself facing off against all sorts of monsters, such as wyverns, bugs, and dozens more. One cool thing about the game is the variety of monsters and crazies you'll come across, but I suppose that's the part you play as your monster hunter. You're not exactly stalking elk, kid.

So herein we stumble upon the first of the three flaws that really hold this game back. The first is the gameplay. Despite the fact you can equip yourself with some superb weaponry and really lay waste on your enemies with some vicious combos and item usage, the fact of the matter is that the game suffers from not really having a targeting system. That means you could be in the middle of a combo and you have to wait for it to frickin' unfold before you can aim back at that enemy. Not only is this annoying, it can also be painful, as it leaves you wide open to attack, especially in groups. It's something that can be adjusted to after a few plays, but, really, it shouldn't have been an issue. Look how fluidly Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition plays. Yes, I know it's a completely different style of game to how Monster Hunter is, but still, a lock-on system similar to DMC3 would've been novel here.

The second problem lies embedded in the gameplay. It's not necessarily the graphics. While the environments aren't exactly the most colorful, the characters animate well enough and some of the fighting effects are dazzling. It isn't the sound either, as the game is filled with some good (if not amazing) music and sound effects. So what is it then that makes it struggle in the presentation department? The camera. Although you have manual controls over your camera and its angles, half of the time you find yourself moving it around constantly in a battle just to keep an eye on your enemy. This is probably something that could've been remedied with that suggested lock-on system, as it would have meant the camera swinging around to give you a view of them. Or at least aiming your character in the right direction so you don't start a nine-hit combo into thin air, right?

Finally, there's the multiplayer. While it's great to have multiplayer through AdHoc and team up with others in battle locally, the lack of online multiplayer stings a bit. I mean, the console edition had online play, so why not this one?

It's so frustrating to lean a game on its "should'ves" instead of its "already dids", if you will. Monster Hunter Freedom is very different from most of the games on the market, and it's just as enjoyable a game as the PS2 edition that arrived a few years back. But with a co-name like Freedom, you expect to have the shackles raise and get the monster hunting experience you deserve. Instead, you've got a game that's as diversive as hell with its customization and yet struggling with its combat, camera control, and lack of online play. Fortunately, the good does outweigh the bad a bit in the end, so the game's worth at least a rent. Purchasers will definitely want to take that path before they invest into this Freedom.

Our Final ScoreOK

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