In Monster Hunter, the world is a much simpler placefor early civilization. Fantastic creatures from all walks of life coexist with mankind. The struggle to hunt or be hunted rules the world. As young monster hunters, players will face a variety of quests and battle against powerful beings either aloneor with the aid of others. Players begin by selecting and customizing their main character from a host of groups, each with their own arsenal and fighting techniques. Monster Hunter unfolds as expeditions are revealed and players are given the option to choose between the wide ranges of challenging assignments they would like to undertake. Objectives vary from defeating specific beasts, protecting a town or collecting items. Hunters are richly rewarded for every accomplished objective or the valiant efforts put forth during battle, allowing them to obtain more powerful weapons and equipment. The world continues to expand as difficult missions are successfully accomplished.

“Monster Hunter is a game truly epic in scope,” said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom USA. “From the very beginning of creating your own character’s physical appearance and attributes, to photo realistic environments and larger than life quests, Monster Hunter is a genre defining must play.”

The development ofindividual characters is not solely based on clearing levels but also on the strength of the weapons and protective gear they possess which will influence action and battle tactics. Weapon shops located in the neighboring towns and villages allow hunters to purchase, create or strengthen powerful weapons and armor using items collected during combat and the skin or horns acquired from the monsters that have been defeated. The variety of armaments used or obtained is almost limitless. However, its effectiveness will vary depending on the materials used to produce it.

With online multiplayer scenarios, gamers can participate in group sessions with up to four concurrent players, either to compete and see who will be the first to achieve certain goalsor work as a team to vanquish powerful monsters and accomplish tasks. For instance, work collectively to create traps for unsuspecting monsters or distract a monster’s attention as a friend tries to escape from a dragon’s nest, toting an enormous egg. Moreover, new quests and items will be available for use on the network. Monster hunters will be overwhelmed by the possibilities that online play lends itself as Monster Hunter reveals the expansive world that awaits them.

Monster Hunter includes the following features:

• Richly detailed and diverse environments – Explore breathtaking landscapes that are richly detailed and marvel at the surroundings that encompass the world of Monster Hunter
• Online and offline gameplay options - Up to four friends can play simultaneously online to hunt monsters and accomplish various objectives or choose to single handedly complete missions offline.
• Character customization – Players can create and modify their main character. Various customizableattributes include name, gender, hairstyle, face, and voice
• Create your own unique equipment – Not only can weapons and armor be obtained by purchasing them, but can also be created from monster claws, scales and various materials collected
• Upgradeable artillery such as swords and cannons
• Expanded online content – For additional replay value, new quests featuring unique sets of enemies and objectives can be accessed online. Special items will be rewarded to players for completing only these new missions.