The popular "Monster Hunter" spin-off video game, titled "Monster Hunter Stories," is finally coming to North America. The game was originally made available for the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming console in October last year. Unfortunately, the title was only released in Japan and an English version was not announced. Fans in the west have been waiting patiently for Capcom to release the game's English version and now it seems like the long wait is finally over.
Official announcement
Capcom officially revealed the game's North American release date through a brand new teaser trailer.
According to the recently released video trailer, the game will become available for all players on Sept. 8 and will be priced at around $40. The upcoming turned based role-playing video game has also been revealed to support Amiibo figurines, with a first set to be launched alongside the game. Another set has also been revealed to be launched two months later.
Free to try out
To further promote the upcoming RPG, Capcom has announced that it will be releasing a free demo for all Nintendo 3DS players in North America. The demo will be made available to download and play from the 3DS E-shop starting on Aug. 10. Players who will purchase the full game will be able to transfer their saved data to the full version when it arrives.
The demo will give players the chance to try out the new game's updated gameplay mechanics and experience its entirely new environments and missions.
The next game in the @MonsterHunter series, Monster Hunter Stories for #3DS, launches on 9/8! A demo will be available in the eShop on 8/10. pic.twitter.com/fADapz8F9N
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 31, 2017
A different take on a classic
Unlike the other games in the "Monster Hunter" franchise, the upcoming new title will feature a story-based experience that revolves around raising and training different monsters.
This is an entirely different approach to the original games, which saw players hunting down monsters to craft armor and weapons without any real underlying story behind the missions. Players will be taking the role of a Monster Rider instead of a Monster Hunter this time around. As a Rider, players will be tasked with collecting eggs and hatching baby monsters.
Players will also be able to train and tame their monsters, which can then be ridden across the map and used to battle enemies. Weapon and armor crafting will still be present but in a more limited capacity.
As for the art style, the new game will feature a more colorful and "Chibi" or child-like animation style. Characters and environments are also toned down when compared to the other "Monster Hunter" games.
