Monster Hunter Outlanders aims to bring monster hunting to your mobile device. But how will mobile monster hunting work? Now there is new information.
For over 20 years, monster hunters have been traversing various Monster Hunter games to hunt gigantic creatures, upgrade their equipment, and find the best strategies to successfully complete their hunts.
Now this gameplay is set to make its way to smartphones. Unlike the AR game Monster Hunter Now, Monster Hunter Outlanders is not a game where you walk around the neighborhood encountering and battling monsters like in Pokémon GO. Instead, Monster Hunter Outlanders is significantly aligned with the gameplay loop of typical large Monster Hunter games.
But what can you expect from the game? After the game was announced in 2024, there is now more concrete information.
A new hunt on Aesoland – or rather: an “adventure”
The new game places you on the island of Aesoland. You take on the role of an “Adventurer” with whom you explore the various areas of the island – and hunt monsters in the process. There is the “Fated Adventurer”, your main character, who has a certain talent for all aspects of monster hunting, and various other specialized adventurers who focus on specific weapons or skills.
These include:
- Midori with a great sword focus
- Pepe with the heavy bow gun
- Raya with dual blades
- Madelyn with the bow
You should be able to unlock various adventurers through gameplay, and new ones will be added over time, said TiMi Studio Group Producer Dong Huang in a press round for the new game.
You will also be accompanied by “Buddies”. These include the familiar Palico cats, as well as new creatures named Rutaco and Trillan. They are associated with different types of adventurers and have, like their partners, unique abilities that set them apart.
What does the hunt look like? Basically quite similar to other Monster Hunter games. You start from a hub where you can customize your equipment. This includes selecting weapons, items, and gear. Crafting is also part of the game.
As for the weapons, at the beginning of the game, only a few weapons from the Monster Hunter games are available, but more will be added. The goal, according to the developers in the press round, is to eventually provide all iconic Monster Hunter weapons in Outlanders.
And the combat itself? It is designed to be somewhat more straightforward on the smartphone than in the games played with a controller. You can use individual buttons to perform specific combat maneuvers. This way, you don’t have to forgo powerful attacks just because you’re playing on a touchscreen. Additionally, there is a new targeting system to precisely aim at specific parts of the monsters.
Alone or together? Both are possible according to the developers. Combat is designed for maneuvers like perfect teamwork so that you can deal significant damage with co-op skills. You can play co-op with up to four players.
What monsters are there? Essentially, the selection of opponents is drawn from the well-known Monster Hunter ecosystem: You can expect many monsters that also appeared in previous games. New are the “Radiant” versions of the monsters: these are new, larger versions of familiar monsters influenced by the island of Aesoland. They are likely to be the toughest opponents in the upcoming game.
When can you play? A closed beta will be starting soon, for which you can sign up. If selected, the game will be testable on iOS or Android. More information will follow. Until then, you can continue to have fun in other Monster Hunter games as usual. For example, in Monster Hunter Wilds – a new update was just introduced.
