Summary
Monster Hunter Nowis the latest app from Niantic, developers of the well-receivedPokemon GO.Players who are familiar withPokemon GOwill find that a lot ofMonster Hunter Nowfeels familiar, and it is indeed a similar premise.
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As with its predecessor,Monster Hunter Nowis a game from a well-known IP, encouraging its players to walk around in the real world andmaking use of AR technologyto blend its gameplay with the real world. Despite these similarities, there is a lot thatMonster Hunter Nowdoes differently toPokemon GO, with the following being the most notable differences.
10Item Space
A very simple difference, to begin with, is that inventory space has been done differently inMonster Hunter Now.InPokemon GO,players have two main types of storage: item storage and Pokemon storage. Both of these start with a very small amount of available space, 250 slots for Pokemon and 350 for items, but these can be increased with in-game currency or by spending real-world money.
The item storage inMonster Hunter Nowcan only be increased by real-world money, but players have a lot more storage to play with. There are 5000 slots from the start. On top of that, collecting Pokemon and essential items is integral to the gameplay loop ofPokemon GO, while it is less essential toMonster Hunter Now,primarily being used for crafting.
9Gathering Points
In some aspects, Gathering Points inMonster Hunter Nowwill be familiar toPokemon GOplayers, as they are found in the same spots assome of the gymsand Pokestops inPokemon GO, fulfilling similar roles to Pokestops. Instead of spinning them, as players do inPokemon GO,Monster Hunter Nowplayers will tap these gathering points to gain resources.
While the items that players gain from Pokestops are integral to continued gameplay, such as Pokeballs and potions, items collected from gathering points are more often used for crafting. There seem to be fewer gathering points than there are Pokestops and gyms, and they take much longer to replenish. On the other hand, inMonster Hunter Now, resources sometimes spawn in random locations in the world.
8Palico Buddy
InPokemon GO, players can choose one of their Pokemon to accompany them as a buddy. They prove increasingly useful as players develop a bond with them. Players inMonster Hunter Now, though, have a permanent buddy with them. In classicMonster Hunterfashion, this is a felyne or palico.
Palicoes prove very useful during exploration from the start. Players can direct them around the screen to gather resources, and they will even pick them up while the app is closed, so long as players are making use of adventure sync. Palicoes can also automatically paintball monsters, explained further down the list, while the app is running in the background.
7Different Environments
As withPokemon GO, Monster Hunter Nowmaps the real world. One of the unique features they’ve added for this game, however, is that the map is divided into different environments, such as forest, desert, and swamp. Different monsters can be found in each environment, and the environments seem to shift each day.
This ensures that players will always be able to access new areas to explore, no matter where they are. It’s a very nice touch that makesMonster Hunter Nownot only feel different fromPokemon GObut also feel distinctly like aMonster Huntergame.
6Hunt ‘Em All
The gameplay inPokemon GOcenters around the classicPokemongoal to ‘catch ‘em all’. Players are most likely to spend their time collecting as many different Pokemon as they can.
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WhileMonster Hunter Nowdoes track all the monsters that players encounter in a journal, players will quickly realize that the core gameplay ofMonster Hunter Nowis not to collect as many as possible. It is to improve as a hunter. This makes it align much more with the gameplay and themes ofMonster Hunter, placing an emphasis on combat and leveling gear and armor.
5Combat
Speaking of this core gameplay, it makes sense thatMonster Hunter Nowvastly shakes up combat. Those familiar withPokemonandPokemon GOwill be aware that pitting Pokemon against each other is a common occurrence in the gameplay, butPokemon GOcombat mainly comes down to tapping anywhere on the screen, occasionally tapping a central button for a big move, where players must trace certain patterns.
Combat inMonster Hunter Nowhas a little more to it. It is still mostly tapping to attack, but players should pay attention to where they tap, as certain monsters have specific weak points. Players also need to swipe to dodge monster attacks, and holding down on the screen will generate a special move, differing based on a player’s weapon type. This should all sound pretty familiar toMonster Hunterplayers, andMonster Hunter Nowseems to do a great job transferring the combat mechanics from the series into the app.
4Equipment
Touched on in the combat section, equipment used by players has a huge impact on gameplay inMonster Hunter Now.Equipment in theMonster Huntersense is pretty much non-existent inPokemon GO, butMonster Hunter Nowplayers will be unable to escape it.
Leveling equipment and armor is the best way to improve a player’s skills as a hunter, quickly becoming necessary to keep up with stronger monsters. Players can craft new armor and weapons using materials from the monsters they kill, and can even choose different types of weaponswith different special effects.
3Hunting Party
One of the joys ofPokemon GOis the multiplayer element. Players can add friends to their friend list, send them gifts, trade Pokemon, and battle in raids alongside them.Monster Hunter Nowalso has a multiplayer element. InMonster Hunter Now, it is most similar to battling in raids.Monster Hunter Nowallows players to form a hunting party, typically by scanning a QR code. They can then invite each other to join hunts and fight monsters side by side in real-time.
While there may be less variety for interacting with friends than inPokemon GO, the group battles are a lot more dynamic than any multiplayer battle inPokemon GO. To make multiplayer a lot more convenient, Niantic also uses a player’s Niantic ID to share friend lists between the apps, so players can easily form hunting parties with the friends that they have been playingPokemon GOwith.
2Paintballs
Paintballs are a feature unique toMonster Hunter Now,with no real counterpart inPokemon GO. When a player encounters a Pokemon inPokemon GO, they have to capture it then and there in the moment if they want to ensure they catch it. However, inMonster Hunter Now, players can paintball a limited number of monsters at a time.
This stores the monster for a limited amount of time so that players can hunt them later, in a different location, at their own leisure. As mentioned before, palicoes can also randomly paintball a limited number of targets while the app is running in the background. It is a really nice and highly convenient addition to the gameplay.
1Monster Hunter!
Of course, the most notable difference between the two apps is that they work with two very different IPs.Pokemon GOis a cheery and whimsical animal collection game, whileMonster Hunteris a combat-heavy game about, unsurprisingly, hunting monsters.
The very different IPs mean that Niantic has had to change the formula forPokemon GOa little bit. Ultimately, they seem to be doing a stellar job at keeping the most fun elements ofPokemon GO, while making necessarychanges to quality of lifeand adapting it to fit with the new IP.
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