Monster Hunter 4 is an action role-playing game created and released by Capcom. It is the fourth game in the Monster Hunter series and the second in the series to be released on the Nintendo 3DS. The game was first released in Japan on September 14, 2013. On January 26, 2014, an improved version called Monster Hunter 4G was announced for release in Japan on October 11, 2014. This version allowed players to use save files from Monster Hunter 4. The improved version was later released in North America and Europe as Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate on February 13, 2015. This version was released at the same time as the New Nintendo 3DS in all regions except Australia. It was also sold together with a specific version of the newer 3DS XL console.
Gameplay
Monster Hunter 4 is a video game in which players take on the role of a new Hunter. The Hunter completes quests and challenges to fight dangerous creatures found in different areas. As players complete these quests, they earn items, in-game money, and other rewards. These items are used to create new weapons, armor, gear, and items that help restore health or provide temporary benefits during later quests. The Hunter’s character does not become stronger on its own, but the Hunter’s abilities depend on the weapons and armor they carry. As players take on more difficult quests, their weapons and armor improve. Players can use any of the fourteen basic weapon types in the game. Each weapon has unique fighting styles, and players can switch between weapons before starting a quest.
During a quest, the player is taken to a remote location divided into smaller areas. These areas are home to both harmless and dangerous creatures. Players can explore the areas to collect materials like ores, bugs, and plant parts used to make gear and potions, or they can fight creatures. Some quests allow players to explore freely to gather items, while others require killing a certain number of smaller creatures. Most quests involve hunting one or more large monsters and ending the quest by killing or trapping the monster. These quests have time limits and depend on the player’s resources. If the player’s character loses health twice, they must restart the quest from the beginning. If the character loses health three times or runs out of time, the quest fails. Players can also quit a quest at any time, which means they lose any rewards but keep the items they used.
A player’s health and stamina affect their performance in the game. Health is lost when taking damage but can be restored with health potions. Stamina decreases when running, attacking, or performing other actions. If stamina is low, the character moves slower or stops until it is restored. Stamina can be restored by doing less intense actions. Over time, the maximum stamina decreases, and some stamina can be recovered using certain health items. Low stamina can make it harder for the player to succeed in battles.
Monster Hunter 4 introduces more three-dimensional movement. Players can climb walls more easily and use high ground to jump on enemies or attack them. The game no longer includes underwater sections that were in Monster Hunter 3. Monsters are aware of their surroundings and use the environment to fight the player. Two new weapons were added: the Insect Glaive and the Charge Blade.
The game’s director, Kaname Fujioka, said that Monster Hunter 4 focuses more on adventure and story than previous games. As players progress, they unlock new base camps, which are the most populated with non-player characters (NPCs) in the Monster Hunter series.
Monster Hunter 4 is the first Monster Hunter game on a handheld console to include fully integrated online multiplayer. Earlier games on the PSP and 3DS only allowed local multiplayer, but online play was possible by connecting to a PlayStation 3 or Wii U console.
A new "Guild Quest" system was added. Guild Quests give each player different missions and randomly generate equipment with slightly changed stats. To get more weapons and armor, players must trade Guild Quests with others using Guild Cards or the StreetPass feature. Up to 50 missions can be saved for later. The solo version of Guild Quests, called "Exploration Missions," creates new maps and equipment each time it is played. Some equipment is only available in Guild Quests or Exploration Missions. This includes old armor designs from monsters that appeared in earlier games but not in Monster Hunter 4, such as Khezu, Rathian, and Rathalos armor sets, as well as the Barroth Great Sword.
On April 8, 2024, online servers for all 3DS and Wii U software were shut down. This means online cooperative play is no longer possible. Players can still complete quests and trade Guild Quests through local multiplayer.
Plot
The player's character is a young Hunter traveling to the port town of Val Habar by sandship to join the Hunters' Guild. The ship is attacked by a giant Dah'ren Mohran, a sand-dwelling Elder Dragon. The Hunter protects the ship until the Guild's Ace Hunters arrive and drive the beast away. In town, a passenger named the Caravaneer introduces himself to the Hunter and describes his Capital Caravan, which includes a blacksmith called The Man and a guild stewardess. Impressed by the Hunter's skills, the Caravaneer invites the Hunter to join the Caravan as they seek to uncover the purpose of a strange artifact called the Article, which the Caravaneer found years ago. The Hunter helps recruit a cook and a merchant to prepare for their next stop, the volcanic village of Harth, home to the Troverians, a dwarf-like race of blacksmiths.
The Troverians agree to help the Caravan build an ocean-worthy ship. The Hunter helps defeat monsters blocking the Troverians' kilns, and the Ace Hunters recognize the Hunter's abilities as they pass through. Before leaving, the daughter of the Troverian chief offers to join the Caravan to learn from The Man. The Caravan sets sail on their new ship, the Arluq, but is attacked by a mysterious black dragon named Gore Magala. The Hunter fights the creature but is infected with a strange disease that weakens their strength. After defeating the beast, the Hunter recovers, though the ship is damaged and the Caravan arrives at Cheeko Sands for repairs. The Ace Hunters reveal that Cathar is not an island but a village in the mountains. The Caravan receives help from local Palico citizens with the Hunter's assistance.
As repairs near completion, the Caravan learns the Ace Hunters were sent by the Guild to stop Gore Magala, but two members never returned. After the Hunter rescues the missing members from Gore Magala, the Guild entrusts the Hunter with defeating the monster, which flees after the battle. With the Caravan ready to travel again, the Caravaneer suggests returning to Harth to convert the Arluq into an airship. With modifications, the Caravan reaches Cathar, where they learn the Article is a bad omen linked to a past disaster. The Hunter helps Cathar residents and discovers the disease from Gore Magala has spread to other monsters, causing them to behave erratically before dying. The Ace Hunters arrive, explaining the "Frenzy Virus" and revealing Gore Magala shed its skin to become Shagaru Magala, a more dangerous golden Elder Dragon. The Hunter battles Shagaru Magala, defeating it and finding the Article is a scale from the dragon.
The Caravan is surprised to learn the Guild needs their help in the capital city of Dundorma, where another powerful monster, Kushala Daora, a metallic-skinned Elder Dragon, has been spotted. The Caravan helps defend Dundorma against the dragon. While searching for materials to build a weapon, rare golden Wyverns called Seregios appear worldwide. The Ace Hunters investigate and discover the Frenzy Virus has resurged. Further research shows these events are caused by an Apex Seregios, a frenzied monster that overcame the virus and gained greater power. As the Hunter hunts the Apex Seregios, Kushala Daora attacks Dundorma. The Ace Hunters defend the city when the Hunter returns, and together they use the new weapon to drive away the Elder Dragon.
Development
Monster Hunter 4, like earlier games in the series, was mainly created for a Japanese audience. Although earlier games were translated for English-speaking markets, none of these translations sold more than one million copies.
When developing Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, the Western version of the game, Andrew Alfonzo, Capcom’s localization director, aimed to make the game more appealing to Western players than previous versions. He involved his team early in the development process to give feedback and begin translation work. Alfonzo studied differences between Western and Japanese players, finding that Western players were often older than those in Japan. He also learned about how business decisions are made in Japan to better share his team’s suggestions with the lead developers. Some suggestions included changes to the game to meet Western players’ expectations, such as replacing narrative text on loading screens with helpful tips, adjusting the pacing of tutorial quests, shortening dialogue segments, and allowing players to skip tutorials or toggle helpful messages on and off. While not all suggestions were accepted, many were included in the final versions released in both Japan and Western markets. For translation, Alfonzo avoided using memes, believing they would not remain relevant over time. His team also created a social media campaign before the Western release to introduce gameplay concepts to potential players. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate sold more than one million copies, and its improved learning curve was praised by reviewers. Alfonzo believed his team achieved the best possible “smart localization” despite not having direct control over the game’s development, as they successfully influenced visible changes.
On December 19, 2012, Capcom updated its official website, changing the release date to Summer 2013 and stating that “further quality improvements are needed to meet user expectations.”
On May 30, 2013, Capcom announced two special edition Nintendo 3DS XL consoles for release on the same day as the game in Japan: the “Gore Magala black version 3DS” and the “Felyne white version 3DS.”
On June 3, 2013, Capcom introduced exclusive game editions through the e-Capcom store. The “complete set” included a strap, a figure, a pouch, and the game.
A limited edition Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate-themed New Nintendo 3DS XL was released in North America on February 13, 2015.
After the game’s launch, Capcom provided a free downloadable starter pack through the Nintendo eShop. The pack included items that allowed players to craft Super Mario-themed equipment. In March 2015, Capcom released additional downloadable content featuring new quests and The Legend of Zelda-themed equipment.
Reception
Upon its release, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate received positive reviews from many critics, who called it the best game in the series so far. The review website Metacritic gave it a score of 86 out of 100. The Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu also gave the game very high scores. Destructoid rated it 9 out of 10, calling it an example of high quality. GameSpot said the game builds on the things players enjoy about the series while making it easier for new players to try. It described the game as taking many hours to complete but rarely feeling boring. GamesRadar agreed, stating that while the game does not add many new features, it improves on previous games so much that it is the best in the series and among the best games for the 3DS. USgamer gave it a score of 4.5 out of 5, saying it is the most user-friendly version of the game so far but still requires a lot of time and effort to play. Metro called Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate the best game in the series so far.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate sold more than 1.8 million copies in its first two days on the market. By the end of 2013, it had sold 3.9 million copies in Japan, more than twice as many copies as any other game in the region except for Pokémon X and Y. As of March 31, 2014, the game had sold 4.1 million copies. The enhanced version, Monster Hunter 4G, was a launch title for the New Nintendo 3DS in Japan. Released on October 11, 2014, it sold 1.6 million copies in its first two days. As of November 2014, the game had sold 2.2 million copies. According to a report from Capcom on February 3, the game had sold 2.7 million copies in Japan since its release. After its release in North America, Capcom announced that the game had sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. In its first month on sale in North America, the game sold 290,000 combined physical and digital copies, making it the fastest-selling Monster Hunter title in that region. In April 2015, Capcom announced that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate was the first Monster Hunter game to sell more than 1 million copies in Europe and North America combined. As of October 2015, the game had sold more than 4 million copies worldwide.