Monster Hunter

Monster Hunter is an online hunting action game for the PlayStation 2 console which released on March 11th 2004 in Japan, and the first game in the Monster Hunter series. It was released on September 21st 2004 in North America alongside a multitude of gameplay changes and overhauls.

Monster Hunter became known for its naturalistic environments, immersive gameplay, and strategic action gameplay. Despite being a commercial failure in Japan, North America, and Europe, it was a critical success in its home country, winning Grand Prize at the 8th annual CESA Game Awards. Western critics were mixed on the game, with some considering it a solid (albeit niche) experience, and others calling it clunky and criticizing the control scheme.