Capcom must have realized that smartphone games like Monster Hunter Smart and Monster Hunter Felyne Bazaar—while great—were missing something. Something epic, that would draw in that segment of gamers not yet convinced of the Monster Hunter brand. After much research and long, argumentative meetings, they’ve finally realized the answer is a card-based battler.
Behold, Monster Hunter Big Game Hunting Quest, a card-flinging, all-female battler RPG for smartphones.
While the game rides on the Monster Hunter label, it’s as far apart from Monster Hunter Smart’s full-3D one-handed gimmick hunting game as Smart is to Felyne Bazaar’s shop-based title. Big Game Hunting Quest features a snazzy cast of all-female Hunters, including main character Anna the card-hunter as she travels the land hunting down more legendary Hunter cards and taking on quests.
Once you encounter challenges and foes, players springload a Hunter card into a slingshot (catapult? multi-shot crossbow?) by pulling down on the touch screen and then releasing it. The Hunter(s) then deals damage to foes, using up some stamina and hopefully granting some progress. Stamina is the game’s free-to-play limiter, controlling play time for players similar to many other such free-to-play RPG’s like Puzzle & Dragons.
There’s more than just basic card-battling, though. Challenges include dodging a charging monster by successfully predicting its moves or choosing the right fireplace to cook your meat as players traverse an overland map.
Judging from the above video, it won’t really be all women. Players will be able to summon their own monsters as special use items in big boss fights as well. There’s a plethora of other videos on the features of Big Game Hunting Quest on its official website as well.
Monster Hunter Big Game Hunting Quest will be out for both iOS and Android October 29th. Signing up early nets players a Nadia rare card as well.
