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Contra Costa Times Gieson Cacho column [Contra Costa Times](Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) March 28--"Monster Hunter" is the video game equivalent of soccer. It's a monumental series capable of single-handedly sustaining video game systems. The brand basically saved the PlayStation Portable in Japan, but that immense popularity has failed to translate on U.S. shores. At best, pockets of fandom are scattered throughout the American gaming scene. As with soccer, almost everyone knows a huge "Monster Hunter" fan, and similar to footy aficionados, they fervently tout the merits of the franchise: It's rewarding. It's a blast to play with friends. The gameplay is surprisingly deep. All of this is true, but it just hasn't captured American imaginations the way "Call of Duty" has. "Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate" represents what's likely the last best chance for the series to gain traction on this side of the Pacific. It's not a full sequel, but more of an update to the previously released "Monster Hunter Tri" on the Wii. This time around, Capcom improved the visuals so that it looks good on the high-definition Wii U, and the developer added nearly double the content. That breaks down to three new areas, 2,042 new pieces of equipment, a second AI companion in the form of Kayamba, and 73 monsters. For those who own the previous version, there's enough value to warrant a purchase, but it's the flexibility and ease of use that puts this version over the top. Before getting into that, let's explain the premise of the games. Players set up shop in the oceanside village doing odd jobs that revolve around the wildlife in the region. It starts off simple, with hunters gathering plants or harvesting herbivore eggs, but it quickly ramps up, and players will be slaying giant bears or wyverns. Transforming into that uber-hero is the meat of game. "Monster Hunter" is about the journey and learning the ins-and-out of combat. Players have to slay monsters and use their carcasses as weapons and armor. A claw from a giant crab can be a sword. The scales from a dragon turns into a helmet and chain mail. This strengthens a player so he can go out and hunt more powerful creatures. The process is long and involved -- and that makes the cross-play feature, which allows players to transfer saves between the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS version, a godsend. Fans can concentrate on carving up a Barroth on the big screen, then continue the campaign on the small-screen during downtime at work. What's even better: Players on the 3DS can jump into a multiplayer game with someone on the Wii U via local play, so there's more opportunities to play in groups. But the ultimate test for "Monster Hunter 3" is the online mode on the Wii U. It's great, but accessing it can be difficult. Sometimes there can be too many options, and choosing the right mode will intimidate a neophyte. Once players are actually in a multiplayer room, hunting in a squad of four is a blast. It's a place where beginners can learn from more longtime veterans and easily gain that one elusive piece to complete their armor. When it comes to the actual battle, the fact that both systems support customizable touch-screen controls helps clean up the user interface so the main screen shows more of the sumptuous vistas and creatures. If that weren't enough, the Wii U GamePad is perfect when it comes to communicating with allies. Players can type messages on the touch-screen or pick one of many gestures. On a quest, they can quickly tap a signal button to alert allies that the monster has been found. If that fails, the system supports voice chat. But as good as "Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate" is, the fact that it's an upgrade, rather than a sequel, holds it back. The ideas are there, but the HD visuals still feel dated. It just makes me more eager for a true "Monster Hunter" sequel to arrive. And who knows By then, perhaps the franchise will finally be mainstream. Contact Gieson Cacho at 510-735-7076 or [email protected]. Read his blog at http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei. ___ (c)2013 the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) Visit the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) at www.contracostatimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |