In What Order Should You Play The Monster Hunter Series? 

Monster Hunter is a video game saga that will put you to the test. With interesting, fun, and very striking challenges, you will have to learn to adapt, and understand patterns – which will reward you with tireless hours of play.

The Monster Hunter saga has the uniqueness – unlike other games of its type, where skill is more important than objects. Being a good hunter implies knowing well what you are hunting than how you are armed. That is the key to being an expert hunter!

Does the Monster Hunter Saga follow a storyline?

Not particularly, each game has a different story that does not follow a specific line nor are they related to each other (with very specific exceptions).

Now, which Monster Hunter should we start with? That will depend on what we want.

Order We Recommend Playing The Monster Hunter Series

Considering the significant advancements introduced in the latest game generations, playing the first two can be discouraging as they have minimal changes in terms of gameplay and diversity.

In my personal opinion, I suggest playing the Monster Hunter Series in the following order:

1. Monster Tri & Tri Ultimate – These two added the underwater combat, a mechanic that is only available in these generations. This game is a good introduction to the saga because it has almost the same mechanics than the past generations but with new and interesting movesets.
   • Moreover, it’s awesome seeing the addition of two new types of comrades known as Shakalakas – a Lynian encountered as enemies in Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Freedom Unite.
2. Monster Hunter 4 – Is a big jump with the air attacks. In this game, you go to areas that come from the first and second generation – with a few changes, of course. Moreover, the addition of two new weapons (Insect Glaive & Charged Axe) gives more options to diversify the playstyles.
3. Monster Hunter Generations & Generations Ultimate – They bring the Hunting styles which significantly changed the playstyle of every weapon, depending on the style you choose, accompanied by unique abilities called “Hunting Arts.” This adds a layer of creativity and fluidity to the game.
4. Monster World, MHW: Iceborne & Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak – I’ve put these two at the end, as they completely revolutionize the established playstyles from previous games.
   • The transition is remarkable, shifting from a relatively rustic approach to a more fluid, diverse, and highly customizable playing style.

Monster Hunter is divided into “Generations” 

Monster Hunter 1 & Freedom

We have the first generation, covered by Monster Hunter and Monster Hunter Freedom. With the first, being for the PS2 console, while the second is a port of the first for the PSP.

During their prime, these games enjoyed widespread popularity, not getting significant criticism due to their introduction of unique and distinctive mechanics that were unprecedented in the gaming landscape of that era.

Monster Hunter Freedom in particular was much better received than the first by adding more content such as “Subspecies”. Among the weapons to choose from in this game, we have:

• The Great Sword – Is a large and heavy greatsword with terrible mobility but great destructive power, capable of blocking frontal attacks.
• A quick and simple weapon that mixes good offense with decent defense, the Sword and Shield is the only weapon that allows the player to consume items such as potions or antidotes while the weapon is drawn.
• The Spear, the defensive bulwark is a weapon that specializes in thrusting, dashing with the spear in front of you, and most characteristically, its powerful shield.
• The Double Swords are weapons that put aside all defensive capacity to jump into a fast and frenetic offensive.
• The Hammer, a blunt weapon specialized in stunning monsters by hitting their head with said weapon.
• The duo of crossbows:
  • The Light Crossbow, smaller than its heavy counterpart stands out for its fast rate of fire and firing capacity.
  • While its sister, the Heavy Crossbow is noted for its immense firepower, merciless recoil, and the ability to be able to place a shield on the crossbow capable of blocking frontal attacks.

Monster Hunter Freedom 2 & Freedom Unite

We have the Second Generation, encompassed by the Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite games.

Monster Hunter Freedom 2 was new for the franchise by making a great improvement in gameplay that its successor also has, improvements in graphics quality and sustainability.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, a direct sequel to Monster Hunter Freedom 2 comes to us with more mechanics, the introduction of new weapons, and and a groundbreaking feature: the ability to acquire companion for your hunts, known as “Felynes.” These daring cats fearlessly offer support and engage in combat against your enemies whenever needed.

The weapons added to these versions are:

• The Bow is a long-range weapon notable for its offensive ability and inflicting multiple altered states. Unlike Crossbows, the bow does not need ammunition, instead, it uses coating to give various effects to its arrows.
• The Hunting Horn, a particular hammer with a sound flow system that, grants various effects to players based on the notes played. Using it provides different effects to players – such as attack improvements, defense, and immunity to screams.
• And finally, the Gun Lance. A spear, similar to its slightly lighter sister, the Gunlance stands out as a large, slow, and very heavy weapon with an intricate mechanism that allows it to fire bullets at nearby enemies and unleash devastating damage with its Wyvern Fire. With a reheat system, is a weapon that brings many new features to the game.

Both games are available on PSP.

Monster Hunter Tri & Tri Ultimate

We move on to the third generation, which brings a unique change to the entire saga (which was unfortunately removed in later generations), underwater combat. In this style of combat, you can swim and dive while facing the powerful leviathans that lurk Underwater.

This generation stars in the games Monster Hunter Tri and Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate.

In addition to underwater combat, this generation introduced two new weapons:

• The Long Sword, a katana allows the hunter to concentrate his spiritual energy and release it with powerful katana blows that enhance his damage and his ability not to lose so much edge.

• The Switch Axe, a weapon with the ability to change that can go from axe form to sword form, is a weapon with devastating offensive power has great mobility and quick strikes in the axe form while the Sword form stands out for its destructive power and slowness.

Monster Hunter Tri can be found available for the Nintendo Wii, while Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate is available for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo WiiU.

Monster Hunter 4U, Generations & Generations Ultimate

The Fourth Generation is a saga available for 3DS and Nintendo Switch and includes the games Monster Hunter 4U, Monster Hunter Generations, and Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.

The first adds two new weapons to the game, one that stands out for one of the new mechanics introduced.

• The Insect Glaive is a powerful staff with great mobility and attack capacity that releases pheromones. It also allows you to command an insect that attacks the enemy and snatches extracts that serve to benefit you.
  • Additionally, this weapon has a propulsion system that launches you into the air and allows you to attack while you are in the air, which brings us to the new mechanic, aerial strikes. 
  • When attacking a monster while in the air, after doing so a certain number of times, you can mount them – which allows you to attack monsters while riding them to weaken and knock them to the ground.
• The second new weapon is known as the Charged Axe, a sword and shield that when put together can form an axe. This weapon has a special mechanic that forces you to constantly switch between both forms since one form enhances the other and vice versa.
  • It is a powerful weapon, with great destructive power and incredible defensive capacity.

In Monster Hunter Generations and Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, “Hunting Styles” were added, styles that change in certain ways the attack sequence that each weapon makes in a specific style – which gives a new view to the way you fight by instigating you to look for the one that best suits your playing style.

Monster Hunter: World, Iceborne, Rise & Sunbreak

Then, and finally, we jump to the last generation, consisting of Monster Hunter World, MHW: Iceborne, Monster Hunter Rise, and Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.

These games are available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC (Monster Hunter World and Iceborne) and Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series, and PC (Monster Hunter Rise and Sunbreak).

These games are the next leap in the evolution of Monster Hunter! With more fluid and varied movements, new and unique behaviors of each monster, changes of zones without loading screens and journeys on monsters, and much more.

These games in particular are packed with hours and hours of difficulty and fun.

There is still no news other than the trailer for Monster Hunter Wild, the first game of the Sixth Generation that Capcom will bring us by 2025, but expectations are very high, and it is expected to be as impressive as its last two games.

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