10 Great Games Like Monster Hunter
10 Great Games Like Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter: World has transformed Capcom's niche action/RPG series into a mainstream phenomenon, and there's a good chance you've already gotten hooked. If you've somehow already exhausted everything World has to offer, or are just patiently waiting for the PC port, there are plenty of other games out there that will satisfy your thirst for fighting giant monsters, teaming up with friends and earning amazing loot. From Dark Souls to Destiny, here are 10 great games for Monster Hunter fans.
Credit: Koei Tecmo
Dark Souls (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Monster Hunter often gets compared to Dark Souls, and for good reason. Both series feature precise action/RPG combat with a variety of weapons, deep character customization and a high-but-supremely-satisfying learning curve. The big difference is that instead of fighting giant beasts in lush jungles, you'll be battling through harrowing, intricate dungeons filled with things looking to kill you at every turn. The entire Dark Souls trilogy is worth playing, but we recommend starting with the first one, which will be rereleased May 25 on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Switch as Dark Souls: Remastered.
Credit: FromSoftware
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Like Monster Hunter itself, Dragon's Dogma is a cult Capcom classic that offers heaps of satisfying action/RPG goodness. This game sets you loose in a rich fantasy-themed open world, where you can play as one of several classes that specialize in skills such as magic, melee combat or ranged attacks. Dragon's Dogma gets lots of praise for its tight hack-and-slash combat, and its memorable boss fights. These encounters let you battle multiheaded hydras and massive flying griffins, which should feel right at home for Monster Hunter fans. The game was recently remastered for PC, PS4 and Xbox One as Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, which features improved visuals and all of the downloadable content from the original title.
Credit: Capcom
Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4)
Lush, gorgeous environments? Check. Massive, awe-inspiring enemies? Yep. A really satisfying bow-and-arrow? You bet. Horizon: Zero Dawn often feels like a sci-fi-inspired take on the Monster Hunter formula, featuring a stunning open world, filled with mechanical beasts that you can slay and scavenge for parts to craft better gear. There's a good reason Monster Hunter: World features special Horizon-themed content on PS4: These two universes go together like peanut butter and chocolate.
Credit: Sony
Toukiden 2 (PC, PS4, PS Vita)
If you're looking for a game like Monster Hunter but with more of an anime vibe, Toukiden 2 is probably for you. As with Monster Hunter, this chaotic action/RPG features a variety of weapons that each have their own attack patterns, online co-op and a similar gameplay loop of killing bosses to get better gear. Where Toukiden 2 really stands out is its darker, samurai-inspired aesthetic, as you'll be doing battle with ghastly demons rather than big birds and dinosaurs.
Credit: Koei Tecmo
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch, Wii U)
Despite being a dedicated single-player adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a lot in common with Monster Hunter. You'll explore a huge, colorful world teeming with wildlife, cook food to gain special boosts, don all kinds of cool armor and master a variety of weapons that each have their own quirks. Most importantly for Monster Hunter fans, you'll also duke it out with a handful of gigantic monsters dubbed Divine Beasts, each of which will aid you in battle once you've conquered them.
Credit: Nintendo
Destiny 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Destiny 2 doesn't have much in common with Monster Hunter aesthetically, but both games have a similarly addicting gameplay loop. Bungie's sci-fi online shooter is all about teaming up with friends and tackling tough challenges to earn better loot, a formula with which Monster Hunter fans are well acquainted. Destiny 2 has some of the most satisfying gunplay in the genre, and its multitude of firearms and subclass powers provide plenty of variety for folks who like cycling through Monster Hunter's many weapons.
Credit: Activision
The Witcher 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
The Witcher 3 casts you as Geralt of Rivia, a dude whose actual job is to hunt monsters. CD Projekt Red's beloved open-world fantasy RPG is much more expansive and story-driven than Monster Hunter, but there are a fair amount of shared themes between the two titles. There's a rich, dynamic world to explore, deep crafting and combat systems, and no shortage of boss fights with big, nasty monsters. Just try not to get too distracted by Gwent.
Credit: CD Projekt
God Eater 2 Rage Burst (PC, PS4, PS Vita)
If you can get past its fairly absurd name, you'll find plenty of epic monster-slaying action in God Eater 2 Rage Burst. This frenetic, anime-inspired action/RPG has you battle Aragami, which look like menacing, demonic takes on the kinds of beasts you slay in the Monster Hunter games. Whereas Monster Hunter has you pick a weapon and stick with it, Rage Burst's unique combat system lets you transform your weapon into a gun, blade or shield on the fly. The game's bite-size missions are ideal for quick play sessions, particularly if you're playing on-the-go on PlayStation Vita.
Credit: Bandai
Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)
Shadow of the Colossus focuses more on emotional storytelling than it does gleeful monster slaughter, but it has one thing in common with Monster Hunter: huge, unforgettable bosses. This cult PlayStation classic pits you against awe-inspiring colossi, which you'll scale and fight in a series of breathtaking David vs. Goliath battles. Better yet, Shadow of the Colossus just got a gorgeous PS4 rerelease, which features fully reworked visuals and a photo mode that makes it easy to capture every stunning vista and enemy.
Credit: Sony
Dauntless (PC)
Of all the games on this list, Dauntless is perhaps the one most directly inspired by Monster Hunter. This action/RPG (which is currently in early access) skews very close to Capcom's tried-and-true formula, allowing up to four players to team up and take down a variety of huge, mythical beasts. What sets Dauntless apart is its more cartoony visuals, as well as a combat system that seems to be both faster and simpler than that of Monster Hunter, while still offering a fair amount of strategic depth.
Credit: Phoenix Labs
Bonus — Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
If you need to experience every drop of Monster Hunter possible, you can always buy the Monster Hunter DLC character in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. This female hunter makes an excellent addition to Capcom's frenetic 2-on-2 fighter, dishing out a mix of projectiles and heavy, sword-based attacks that can easily cut through most fighters' basic punches and kicks. Infinite also lets you battle on Valkanda, a world that fuses Monster Hunter's Val Habar with the Black Panther's African kingdom of Wakanda.
Credit: Capcom
Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.