Like an epic Pokémon for adults, Capcoms recent Monster Hunter on the PS2 blended the beast-collecting fun of Nintendos handheld hit with beautifully-crafted RPG elements, in turn offering players a deeply satisfying and unique experience. And while most of the elements that made the PS2 version a hit are still present on the PSP, several niggling problems mire an otherwise excellent adventure.
As with many 3D adventures on Sonys portable, the lack of a second analogue controller makes it hard to keep the camera apace with the action, leading to moments of intense frustration when youre in the midst of a fight but cant see what the hell youre doing. The huge weapons are also slow and clumsy a nightmare when tackling more sprightly monsters and having to search dead creatures multiple times for valuable booty often slows the action to an excruciating halt.
Nonetheless, Freedoms graphics are breathtaking - especially when you set out on your first serious hunt and see the lush game world sprawling before you - and the addictive multiplayer mode where you embark on group hunts makes it worth struggling with the games shortcomings.