A Beginner's Guide to 'Monster Hunter Generations' 

Monster Hunter Generations, the latest and greatest in the franchise, provides an excellent opportunity for new players to join the growing legions of hunters around the world. Like previous installments, Monster Hunter Generations can come across as an intimidating game to dive straight into — one filled with detailed customization and tons of monsters to learn about. But this time around, it’s a much more enjoyable learning experience thanks in part to the same customization that appears intimidating on the cover.

In reality, customization is what makes Monster Hunter Generations so accessible, namely because you can play the game any way you want without serious repercussions. Thanks to a plethora of new mechanics like Hunter Styles and a refined quest ranking system, Generations allows players to explore various styles of play and craft one for their character that directly suits them. Plus, the game focuses on the best of the entire franchise (hence the title Generations) by building on successful quest hubs and mechanics from every game in the series.

When all is said and done though, there’s still a few things you should be aware of if you’re planning on becoming a legendary monster hunter. No worries, though, because we’ve got you covered just like before.

Use Any Weapon You Want

Like other games which revolve around weapons and movesets, Monster Hunter Generations features a massive selection of weapons you can choose from — ranging from the basic sword and shield to the giant charge axe. Each of these revolve around a unique set of moves that allow them to punish monsters in many different ways, but, despite their differences, they all remain equally viable throughout the game.

One of the most common misconceptions with weapons in Monster Hunter is that certain ones perform better than others, but the reality is that each weapon can be utilized effectively in the hands of the right player. When you first get started, you’ll be provided with a basic version of each weapon in the game, so make sure to experiment with them during your early quests and get a feel for which of them you prefer most. Just know that every is equally viable no matter how you pursue them, so it’s not like you’re punishing yourself for picking any one in particular. It’s also important to note that weapons can be changed out at will so if you want to change later down the line, it won’t take much effort.

Farm a Full Set of Armor

Just like weapons, armor remains an important part of Monster Hunter. Each set features skills that can provide you with powerful boosts and bonuses, but when you first begin the game it’s important to ignore those and shoot for creating a full set of equipment out of quest rewards.

When you first begin Monster Hunter Generations, you’ll be equipped with a basic set of gear that provides little damage resistance, which makes it paramount that you farm out a new set. While you can purchase a new set of armor that will provide better damage resistance, I’d recommend you head out and complete some of the earlier hunts to farm resources from which you can craft your own. Not only is purchasing armor very expensive, but the armor you tend to purchase will be outclassed by that which you can create yourself very quickly. It’s also important for you to craft a matching set of armor, however, which will typically provide higher, matching stats that better suit you as a new player.

Hunting Styles and Hunter Arts

One of the big new mechanics in Monster Hunter Generations is the introduction of Hunting Styles, each of which will slightly alter your character’s moves and give you access to different Hunter Arts. These arts are essentially giant power attacks, counter attacks, and ways to buff yourself and other hunters. In order to use these arts, you must fill up your arts gauge by landing successful attacks on monsters.

You’ll be able to select your Hunter Style and Hunter Arts from your equipment box too, meaning that you can change them at will to adapt to the task at hand. Basically, don’t feel like you have to stick to one at the beginning. Experiment and play around with different combinations in order to find one that works for you.

Here’s a look at each available in Monster Hunter Generations:

Guild Style: Guild Style is a more traditional style pulled straight from Monster Hunter 4U that focuses on providing players with a versatile set of attacks while giving access to two Hunter Arts. This style is great for adapting to any situation, but won’t excel at any one thing.

Striker Style: Striker Style is a hunting style more akin to the earlier generations of Monster Hunter such as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PSP. Striker Style is simple to use and gives access to three Hunter Arts, making it perfect for players who want to use the new moves as much as possible.

Aerial Style: As its name suggests, Aerial Style is all about using an aerial dodge to jump on monsters and vault off of fellow players in order to mount monsters and deal extra damage. Since this style gives you access to massive damage through mounting, it’s limited to one Hunter Art, but that doesn’t make it any less deadly.

Adept Style: Adept Style is geared towards players who are more familiar with Monster Hunter or who enjoy punishing monsters for their mistakes. While this style only gives access to one Hunter Art, it allows you to perform Insta-Moves with which you can deflect or evade enemy attacks, setting you up for absolutely devastating counterattacks. Essentially, it lets you punish monsters you are already familiar with, making it one of the best for dealing damage provided you have the knowledge and skill to pull it off.