I have found that the Monster Hunter series is an acquired taste. For those like me (and most likely you reading this) we love how much of a grind fest it is.
You kill monsters to get loot which makes you stronger so you can kill stronger monsters to get even better loot! It is a very addictive series and one I have been into since the first game on the PlayStation 2. I actually worked in a video game store when Monster Hunter was first released on PlayStation 2 and we would get reps from different gaming companies coming in to talk to us, give us promo stuff, posters and so on.
The…. Let’s just call him Capcom Monster Hunter dude did a great job selling me on this game and it really peaked my interest, an interest I still have now.
The amount of time I have put into the Monster Hunter 4 game on my Nintendo 3DS is crazy. Yes, I know there is the awesome Monster Hunter World, but I have not yet had the time to dedicate to it that I would like.
Anyway, if you love the Monster Hunter series like I do then I think you will like the games like Monster Hunter list that I have for you today.
God Eater
God Eater has many similarities with the Monster Hunter series and I would say for certain that if you enjoy Monster Hunter you will love the God Eater series.
You need to kill all these awesome looking monsters to get parts from them which you can then use to make yourself stronger. There is actually a lot more to the God Eater series than that, but anyone who is coming into this series from Monster Hunter will feel right at home.
There are a few games in the God Eater series, but if you have not played any of the older games that were released on PSP or Vita, I would suggest you just jump in with God Eater Resurrection. It has a pretty awesome story, is easy to get into and it is a lot of fun to play.
Now granted I have only played the first game on the PSP as well as this, but I can tell you that God Eater Resurrection is a million times better. Even if you are new to the series you will not feel lost here and it is one of the better games of this console generation in this style.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
This is a “definitive” version of an older Dragons Dogma game and it is one that I had a lot of fun with.
I think that the fantasy setting is the main reason that I have put this on my games like Monster Hunter list. This is an RPG where dragons have come back to the world and you need to hunt them down, kill them and find out what is going on.
I would actually say that this game is far more story driven than what you get with Monster Hunter so that might be something that hooks you more.
The world that you have to explore is very large and there are a ton of missions for you to do. While the main story missions are fun, you also have a lot of side missions that you can do which help you level up and get more loot and items.
I actually highly recommend that you do this as this can be a very tough game. The combat in the game is very satisfying and you do have a few AI helpers that you actually have more control of than you would think. You can set these guys up so that they serve you in a way that actually helps you.
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Dauntless
Dauntless is a free to play game and it is well worth having some fun with. The people who made this game clearly took great inspiration from the Monster Hunter series so it has to be on a games like Monster Hunter list.
The idea of Dauntless is that the world has been torn apart and if that is not bad enough, these monstrous behemoths have been unleashed on the world. You and the people you play with take up the mantle of Slayers who need to hunt and kill these beasts!
I have not put as much time into Dauntless as I would like, but I did enjoy what I played. Currently, it is only on PC, but if it comes to Xbox I will certainly get deeper into this game. It is really cool hunting down a beast and then when you fight it the fight is super intense and can last quite a while. The combat is very interesting as they have this strange combo system that at first takes a while to get used to, but when you do you will be kicking some serious ass. This is one game that I intend to go back to at some point.
Soul Sacrifice
That is right I am talking about a PlayStation Vita game. Man, I really should give my Vita more love.
Last time I played it (well actually looked at it) it had a layer of dust on it. The PlayStation Vita actually has some awesome games for it and this one here, Soul Sacrifice comes from the brains of Keiji Inafune who is of course known for his work on the Mega Man series.
Soul Sacrifice is a very interesting game. The way it works is that you sacrifice parts of your body in order to attack.
You can get new abilities that you can use and the mechanics are actually very deep. It is the kind of game that I feel would have been better suited to being on a console rather than a handheld in all honesty.
You can save or sacrifice your enemies and allies which is a pretty interesting gameplay mechanic.
There is a lot to Soul Sacrifice, but if tinkering with your character is what you like about Monster Hunter then I am sure you will have fun with this. Plus it gives you an excuse to wipe the dust and cobwebs off your PlayStation Vita.
Toukiden 2
I was a latecomer to the world of Toukiden, but a friend got me Toukiden 2 for Christmas last year.
Want to know why? Because he heard about it on a games like Monster Hunter list! This is actually a really fun game and I was completely ignorant going into it. The idea of Toukiden 2 is that you are a slayer who needs to go out into the open world and hunt down all kinds of creatures.
The creatures are actually called the Oni and they are designed awesomely. You have a village that serves as your base where you can upgrade your stuff, check stats and improve your character. But it is out in the open world where you take on the Oni that you will really be having fun.
The combat system is cool as you can target specific parts of the enemies which makes combat a lot of fun. Once you get the hang of it and you are at a decent level you will feel unstoppable.
Freedom Wars
Here we have another PlayStation Vita game! Due to losing part of my life to Monster Hunter on the 3DS that is why I am pushing another handheld game Anyway, as of right now the Vita is the only way to enjoy Freedom Wars.
This is a kind of different take on the whole “hunting” formula in that you are not killing monsters like you are in Monster Hunter for loot.
This game is set in the future where the planet is in trouble and resources are very limited. You have to complete dangerous missions in order to earn your freedom and the way you can head out into the open world with some allies (co-op is actually a lot of fun) to fight and rescue people who can help you out.
This is not a game for everyone and there is a learning curve here, but I did have a lot of fun with this.
Horizon Zero Dawn
While this is a games like Monster Hunter list I would happily put Horizon Zero Dawn on any game recommendation list as it is that good.
This is a very story driven game where you play as a young Tribal woman called Aloy. Aloy can use an ancient, but high tech focus that lets her see the world in a different way.
This world is very different and the animals that rule it are mechanical which is awesome. The reason for this is really cool and so is the whole story so I will not spoil it for you.
What makes this like Monster Hunter is that Aloy is a very good hunter. You will hunt down the different mechanical animals and you will have to use certain arrows or traps to take them down in the most efficient way.
The animals can have certain parts of their bodies shot off and you can harvest them for parts which you can use. It actually is far more like Monster Hunter than you would think in terms of its gameplay.
Dark Souls (wild card)
The Dark Souls series is one very punishing game. It is brutally difficult, but that is what many people like about it.
The Souls series is not for people who quit on a game quickly, which is why I have it as a wild card. Monster Hunter is a game that requires some real dedication and that is the same for Dark Souls 2 and the whole series actually.
You will need to grind so that you are at a good level and you will also need to make sure that you have plenty of resources.
If the Dark Souls series is a little too punishing for you then Bloodbourne may be better for you. Do not get me wrong, that is still a really hard game, but I did find that it was a little more forgiving than Dark Souls 2.
Thanks for checking out my games like Monster Hunter list. If you have spent a lot of time with any of the Monster Hunter games like I have you know what makes them special. I would say that God Eater (the newest God Eater) is what you should play if you want a game that ticks many of the Monster Hunter boxes.
Also I highly, highly recommend Horizon Zero Dawn. Even if you are not big into stories in games, the hunting mechanics and the way you can craft new clothing, items, and supplies with what you get from your hunt make it very similar to Monster Hunter in my opinion.