CAPCOM is famous for putting out action-RPG titles that are really heavy on the action, yet are easy on the progression of character mechanics, and Monster Hunter certainly fits into that description.
The Japanese media franchise series is based on a series of fantasy-themes that was debuted on PS2 back in 2004. Since the first title was released, numerous other titles have been released across various other platforms, including PCS, home and portable consoles, and mobile devices.
Needless to say, Monster Hunter has been a smash hit, with more than 84 million copies sold worldwide, as of June 2022; in fact, it’s Capcom’s second best-selling series, with Resident Evil taking first place.
If you’re a fan of the Monster Hunter series and you’re looking for other titles that offer similar gameplay, mechanics, and themes, you’ve come to the right place!
There are plenty of titles to choose from, and below, we’ve outlined some of the top options that are similar to Capcom’s smash hit.
Monster Hunter Game Features
 Release Date: | March 11, 2004 |
 Developer: | Capcom |
 Publisher: | Capcom |
 Platforms: | PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS |
 Genre: | Action role-playing |
 Setting: | Fantasy World |
 Game Modes: | Single Player |
1. God Eater 2: Rage Burst
Starting out our list of games that are similar to Monster Hunter is God Eater 2: Rage Burst. Developed by Brandai Namco Studio and published by Brandai Namco Entertainment, this title was released in February of 2015 on PSVita, PS Portable, PS4, and Windows.
Fans of Monster Hunter will certainly appreciate this action JRPG, as it looks, feels, and acts almost exactly like Capcom’s second best-selling series; in fact, some even say that God Eater 2: Rage Burst could be a clone of Monster Hunter.
The weapons, in particular, which are known as “God Arcs”, are the game’s biggest attraction, as there are several different types that feature distinctive mechanics and move-sets. The weapons aren’t the only reason why God Easter 2: Rage Burst, is similar to Monster Hunter; the monsters are, too.
The monsters in this game are known as “Aragami”, and they’re super-challenging and need to be used with a mixture of moves, such as counters, dodges, slashes, parries, and skills to beat. After you defeat the monsters, if you choose, you can eat up the corpses, which will provide you with crafting materials. Since obtaining crafting materials is a part of the primary quest, devouring up the corpses is definitely worth your while.
The game has an anime-esque look and feel; in fact, it even sounds like anime. The designs of the characters and the monsters are unusual, gory, unique, and varied. The arsenal of weapons is massive, so you’ll have lots of space to specialize in the specific type of combat that interests you.
Options include long-range riffles, daggers, maces, short blades, spears, axes, and more. Not only are there lots of weapons to choose from, but the weapons can evolve into more powerful versions. This element provides you with additional customization levels, and it customizes your character, too. Your gear will come complete with progression and stats.
This game is played in co-op mode with another player; however, there is a bug that prevents you from being about to play with parties of 3 or 4 players, unfortunately, and at the time of writing, the developers had yet to correct the problem. Nevertheless, God Eater 2: Rage Burst is still a great game and it is definitely one that you’re going to want to check out if you like Monster Hunter.
2. Dauntless
Dauntless, which was developed and published by Phoenix Labs, was released in 2019 on Windows, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, with full cross-play capabilities. This game could be considered a free-to-play version of Monster Hunter, as it has a smooth feeling that delivers outstanding combat and the style is cartoonish. Furthermore, you can play in either solo or party mode with up to 3 other players.
While this title does offer a lot of features that are similar to Monster Hunter, there are some distinct differences. Most notably, the weapons cache is smaller, and there aren’t as many monsters. That said, however, the adversaries are super-powerful, they’re varied, and they’re very clever.
In some cases, the monsters will flee, they’ll evolve, or they will go up against you to battle in phases. As you combat your enemies, there’s always a fantastic OST, as well as sound effects, to accompany the action. In addition to that, the majority of boss fights are timed, and the rewards you’ll be granted are performance-based. Hunts can last as long as 20 minutes and consists of intense back-and-forth fighting.
The combat in this game is reliant on your skills. These skills include aiming, dodging, parrying, blocking, swinging, countering, shooting, monitoring your stamina, chain combos, and HP. It should be pointed out that there aren’t any pay-to-win mechanics in this game.
All-in-all, Dauntless is an MMORPG in which you can join forces with other players in an attempt to beat powerful monsters. You can explore the world on your own or you can instantly enter arenas from any hub village or location. Finally, character progression, stats, and skills depend on the loot you acquire as you proceed throughout the game.
3. Code Vein
Another action RPG title, Code Vein features a combat system that is similar to the combat systems in Soul games. This Title was developed and published by Bandai Namco Studios, and it was released in September 2019 on PS4, Windows, and Xbox One.
The universe in Code Vein is the same universe in the God Eater series, so it’s a lot like Monster Hunter and a great choice for fans of the game who are looking for similar titles. The twist in this game, however, is that the protagonist, which you’ll play as, is a vampire-like entity, instead of the hunter.
The anime and combat style in Code Vein is almost identical to the anime and combat in God Eater 2. There are massively sized monsters, numerous types of weapons, and it’s set in a post-apocalyptic open world. You and either an AI partner or a co-op party with up to 4 other players will travel through the open-world. The plot is rich, story-driven, and linear. You’ll move across a series of dungeons, biomes, and regions in order to complete your primary quest.
You can improve your character by leveling up, and as you proceed, you’ll discover new fears. The combat in this game is difficult right up to the very end. You’ll have to dodge, block, parry, counter, and use melee and ranged skills in order to beat your adversaries; the monsters.
The main character, Revenant, who you will play as, can be customized for free. For instance, you can mix-and-match weapons with passive bugs, capabilities, and a whole lot more. You do have some vampiric skills, too; draining blood, for example.
4. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Next up on our list of games that are similar to Monster Hunter is another title that was developed and published by Capcom. Dragon’s Dogma was released in April of 2013 on PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and like Monster Hunter, it’s a monster-slaying action RPG game.
While the title is a bit older than other titles featured on this list, it’s still quite impressive and very engaging and enjoyable.
In this game, your heart is eaten by a dragon, and you become a bloodless monster. Your mission is to take your heart back from the dragon that ate it. At first, you’re weak, but as the game progresses, you’ll obtain standard character progression systems.
You’ll be able to level-up and unlock skills, for example, and will be able to find new, improved, and more powerful weapons and armor,, which will make you stronger and stronger.
Dragon’s Dogma is an open-world game. You can explore the world however you’d like as you complete tasks, look for loot, and combat monsters. You can play in either co-op mode with other players or you can play solo with an AI companion (known as “Pawns”), who will travel with you. The AI featured in this game is pretty advanced and can use your fighting style as an example to evolve, grow, and develop.
The game is heavy on the action, as well as the combat. It’s an acrobatic, fast-paced, and dynamic world. You will fight on the backs of griffins, climb up dragons’ heads, cut the head out of a hydra, and a whole lot more.
The objective is to figure out the weaknesses of each of the monsters and then use your combination of acrobatic skills and melee in order to take out the adversaries.
You’ll enter into the world by creating a character out of nine vocations. You’ll then train your Pawn in any combat style you like. Finally, you can borrow the Pawns of other players or lend out your Pawns to other players.
5. Elden Ring
Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, Elden Ring was released in February of 2022 on Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, and Windows. It’s a fantasy open-world action RPG title that was created by the creators of Dark Souls, and as such, the combat is very challenging, as it is in Dark Souls, and the storytelling is obscure, too (like it is in Dark Souls). By adding. In fact, with Elden Ring, FromSoftware has made one of the most popular single-player games of all time.
When you enter the world, you’ll have to create a character, which involves choosing a sex, selecting your class, and picking your aesthetics. Once your character is created, you’ll enter a vast open-world where there aren’t any marketers and you have just one quest: to become the Elden Lord. To achieve this goal, you’ll need to take several steps; you’ll also need to progress your character in order to defeat the powerful bosses.
As you play and move about the world, you can explore a variety of areas, including castles, dungeons, fortresses, and ruins that are laid out across distinctive areas and biomes. You have the ability to run, jump, and mount beasts as you traverse the open world. There aren’t any parkour skills, however; instead, traversal is more standard.
The game features skills-based combat and you need to learn how to block, parry, counter, and break the guards of your enemies. Furthermore, character level-ups to unlock or magical powers and utilize more powerful gear. Additionally, you can trade with NPCs, collect resources, and craft equipment and items.
Elden Ring features a rich story; however, the storyline isn’t obvious. You’ll experience the plot via environmental clues and fragments across the Lands Between. You can play in co-op, but this is a complex feature that involves kicking fallen friends out of the realm.
6. Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition
Next up on our list games that are like Monster Hunger is Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition. This title was developed by Guerilla Games and was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released in February of 2017 on Windows and PS4.
This title is a familiar open-world action-RPG title that leans heavy on the combat, just like Monster Hunter. You’ll aim and shoot with your bows, and will use other tribal tools, including utilizing your spear in order to dodge and attack your enemies. Furthermore, you’ll travel across the open-world map by mounting creatures and by using parkour.
You’ll play as the main character, named Aloy. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where technology has been wiped out. Tribal humans, as well as machine-powered creatures, roam the land on several distinctive biomes. You’ll complete the primary goal of each area in order to unlock the next goal by pursing the main quest. There are side quests, too, as well as challenges, and collectibles.
Gameplay in this game revolves around hunting down machine creatures, as well as the tribal humans that roam the world. All enemies have different advantages, skills, and disadvantages, as well as behaviors. You’ll also loot scraps from your enemies, which you will need so that you can continue crafting ammo. You’ll run out of supplies quickly if you don’t hunt. Additionally, you can collect herbs and hunt for meat in order to heal yourself and boost your carrying capacity.
Aloy can level-up and unlock passive and active skills throughout various areas, such as shooting several arrows at the same time. Ammo type, damage, and elemental effects all come complete with weapons. Furthermore, the combat is dependent on skills, as you will be trading out your weapons, tools, and ammo, all while dodging your enemies.
In regard to the plot, you have to prove yourself to the Nora tribe by figuring out how and where the machine creatures originated from, as well as yourself, and all of the otherworldly tech that you’re carrying.
In the PS-exclusive 2022 sequel, you will be able to enter the Forbidden West. This indicates that the visuals and the combat are sure to be a step-up.
7. Demon’s Souls (Remake)
Prior to the debut of the Dark Souls trilogy, FromSoftware developed Demon’s Souls, which was the introduction of the “souls-like” genre. This means a combination of challenging combat, death and rebirth mechanics, and collecting souls for both power and currency. Demon Souls was developed by Bluepoing Games and was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released in 2020 on PS5.
The combat in Monster Hunter is a test of both stamina and mental strength. The hunts can last for 10, 20, or 30 minutes. In Demon’s Souls, however, the combat is about finesse, and you have to perfect the timing in order to parry, block, counter, dodge, and attack your adversaries. Furthermore, most of your enemies that you’ll come up against are massive and just awful monsters.
The remake of the game is fluid, stunning, and is just as robust as the initial title. Also like Monster Hunter, combat is strategic and there’s weight in every weapon, as well as several move-sets. You’ll make a class on Demon’s Souls on the character creation skill. You can also level-up and unlock powers on your journey. Additionally, the design isn’t open-world; rather, it’s linear, and everything is connected with a single world hub.
All-in-all, Demon’s Souls is yet another excellent title that fans of Monster Hunter are going to want to check out. It’s a lot more challenging, however, and if you’ve never played a Dark Souls game, then you are definitely going to need to have patience in order to defeat each of the bosses that you’ll come up against.
8. Toukiden 2
Toukiden 2 was developed by Omega Force and was published by Koei Tecmo. It was released in July of 2016 on Windows, PS Vita, PS3, and PS4. This title is all about slaying massive monsters, known as the “Oni”, in order to protect humanity. As such, rather than dragons, dinosaurs, and wyverns that you fight in Monster Hunter, you’ll be combating monsters that originated in medieval Japanese folklore.
In Toukiden 2, you will be able to travel alone or travel with a party of up to 4 players. It’s a quasi-open-world map, and a lot of the areas are locked up with a gate until you advance on certain parts of the story. With that said, the map in this game features hunting grounds.
As you complete a hunting ground, you will unlock new hunting grounds in order to keep exploring the primary story. You will also unlock new items and weapons; furthermore, you can use a bot in order to collect the loot that you find in each new area.
Character progression in this game depends on various mechanics or systems. To illustrate, you will upgrade your character via several challenges, battles, and collectible items. Your weapons and armor will also grant you both active and passive skills.
Overall, this tame is about taking out massive beasts and progressing your hero using a series of light RPG mechanics. Even though it isn’t completely open-world, thee experience this one offer is freeing, feels vast, and is quite challenging.
9. God of War
Next up we have God of War. It was developed by Santa Monica Studio and was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released in March of 2005 on Windows, as well as PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, and PSVita. Like Monster Hunter, God of War is super-heavy on the action and it has some touches of RPG.
The power scaling depends on your gear, too, which further makes it like Monster Hunger. In other words, God of War features the core elements of Monster Hunter, while also delivering a super-polished story
In this game, you’ll play as the main character, Kratos, of Norse mythology in a Norse realm. You will travel alongside Atreus, and your quest involves scattering the ashes of Atreus’ mother on the highest peak in the world. Even though the God of War wants nothing more than a peaceful life, the journey that he goes on throughout the game takes them into conflict with the
God of War is a semi-open world. You’ll travel through wide-spanning, far-reaching areas with a mixture of traversal skills in order to complete a series of linear quests that take place across several episodes.
Mobs are waiting for you around every corner, and you at the end of every level, there’s a huge monster that you will need to fight. The combat is skill-dependent; however, it isn’t as skill-dependent as Monster Hunter.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of the action role-playing games of the world-famous Monster Hunter series, then you’re definitely going to want to check out the titles that are listed above.
Each title boasts at least one – but generally several – features that make them very similar to Monster Hunter. No matter what title you choose – or if you choose all of them – you are bound to experience lots of action, adventure, and entertainment.
All titles are engaging, entertaining, challenging, and thought-provoking that will be sure to provide hours of entertainment – just like Monster Hunter.
