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If you enjoy the Monster Hunter series and are waiting for Monster Hunter Wilds, check out this list of games to play in the meantime.
The Monster Hunter franchise features some of the most unique JRPGs where you track down and capture (or kill) monsters. Now, the basic formula of catching monsters might seem similar to Pokémon or its various spin-offs. However, Monster Hunter is much more action-oriented and features real-time combat. It also has a heavy emphasis on weapons and armor, like in traditional RPGs.
Now, Monster Hunter Wilds is the upcoming game in the franchise, and it’s releasing on February 28, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. So, you have three whole months to spare, during which time you can check out something else. In light of that, we’ve created a list of Japanese games (most of which are JRPGs) that Monster Hunter fans might like.
The Best Games To Try Before Monster Hunter Wilds Comes Out
1. Monster Hunter: World
Before moving on to something else, we’ve started our list with some Monster Hunter titles. So, if you’ve never played the Monster Hunter games, or you’re coming back to the series after a while, you should try out Monster Hunter: World. This game refined the series and made it more accessible to players around the world.
Monster Hunter: World introduced fully connected regions in the open-world map and made use of the best graphical enhancements when it came out in 2018. As a result, the game is quite graphically impressive, even today. Another major improvement is that the monster AI in this title is way more advanced than that of its predecessors.
2. Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is the latest Monster Hunter game at the moment, as it was released in 2021. The game follows all the changes and improvements made in Monster Hunter World but with even more upgrades and quality-of-life changes. Some of the biggest improvements include faster movement, better combat, and a better hub layout.
Some fans believe that the weapon designs are also much better, although this is up to your personal taste. Nevertheless, some think that Monster Hunter World had the better story and game world. If you don’t care about that, then you should know that Rise is generally considered better among the fanbase.
3. Dragon’s Dogma II
The highly-anticipated sequel to Capcom’s unique action RPG, Dragon’s Dogma, is quite impressive in many aspects. It has some stunning visuals, improved gameplay in many aspects, and of course, a much larger and diverse map. The melee combat feels weightier and more immersive, and there are some quality-of-life improvements as well.
However, there’s also less enemy variety compared to the original, and just one extra vocation, which basically just lets you swap your classes. Nevertheless, the story and game world are enough to hook most players in, as these are much better than those of its predecessor. Additionally, if you like character customization in video games, you’ll love Dragon’s Dogma II, as it has one of the most impressive character creators ever made in an RPG.
4. Wild Hearts
If you’ve already played all of the Monster Hunter games and want something extremely similar, Wild Hearts is your best bet. It also features monster hunting in an open-world environment with an emphasis on weapons. The world map isn’t completely open, however, and is just several large regions connected together. Meanwhile, in addition to weapons, the game also allows you to create items that can help you during your hunts.
These can range from simple things like torches that can light a monster on fire to a bulwark, a defensive structure made by combining six crates together. These items are called Karakuri while the monsters are known as Kemono. However, a major issue with Wild Hearts is that the PC version is quite unoptimized and runs poorly on most systems. The PlayStation 5 version, on the other hand, should run pretty well.
5. Persona 5 Royal
Every JRPG fan needs to try out a Persona game at least once in their life. For now, the best game to start with would be Persona 5 Royal. This is the expanded version of Persona 5 with new content, but it has everything from the base game. The Persona games are your stereotypical party-based JRPGs where the combat is turn-based.
In Persona 5, you play as Joker, a high-school student by day and a vigilante by night. While the combat is very similar to that of the Final Fantasy games, you can also employ the titular Personas in battle. These are the physical manifestations of a person’s psyche, which can appear like demons, humanoids, and more.
The game uses a unique art style that makes it seem timeless, and the various locations you can explore are richly detailed.
6. Elden Ring
Elden Ring, one of the most popular games in recent times, is often considered the best example of the soulslike genre. These are mostly made by From Software and feature action RPG mechanics. What makes Elden Ring different is the open-world setting, and of course, a highly detailed character creator. The open-world map features countless dungeons which you’ll be exploring to gather loot.
As with the Dark Souls games, the gameplay loop of Elden Ring revolves around fighting powerful bosses and learning their weaknesses to defeat them. It rewards you for playing smart. Simply repeating the same attack pattern won’t work. Elden Ring got a new DLC this year called Shadow of the Erdtree, which features a new storyline in a new map.
7. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
The Fire Emblem games are tactical RPGs, where you command a party across a grid-like map to defeat enemies. The combat is turn-based, and there are several other RPG elements that add flair to the games. In Three Houses, you play as a mercenary who becomes a teacher at a military academy for royals. Apart from the usual tactical combat, the game features third-person exploration around the hub area, side activities like taking classes to develop your students, and much more.
There are multiple classes you can choose to play in, while your students will have their own strengths and weaknesses. You can develop your relationship with the students and other characters, and take crucial choices that will define the course of the story. The tone of Fire Emblem: Three Houses shifts drastically between the first few sections of the game and the later half.
8. Dark Souls: Remastered
Since we added Elden Ring, it would be criminal to not include one of the original Dark Souls games. As a spiritual successor to Demon Souls, it spawned an entire genre of action RPGs that have their own dedicated fanbase. The original Dark Souls got a faithful remaster in 2018, although many fans believe that it could have done more.
Just like with Elden Ring, this is a combat-oriented game, but instead of exploring dungeons across an open-world map, you progress through several interconnected regions. There’s a centralized hub area and of course, the bosses are incredibly difficult. One unique mechanic is the humanity system, where you lose your humanity and get reincarnated in hollow form if you die.
Humanity offers certain bonuses, as well as the ability to call NPCs and other players to aid you. However, it will also allow other players and NPCs to invade you. This risk-reward mechanic makes the game feel satisfying, especially for those who like challenging games.
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