Outside of Japan, was considered one of Capco♚m’s more niche series of games. This is especially true when compared to the likes of Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry. However, after the massive hit that was Monster Hunter Wo📖rld (along with its expansion Monster Hunter World Iceborne) it has become one of the most successful properties in the company’s library.
Thankfully, the series was already a hit in Japan and as a result, several studios released what many ha🎉ve lovingly called “Monster Hunter clones.” Here is a list of the best games in the action-RPG genre that offer the same kind of exciting experience as Monster Hunter World.
Updated April 7, 2022 by Michael Llewellyn: Thanks to the mainstream success of the Monster Hunter series there are a lot of other action RPGs that have adopted some Monster Hunting mechanics of their own. Whether it's through side quests or as part of the main story hunting down giant beasts and monsters for rewards and upgrades has become a major part of many new games. With that in mind, this list has been updated with games that include monster hunting in some form or another that Monster Hunter fans will enjoy even if it isn't part of many gameplay arcs. As a result, this list includes Monster Hunter clones and games that have a heavy focus on epic battles with giant creatures.
18 💟 𒊎 Elden Ring
- Released: 2022
- Developer: FromSoftware
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
The newest game on this list, Elden Ring is the spiritual successor to the Dark Souls series. As a result, the gameplay loop is very much the same as in the Souls series. However, Elden Ring takes place in a massive and deep 🍸open world that you can lose yourself in.
Furthermore, there are enough strange creatur꧙es, monsters, and optional side-bosses to keep Monster Hunters fans happy and occupied ♋for hours. As with its predecessors, the monster design is incredible and the fights require strategy and timing to defeat them.
17 Sca🥀rlet Nexus ⭕
- Released: 2021
- Developers: Bandai Namco Studios and Tose
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Released in 2021, Scarlet Nexus was something of a sleeper hit for Namco Bandai. The new IP is heavy on the story in comparison to✨ most games on this list but the flashy combat system and incredible boss fights make it🍸 a worthy entry here.
The fighting system plays like a mix of God Eater, Code Vein, and the Tales series. It's one of the most polished action RPGs in years, and the monster design is as creative as it is horrifying. Moreover, one shouldn't be put off by the story as it's deep, entertaining, and compelling from start to finish.
16 Tal♏es Of Aꦑrise
- Released: 2021
- Developer: Namco Bandai Studios
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
As with Scarlet Nexus, Tales of Arise is an action RPG with a major🦄 focus on the story. However, the most recent title in the long-running Tales franchise is one of the best in terms of action and narrative.
Tales of Arise also implements its version of monster hunting with in-game super bosses known as Gigant Zeugles. While the term Zeugle doesn't sound very terrifying for a monster, these battles are epic in scale and incredibly challenging. Tales of Arise also has a large open world to explore full of regular monsters and enemies that come with their challenges.
15 Fre✨edom Wars ♒
- Released: 2014
- Developer: Dimps
- Platform: PS Vita
Released in 2014 for the PlayStation Vita, Freedom Wars is an action RPG in the same mold as the Monster Hunter series. It was developed exclusively at Sony’s Japan Studios by168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Dragon Ball Xenoverse developers Dimps as a portable alternative to Capcom’s popular se♔ries.
Despite being on the Vita, Freedom Wars has great production values and the stunning cel-shaded anime art style that still holds up beautifu꧃lly today. Instead of monsters, however, players are tasked with taking down giant robots in some exhilaratingly hard🤡-fought battles.
14 Ragnarok Odyssey ACE 𓃲
- Released: 2013
- Developer: Game Arts
- Platforms: PS3 and PS Vita
Released in 2013 for the PlayStation Vita and the PlayStati🥃on 3🦄, Ragnarok Odyssey ACE is a monster and giant hunting action RPG from Game Arts, who are best known for their work on the Grandia and Lunar series.
Ragnarok Odyssey ACE is a spin-off from the MMORPG series Ragnarok Online and tasks its players with hunting down creatures from Norse mythology. Even though it’s not as po💛lished, Ragnarok has a much faster fighting system than the Monster Hunter series and is less demanding for players that want to just drop in and out of gameplay.
13 Sword A🃏rt Online: Fatal Bullet 🍰
- Released: 2018
- Developer: Dimps
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
Released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and the PC, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is set in the same🐈 universe𓂃 as the Sword Art Online series although its story is set in an alternate timeline making it more welcoming to new players.
It was developed by Freedom Wars studio Dimps and features many of the same stylized actꩵion-RPG mechanics of that game, especially when it comes to taking down the larger enemies. It features excellent anime-style visuals and was created using the Unreal 4 engine, making it one of the best-looking games in the series so far.
12 🔯 Devil May Cry 5
- Released: 2019
- Developer: Capcom
- Platforms: Amazon Luna, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
R𒀰eleased in 2019, Devil May Cry 5 is a return to form for the series which manages to recapture the magic and feel of the original games while having some of the best visuals in a generation. In terms of having a mechanic set around hunting monsters Devil May Cry has very little in common with the Monster Hunter series but it does capture the same unique Capcom magic that Monster Hunter has.
In addition, DMC 5 can be very entertaining and challenging but more importantly, it has some incredible-looking monsters and demons to fight which will no doubt appeal to fans of the genre. It's not an RPG by design but it does give the player several paths to explore and has an RPG-like upgrade system that even die-hard RPG fans will appreciate,
11 ไ Horizon Zero Dawn
- Released: 2017
- Developer: Guerilla Games
- Platforms: PC and PS4
Released in 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn is an action RPG developed by Guerilla Games. Unlike the Monster Hunter series, it's a completely solo experience and features a much more involved storyline.
However, for players that appreciate a stunning open world to explore and some of the best monster battles, this generatio🍃🤪n should still get Horizon Zero Dawn on their to-play list. Every battle looks plays like a cinematic set-piece but each fight is completely dynamic, requiring a lot of thought and strategy.
10 ꦏ Remnant: From The Ashes
- Released: 2019
- Developer: Gunfire Games
- Platforms: PC, PS4 PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Released in 2019, Remnant From the Ashes is an action RPG developed by Gunfire Games. It borrows a lot of elements from other games 𒁏like Dark Souls and the Monster Hunter series.
In terms of atmosphere, it has more in common🌠 with the Souls series but the implementation of the co-op is perfectly suited to Monster Hunter players that enjoy teaming up to fight huge bosses and monsters as part of a team.
9 ℱ The Surge 2
- Released: 2019
- Developer: Deck13 Interactive
- Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
Released in 2019, The Surge 2 is a science fiction action RPG that plays🐭 similarly to the Dark/Demon’s Souls series only with a post-apocalyptic twist. Again, it’s not a monster hunting game but there are p💦lenty of monstrous robotic enemies for gamers to fight against.
Furthermore, the combat feels weighty, violent, and strategic which is everything that makes the Mo𒁃nster Hunter series so appe♎aling. The game’s combat system is also a massive improvement from its predecessor which adds new ways to parry attacks and fight back from all angles.