(continued from previous page) ...difficult for a large majority of players. The learning curve is quite steep, leading to many frustrations similar in many respects to the first outing in the series. Indeed, although it has gotten better in its sequel, many new players are still likely to be turned off by the difficulty.

Another problem stems from the new focus on multiplayer. Don’t misunderstand; quality multiplayer-oriented games on the PSP are certainly few and far between, and have become something of a rare commodity. Having said that, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 has gone a little overboard with its focus. There are a few times in during the course of the game that will be difficult to impossible to complete if you do not have some friends who play this game. And with the lack of infrastructure play, you are stuck playing with hunters you can meet face to face (unless you have a WiFi Max and manage to get xlink kai set up). This situation can stop a player cold in his tracks, bar progress and removing a solid amount of the entertainment this game should provide.

The last real issue has to do with the way smaller monsters are displayed across an ad-hoc game. While each and every player sees the same “boss monsters” in the same locations, each player’s game is populated with its own minion critters. What does this mean, exactly? Well, should the player see a velociprey (a small, raptor-esque monster) in the northern part of the area they are in with a fellow hunter, he may very well see the exact same velociprey in the southern or eastern area. Furthermore, if the player decides to attack and slay the raptor, their comrade would simply see the other attacking air, but would also witness the critter taking damage and dying, although to their eyes, his partner never landed a blow. There’s no explanation as to the reason for this odd mechanism (I’ve theorized that it came about to synthesize a pack-hunting feeling, but have no confirmation of this), but it does remove many players from the depth of the game and is often quite frustrating.

In closing, PSU would like to challenge everyone out there to further investigate this game. While it isn’t perfect and by no means suited for everyone, we stand by our assertion that it offers the best multiplayer gaming on the PSP thus far. If you have friends who are avid players, do not hesitate for a moment to pick this title up. The depth and scope of this title will get you more bang for your buck than most other games out there, regardless of system.

This game can be played endlessly. Having said that, it is not for the meek; if games that are difficult to master frustrate you, we advise you to steer clear - You’ll just end up spiking your PSP, and no one wants that. And if you don’t know anyone who plays this game, you may get less value out of it than someone who plays with his or her friends.