Monster Hunter 3: Tri

"This is one of those games that creates gamers and is easily one of the best Wii games to date.  Michael Barnes, GameShark.com
"Capcom has done an excellent and refined job, trying to find the balance between accessibility for newcomers and those hunters who love complexity and difficulty.  VandalOnline.com

IGN.com 9 of 10
At a time when industry talk is dominated by terms like accessibility and casual appeal, Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise remains firmly attached to its hardcore roots. The latest version of the game is Monster Hunter Tri for Nintendo's Wii, bringing its brand of third-person real-time beast-slaughtering action and addictive item acquisition systems to a new audience. For franchise fans this is going to be a very familiar experience, as much of the game remains the same, though with noticeable improvements to the camera control, visuals, and the online experience. If you're new and wondering what it is that makes this game worthy of the label hardcore, then you should know this is in no way a pick-up-and-play product. Only those with patience, a willingness to learn, and an appreciation of high levels of difficulty should apply. There's a significant time commitment associated with getting the most out of Monster Hunter Tri, but those who put in the hours will find the game offers the kind of satisfaction few other titles can deliver...Monster Hunter Tri isn't a game for everyone. It's a dense product with a learning curve higher than most other Wii titles available. It requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes. The challenges you'll face in Monster Hunter will seem insurmountable at times, but with the correct planning and skillful play you'll be able to slice your way through and move on to the next. Overcoming daunting obstacles is part of what makes playing Monster Hunter so rewarding, and the game gives you the option to do so offline by yourself or with friends. With an impressive online suite for social interaction and questing, Monster Hunter's deep gameplay and upgrade systems are made even better, letting you bask in the shared glory and benefits of bringing down enormous, dangerous beasts. Better yet, this version of the game can be played with minimal camera control frustration provided you're using a Classic Controller or Pro version, and is the prettiest entry in the franchise released outside of Japan. For those who prefer games that reward skill and offer huge amount of options for varied play style, character customization, and a vast amount of content, look no further. This is the best Monster Hunter yet, and even if there's still a lot that's familiar for franchise fans, it remains a totally unique and engrossing action-RPG experience. - Charles Onyett