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Hello everyone!
This is my first post, so nice to meet you all.
For my first article, I want to talk about one of my favorite games of all time: Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, an Action RPG released on the PlayStation Portable in 2010 in Japan.
This game was quite unique for its time.
As someone who enjoys RPG games, I usually focus heavily on the story. However, in this game the story is almost non-existent.
Imagine playing a game where your job is basically:

• Hunt monsters
• Loot materials from them
• Craft new equipment from those materials
• Or sell the materials for money

Sounds simple, right?
But surprisingly, this game managed to make me completely addicted.
What makes it so addictive is the depth of its gameplay systems.
The game features around 40 large monsters and 20 small monsters, each with their own:

• Movement patterns
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Unique combat behaviors

On top of that, there are 12 different weapon types, and each weapon has its own playstyle and strategy when fighting monsters.
The good thing is that the game does not force you to stick to just one weapon. You are free to switch weapons depending on the situation.
Each armor set, weapon, and accessory also comes with its own skills, strengths, and weaknesses.
To defeat monsters effectively, you need to think about several things:

• Attack timing
• Positioning
• Stamina management
• Weapon combo choices

All of these elements combine to create a different experience every time you hunt.
In this game, there is truly no such thing as “one size fits all.”
A weapon and equipment set might work extremely well against one monster, but feel very difficult to use against another.
Because of this, trial and error becomes a major part of the gameplay. The experimentation is exactly what makes the game so engaging.

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Farming and Relaxing Activities

Another interesting feature in this game is the farming system.
You will be given a small piece of land where you can perform activities such as:

• Farming crops
• Fishing
• Cooking
• Mining

What makes it even more fun is that fishing, cooking, gathering, and mining can also be done directly in the exploration maps while you are hunting monsters.
Small features like these help make the world feel more alive, instead of being purely about combat.

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My Personal Thoughts on Each Weapon Type

Here are my personal opinions on each weapon type available in the game.

Sword and Shield

This is one of the most balanced weapons in terms of offense and defense.

Strengths:

• Fast attacks
• Many combo options
• Ability to block monster attacks

This is also one of my main weapons.

Weaknesses:

• Difficult to reach tall monsters such as Diablos and Deviljho
• Less effective against flying monsters like Rathalos

Dual Blades

Dual Blades are similar to Sword and Shield but lean more toward offense, since they lose the ability to block.

Strengths:

• Extremely fast attack speed
• Has a Rage mode that increases attack frequency and damage

Weaknesses are similar to Sword and Shield:

• Difficult to reach tall monsters
• Not ideal against flying monsters

Greatsword

Greatsword has slow attacks but extremely high damage.

Strengths:

• Has charge attacks that increase damage
• Can block attacks
• Very effective for breaking monster parts

Because of this, I often use Greatsword when I need specific materials, such as:

• Breaking the head
• Breaking wings
• Cutting the tail

Greatsword also works very well when combined with traps, since the monster cannot move.
It is also one of the best solutions for dealing with tall or flying monsters.

Longsword

Longsword is somewhat similar to Greatsword, but:

• Attacks are much faster
• The weapon is lighter

This weapon works very well with builds that focus on Affinity or Critical Rate.

Lance

Lance is the weapon with the strongest defensive capability in the game.

Strengths:

• Extremely strong shield
• Simple thrusting attack pattern

Weaknesses:

• Slow movement
• No rolling ability

Gunlance

Gunlance is similar to Lance but adds the ability to fire explosive shells.

Strengths:

• Longer attack reach
• Explosive damage that does not bounce

Gunlance is especially effective against monsters with hard shells, such as:

• Diablos
• Uragaan
• Agnaktor

This is also one of my main weapons.

Switch Axe

Switch Axe was a new weapon introduced in this series.
It has two modes:

• Axe Mode
• Sword Mode

The combo system is relatively simple, and surprisingly it is not as tricky as Gunlance.
It is also quite effective for breaking monster parts.

Light Bowgun

This is one of my favorite weapons.
Light Bowgun is one of the three ranged weapon types.

Strengths:

• Easily target monster parts that melee weapons cannot reach
• Can switch between various ammo types such as:
  • Pierce
  • Pellet (shotgun)
  • Explosive
  • Elemental ammo
• Excellent mobility, making repositioning easy

Weaknesses:

• Very low defense
• Requires many inventory slots if you want to carry multiple ammo types

Compared to Heavy Bowgun:

• Average recoil ranges from medium to strong
• Reload speed ranges from medium to fast

Heavy Bowgun

Heavy Bowgun has very slow movement, but it has a unique ability called Crouch Fire.
This ability allows you to fire a large number of shots continuously without reloading.

Compared to Light Bowgun:

• Recoil is usually medium to light
• Reload speed is usually medium to very slow

In my opinion, this weapon really shines in multiplayer.
Unfortunately, since I don’t have friends to play multiplayer with, I haven’t been able to use this weapon to its full potential (sad).

Bow

Bow can shoot arrows infinitely.

Strengths:

• Has a charge shot mechanic that increases damage

Weakness:

• You can only carry a limited number of coatings, especially Power Coating, which increases damage significantly.

Hammer

Hammer is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult weapons to master.

Strengths:

• Very high damage
• Can knock out monsters by hitting their head

If a player can consistently hit the monster's head, this weapon can become one of the strongest weapons in the game.
So if you are good at using Hammer, you are probably a very skilled player.

Hunting Horn

Hunting Horn can be considered a lighter version of the Hammer.
This weapon is particularly good for multiplayer because it can provide buffs.

The mechanics are quite unique:

• You must perform specific note combinations
• Once completed, both the user and nearby players receive buff effects

Its attacks can also cause KO effects, although not as strong as Hammer.

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Final Thoughts

That’s my brief introduction to Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, one of the best Action RPGs ever released on the PlayStation Portable, in my opinion.
Even though the game was released many years ago, it still feels fun and challenging to play today.
Have you ever played this game?
If you have, what is your favorite weapon?
Let me know in the comments!

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