-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Monster Hunter Retrospective: Reviewing Every Monster
- Thread starter Toxi
- Start date
In World ? I thought Brachy was fun in World tbh (World increased mobility/better control made a HUGE difference in fighting Brachy).
In older titles tho...
I remember the deadly combo of 'snowball' debuff (and iirc Barroth mud-flinging cover the entire arena?) and homing charge.
When I saw Barroth in World : "Look at how they butchered my boi"
Oh man, I am here for this.
I think Gen Ultimate was my first encounter with it, and it's definitely the monster that taught me about that pesky 180 degree tail whip attack. I fought the blue one in... 4U, I think but didn't remember it being much different.
Also wow I need to get a copy of Stories
I think Gen Ultimate was my first encounter with it, and it's definitely the monster that taught me about that pesky 180 degree tail whip attack. I fought the blue one in... 4U, I think but didn't remember it being much different.
Also wow I need to get a copy of Stories
Adore threads like this, excited to "get in on the ground floor" for this one! Good luck OP, this is really cool!
If you don't, do yourself a favor and watch Bracchy's kinship attack on youtube at least. It's 10/10.
Underrated game. It pushed the 3ds and had tons of personality. Enjojable adventure and quests. Check it if you can. If you wanted to ride a Nargacuga, a Zinogre or a Monoblos, well, you could!
Really hyped for MHS2.
I really dislike it's running punch attack. I always forget it doubles as a charge and wind up getting hit trying to roll into it in order to avoid the actual punch part and end up getting hit by the legs.
Tiggy's a really fun punching bag for me.
Dropping in now for the subscription and to remember to read after work, I'm in for this long haul.
I'm kissing my screen at the moment. These kind of forum threads are the reason why internet is still a nice place.
OP
OP
Me checking back on this thread:
Seriously though, thanks for all the kind feedback and interest, and I'm glad you had so much to say about Yian Kut-Ku!
I also updated the index with my intended schedule. Next review is the raptors.
I'm a casual just playing Monster tribal decks though, so everything I know about competitive play is second-hand. I will point out particularly interesting cards like legendaries and certain epics too.
I honestly forgot if Blue Kut-Ku had any new moves. It was one of the subspecies that I barely noticed the difference even when I was playing 4U all the time.
Seriously though, thanks for all the kind feedback and interest, and I'm glad you had so much to say about Yian Kut-Ku!
I also updated the index with my intended schedule. Next review is the raptors.
I'm only planning large monsters right now, except in cases where I'm reviewing a large version of a smaller monster (Velocidrome/Velociprey for example).
I'm glad I started playing Teppen again before I began writing this, because there's a lot of interesting trivia from that game.
I'm a casual just playing Monster tribal decks though, so everything I know about competitive play is second-hand. I will point out particularly interesting cards like legendaries and certain epics too.
I skipped Velocidrome partially for this reason. Kut-Ku really is the perfect introduction.
I honestly forgot if Blue Kut-Ku had any new moves. It was one of the subspecies that I barely noticed the difference even when I was playing 4U all the time.
Hypnocatrice will be covered... Poor thing really needs a comeback.
I forgot to mention, I played it on mobile! The mobile port is pretty sweet (And cheap!), though hilariously there are a few pieces of dialogue referencing 3DS buttons.
The biggest monster is Dalamadur, which won't be reviewed for another 1 million years.
Oh hell no.
How Toxi feels about Nerscylla being black and slimy like Alien not to mention such an old monster ╰(￣ω￣ｏ)
Monster Hunter has definitely had a lot of love in Teppen from a competitive standpoint, as I think longtime players still shudder at the thought of having to go up against a Morrigan deck since it wasn't that long ago when Amatsu was a genuine terror in the meta, or red players having nightmares with how largely invincible Shara Ishvalda was for a while there. And though you won't cover him due to being from Explore, Morudomunto is pretty darn close to being a black staple because of its abilities and snowball potential being so dangerous that you have to stop him fast or face dire consequences. And that's not even getting into long-standing staples in the game right now, like Gore Magala being an essential part of Wesker Uroboros decks or Felyne as a hero having three rather strong HAs for folks to play around with.
YKK is indeed great beginner hammer practice. One thing I want to bring up is not directly related to the YKK but more of a distant cousin. Yian Garuga. I know that they are completely different monsters but with a similar enough name and build I was not at all prepared for YG. It took everything charming and funny from YKK and made it terrorizing. I loved it. YG would not have given me such a strong impression if not for the comparison to YKK and realising how far you have come as a hunter by comparing these two milestones.
Oh, Toxi will get there soon enough, but yeah, big, big personal favorite of mine as well.
Velocidrome/Gendrome/Iodrome/Giadrome
OP
OP
Ugh, we have to go over these things, don't we?
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Forests, grasslands
Before reading on, I recommend watching the intro for the original Monster Hunter. It excellently recreates the style of nature documentaries where you see a pack of wolves chasing an elk, down to the predators targeting the young animal. But the twist of Monster Hunter was that these weren't wolf and elk, but dinosaurs. And then a dragon steals the kill. So cool.
<Insert David Attenborough narration>
Velocidrome is our first "drome", a upscaled boss version of a common enemy monster. Like reusing skeletons, it's a clear example of Capcom's developers working around time and resource limitations. At the same time, I do love the idea of a cooperative pack of monsters following the largest individual. It's very "nature red in tooth and claw" and emphasizes the social dynamics of the creatures. I'm not sure why the localization decided "drome" was a great translation for this dynamic though. If anyone here knows where "drome" comes from, I'd be happy to hear it, because I've been stumped trying to figure it out for this review. "Prey" is more obvious; the Velociprey are weak little creatures, while also preying on other animals.
Velociprey and Velocidrome are not so subtly based on Dromaeosaurs like Velociraptor. Dromaeosaurs (AKA "raptors", which is what you probably know them as and what I'll be calling the Monster Hunter versions) were incredibly cool animals and have been a mainstay of pop culture since the movie Jurassic Park. You might be wondering why Velocidrome and Velociprey are Bird Wyverns, even though the raptors look nothing like our previous Bird Wyvern Yian Kut-Ku. This is a neat reference to real life biology: Dromaeosaur were very close relatives of modern birds. They even had full coverings of feathers, a feature sadly absent in the Monster Hunter counterparts. The pack element is also a mainstay of Dromaeosaurs in pop culture thanks to Jurassic Park, though its accuracy is controversial.
Along with the great origin, these creatures also have striking designs. The basic Velociprey are already pretty noticeable with their bright blue scales and protruding fangs. Like real Dromaeosaurs, the raptors have an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each foot. The purpose of the claw in the actual dinosaurs has been hotly debated, with suggestions ranging from aiding in tree-climbing to pinning down prey so the predator could eat it alive. The Velocidrome is even more intimidating with extra sickle claws on the forelimbs and a crimson crest rather than the Velociprey's dull maroon. These bright primary colors stand out among the muted hues of early Monster Hunter and call immediate attention to Velocidrome... A bit too much for me. I get that bright colors are common in the animal kingdom for display, and Velocidrome's crest is definitely a display feature. Still, I feel like small forest predators should be a bit better camouflaged than giant dragons.
A serious problem with Velocidrome and Velociprey, which isn't obvious in the gif above, is that they look very similar, especially in the older Monster Hunter generations where the Velociprey were much bigger. There's a serious problem when the boss you're supposed to kill looks near identical to the endlessly respawning minions.
Overall, Velocidrome design screams dangerous agile predator, one that will eviscerate unprepared hunters. In reality, Velocidrome is the first large monster in the game, fought even before Yian Kut-Ku. But even a starter monster can leave a great impression, right?
...Yeah, you know what's coming.
First the little Velociprey. In the original Monster Hunter, these things were lethal. Just not in the way you might be expecting. Small enemies in the first generation Monster Hunters were infamously persistent and numerous, and Velociprey was one of the worst. Its basic jump would knock you flat, while its pounce attack would send the hunter flying every single time. Lovely. The only solace you got was that with a Greatsword, you could chop Velociprey in half. Not an exaggeration, their death animation for some weapons had them bisected. I imagine this feature was dropped in later generations because chopping living creatures in half is a bit too graphic and dark for the tone Monster Hunter is supposed to have. Still, must have been cathartic. Fortunately, Velociprey (And other common enemy monsters) were heavily toned down after the first generation.
Then the big Velocidrome. When I called Velocidrome an upscaled version of a common enemy, I wasn't exaggerating. Velocidrome is so rudimentary that it doesn't even have a turning animation; the "turn" is the monster just hopping in place. Velocidrome's only attacks are a lunge, a hop, and a leaping kick, the same moves Velociprey have. In the older games the monster didn't even have a limping animation when low on health. Velocidrome also sometimes just stops moving in battle, standing still as a statue for a few moments; this happens with some other first-generation monsters, but it's most obvious with Velocidrome. Overall an extremely rudimentary fight and a poor introduction to the series. The only real challenge is dealing with the annoying Velociprey, which always accompany their boss.
Velocidrome and all its raptor kin skipped the third generation, coming back with many other classic monsters in the fourth generation. This was an opportunity to update the classics, to make them feel more alive and threatening and modern and... They barely changed. Velocidrome finally got a limping animation, a breakable crest, and the ability to mount Velocidrome and make it feel even more inadequate. Hilariously, Velocidrome also is one of the monsters in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate that can be hunted in guild quests. Guild quests are randomly obtained quests for specific monsters that increase in difficulty every time you complete them. At the max level of 140, monsters are extremely tanky and deal absurd damage. So if you are dying to fight a "hard" version of Velocidrome, you can... But why would anyone want to? The rewards suck compared to other guild quests and it's still an absolute joke.
You can now give Velocidrome a haircut. Yay.
Monster drops are rarely that interesting, but Velocidrome is a funny example in that its rare item is the head. This morbid detail becomes even more silly when it's possible to earn multiple heads from quest rewards, so a single Velocidrome can have as many as four heads.
Velocidrome is actually the first large monster I ever defeated. This might surprise you given I got into the series with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. However, a few years before that, I did get a chance to play Monster Hunter Freedom on my friend's PSP. The experience did not endear me to the series, an excellent demonstration of Velocidrome's quality.
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Deserts, Caves
Oh. Yeah. Remember what I said about the first generation reusing skeletons? I wasn't kidding. Genprey and Gendrome have the exact same animations as Velociprey and Velocidrome. 100% identical. The only difference is that during the lunging attack, they can inflict paralysis. This is supposed to be a paralyzing bite, but because monster hiboxes are more suggestion than rule, every part of the body will paralyze you during the lunge.
Gendrome's pecs are quite stunning.
Paralysis is our first status affliction. It sucks. You get paralyzed, you fall down, you have to wait until the paralysis wears off. It's usually inflicted by electric monsters or monsters with some kind of neurotoxic venom like Gendrome. It's also color coded yellow, because Japanese game conventions have decreed that paralysis is always yellow, poison is always purple, and sleep is always blue.
Genprey and Gendrome have a more natural color scheme with green and yellow rather than bright blue. Gendrome also lacks the sickle claws on the hands, not that it actually makes any difference in gameplay. The main new features are the V-shaped crest and the two long fangs sticking out the maw. The crest is a nice obvious shape on Gendrome, distinguishing it better from its minions than Velocidrome's crest did. The paralyzing fangs look really goofy. I get they're supposed to look like a snake's fangs, representing the raptor's paralyzing ability, but Gendrome looks more like a cartoon snake than something natural. If you look at real snakes with the longest fangs, like the gaboon viper, the fangs are efficient apparatuses that fold into the roof of the mouth when not in use. Meanwhile Gendome looks like its teeth will snap after a stiff breeze.
You vs the venomous reptile she tells you not to worry about.
Iodrome and Ioprey
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Swamps, Volcanoes
Ioprey and Iodrome have the most unique design of the first generation raptors. The bright red with a hint of purple here make much more sense here than the the bright blue on Velocidrome, as Ioprey and Iodrome are poisonous. Real world poisonous animals often exhibit aposematic coloration, which means they're colored in a noticeable way that warns predators to back off. Think poison dart frogs, coral snakes, yellowjackets, monarch butterflies, lionfish, etc. Ioprey and Iodrome also often are found in hot volcanic environments, so the bright red coloring is appropriately fiery… Though it brings up the question of why the other place they're often found is cold swamps. I guess swamps = poison? The purple highlights again emphasize that purple is the official color for poison in video games.
The downturned head is an interesting shape. It almost looks like the face is melting, which again fits the poison theme and oppressively hot habitat. It's not practical for catching prey, but then again, Ioprey and Iodrome use poison to hunt rather than brute force. The crest complements the droopy face, and like Gendrome it's relatively easy to distinguish the smaller and larger versions at a glance. On the neck there's a sagging patch like a bird's wattle, again emphasizing the melting theme while also explaining where the creatures store their poison. No toe-claws this time. I actually think this matches the moveset of Iodrome/Iaprey better, because they focus more on projectiles than the melee-focused raptors we've had so far. The arms are also hilariously pathetic after Gendrome's and especially Velocidrome's, with two spindly fingers on each wimpy hand, but again, that actually fits a creature that doesn't rely on force to fight. If I had to choose my favorite visual designs from this batch, Ioprey and Iodrome are easy picks.
The poison icon, supposed to be bubbles but looks more like two cartoon eyes tilted on their side.
Unfortunately, the moveset is almost the same one we got from the previous raptors. Ioprey and Iadrome thankfully bring a new move to the table though: Poison spit! The poison status affliction works as you'd expect: Slow damage over time until the poison runs out or you use an antidote. It's a surprisingly common ailment in Monster Hunter, to the point that the series mascot Rathalos inflicts poison. One neat detail about Iodrome is that the monster will actually prioritize attacking poisoned hunters, so poison is doubly dangerous. It's a bit of behavior that gives the Iodrome some extra character, a vicious opportunist. Too bad it still doesn't even have a turning animation. Iodrome is surprisingly tanky compared to the other raptors, but is still a minor threat that really is only a problem if you're distracted or if it's the first generation where the Ioprey won't leave you the hell alone.
My most vivid experience has been with Ioprey rather than Iodrome: Specifically, the Ioprey that attack in area 9 of Volcanic Hollow. I often did charm mining runs in Volcanic Hollow in the fourth generation games, and every time I'd reach area 9, the little bastards would swarm me and force me to stop for a moment to do pest control. Even my AI companions weren't able to distract all of them. This is pretty mundane, which speaks to just how little there is to say about these monsters.
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Snowy mountains
We're still not done.
This is technically our first second generation monster review, but let's be honest, Giadrome is just a recolored Velocidrome with Iodrome's moveset. The only difference is that this raptor spits freezing spit instead of poison.
Why does Giadrome even exist? Monster Hunter Freedom 2's first map was a snowy mountain and the devs needed an early game monster that made sense in a cold climate. The weird thing is, Giaprey already existed in Monster Hunter G... As a stronger Velociprey variant. No ice spit or cold climate. It was even called White Velociprey in English.
The new color scheme is nice. Giadrome fits better in the snow than garish Velocidrome ever did in the forest, and the blue crest of the boss contrasts better with the maroon crests of the lackeys. The giant sickle claws make even less sense here though, as Giadrome's major gimmick is a freezing spit that inflicts the Snowman status. Snowman is pretty nasty, entirely immobilizing you until the snow breaks off or you use a cleanser item. Giadrome's still a glorified recolor of a trash-tier monster though, so is anyone really threatened by this? Giaprey also inflicted Snowman at first, but when they made their triumphant return in Monster Hunter Generations they instead inflicted Iceblight, a status that mildly inconvenience's the player's stamina. Makes sense that the minions would have a weaker projectile than their boss.
Snowman might be annoying, but it looks so funny I can never hate it.
Other Games
Velocidrome, Gendrome, and Iodrome are all rideable Monsties in Monster Hunter Stories. They're weak early game monsters and are soon replaced. Velocidrome is actually the usual "starter" Monstie, the first one players get to hatch. Like a Chikorita the starting Drome is best thrown in a box as soon as possible and ignored for the rest of your playthrough. About the only thing the Dromes have going for them is that they prioritize Speed attacks, since there are few decent Speed options at the start of the game.
Velocidrome also appears in, of all places, Sengoku Basara (Capcom's answer to Dynasty Warriors, or more specifically Samurai Warriors). The raptor was made into a crossover costume for Gotō Matabei. The result is deeply disturbing and further reason why Velocidrome and all the other dromes should be eradicated from existence.
Bonus Feature
Baruragaru
Baruragaru is from the now defunct Japanese-only MMO Monster Hunter Frontier. I'm not planning to review most of Frontier's monsters, but I need to give this fella a shoutout for a couple reasons. Obviously, the design is incredible. Baruragaru is a Leviathan (A class of monsters we will cover much later in this thread), but it feels like no other Leviathan in Monster Hunter, with that sickly pale coloration and long whip-like tongue. But an amazing design isn't the only reason I'm spotlighting Baruragaru; it also performs much some much needed pest control. This monster preys specifically on the dromes. Its long tong skewers them and then sucks the blood out of them like a straw. This gruesome process doesn't just keep the Baruragaru fed, it also grants the monster attacks with the dromes' unique status afflictions. Iodrome gives poison, Gendrome gives paralysis, and Velocidrome gives... Blood? I guess that's just the vanilla option when you're a blood-sucking monster. Each unique attack type changes the color of the stripe on the monster's body, a neat visual indicator for the players' benefit.
I've never played Monster Hunter Frontier and sadly never gotten the chance to fight Baruragaru. I would love to see this leviathan make the transition to the main Monster Hunter games. If Capcom are not going to update Velocidrome and its derivatives to modern standards, the least the devs can do is add their natural predator.
I don't know about you, but as someone who just wasted over 2000 words on Velocidrome and its clones, this is a cathartic note to end on.
Velocidrome and Velociprey
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Forests, grasslands
Before reading on, I recommend watching the intro for the original Monster Hunter. It excellently recreates the style of nature documentaries where you see a pack of wolves chasing an elk, down to the predators targeting the young animal. But the twist of Monster Hunter was that these weren't wolf and elk, but dinosaurs. And then a dragon steals the kill. So cool.
<Insert David Attenborough narration>
Velocidrome is our first "drome", a upscaled boss version of a common enemy monster. Like reusing skeletons, it's a clear example of Capcom's developers working around time and resource limitations. At the same time, I do love the idea of a cooperative pack of monsters following the largest individual. It's very "nature red in tooth and claw" and emphasizes the social dynamics of the creatures. I'm not sure why the localization decided "drome" was a great translation for this dynamic though. If anyone here knows where "drome" comes from, I'd be happy to hear it, because I've been stumped trying to figure it out for this review. "Prey" is more obvious; the Velociprey are weak little creatures, while also preying on other animals.
Velociprey and Velocidrome are not so subtly based on Dromaeosaurs like Velociraptor. Dromaeosaurs (AKA "raptors", which is what you probably know them as and what I'll be calling the Monster Hunter versions) were incredibly cool animals and have been a mainstay of pop culture since the movie Jurassic Park. You might be wondering why Velocidrome and Velociprey are Bird Wyverns, even though the raptors look nothing like our previous Bird Wyvern Yian Kut-Ku. This is a neat reference to real life biology: Dromaeosaur were very close relatives of modern birds. They even had full coverings of feathers, a feature sadly absent in the Monster Hunter counterparts. The pack element is also a mainstay of Dromaeosaurs in pop culture thanks to Jurassic Park, though its accuracy is controversial.
Along with the great origin, these creatures also have striking designs. The basic Velociprey are already pretty noticeable with their bright blue scales and protruding fangs. Like real Dromaeosaurs, the raptors have an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each foot. The purpose of the claw in the actual dinosaurs has been hotly debated, with suggestions ranging from aiding in tree-climbing to pinning down prey so the predator could eat it alive. The Velocidrome is even more intimidating with extra sickle claws on the forelimbs and a crimson crest rather than the Velociprey's dull maroon. These bright primary colors stand out among the muted hues of early Monster Hunter and call immediate attention to Velocidrome... A bit too much for me. I get that bright colors are common in the animal kingdom for display, and Velocidrome's crest is definitely a display feature. Still, I feel like small forest predators should be a bit better camouflaged than giant dragons.
A serious problem with Velocidrome and Velociprey, which isn't obvious in the gif above, is that they look very similar, especially in the older Monster Hunter generations where the Velociprey were much bigger. There's a serious problem when the boss you're supposed to kill looks near identical to the endlessly respawning minions.
Overall, Velocidrome design screams dangerous agile predator, one that will eviscerate unprepared hunters. In reality, Velocidrome is the first large monster in the game, fought even before Yian Kut-Ku. But even a starter monster can leave a great impression, right?
...Yeah, you know what's coming.
First the little Velociprey. In the original Monster Hunter, these things were lethal. Just not in the way you might be expecting. Small enemies in the first generation Monster Hunters were infamously persistent and numerous, and Velociprey was one of the worst. Its basic jump would knock you flat, while its pounce attack would send the hunter flying every single time. Lovely. The only solace you got was that with a Greatsword, you could chop Velociprey in half. Not an exaggeration, their death animation for some weapons had them bisected. I imagine this feature was dropped in later generations because chopping living creatures in half is a bit too graphic and dark for the tone Monster Hunter is supposed to have. Still, must have been cathartic. Fortunately, Velociprey (And other common enemy monsters) were heavily toned down after the first generation.
Then the big Velocidrome. When I called Velocidrome an upscaled version of a common enemy, I wasn't exaggerating. Velocidrome is so rudimentary that it doesn't even have a turning animation; the "turn" is the monster just hopping in place. Velocidrome's only attacks are a lunge, a hop, and a leaping kick, the same moves Velociprey have. In the older games the monster didn't even have a limping animation when low on health. Velocidrome also sometimes just stops moving in battle, standing still as a statue for a few moments; this happens with some other first-generation monsters, but it's most obvious with Velocidrome. Overall an extremely rudimentary fight and a poor introduction to the series. The only real challenge is dealing with the annoying Velociprey, which always accompany their boss.
Velocidrome and all its raptor kin skipped the third generation, coming back with many other classic monsters in the fourth generation. This was an opportunity to update the classics, to make them feel more alive and threatening and modern and... They barely changed. Velocidrome finally got a limping animation, a breakable crest, and the ability to mount Velocidrome and make it feel even more inadequate. Hilariously, Velocidrome also is one of the monsters in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate that can be hunted in guild quests. Guild quests are randomly obtained quests for specific monsters that increase in difficulty every time you complete them. At the max level of 140, monsters are extremely tanky and deal absurd damage. So if you are dying to fight a "hard" version of Velocidrome, you can... But why would anyone want to? The rewards suck compared to other guild quests and it's still an absolute joke.
You can now give Velocidrome a haircut. Yay.
Monster drops are rarely that interesting, but Velocidrome is a funny example in that its rare item is the head. This morbid detail becomes even more silly when it's possible to earn multiple heads from quest rewards, so a single Velocidrome can have as many as four heads.
Velocidrome is actually the first large monster I ever defeated. This might surprise you given I got into the series with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. However, a few years before that, I did get a chance to play Monster Hunter Freedom on my friend's PSP. The experience did not endear me to the series, an excellent demonstration of Velocidrome's quality.
Gendrome and Genprey
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Deserts, Caves
Oh. Yeah. Remember what I said about the first generation reusing skeletons? I wasn't kidding. Genprey and Gendrome have the exact same animations as Velociprey and Velocidrome. 100% identical. The only difference is that during the lunging attack, they can inflict paralysis. This is supposed to be a paralyzing bite, but because monster hiboxes are more suggestion than rule, every part of the body will paralyze you during the lunge.
Gendrome's pecs are quite stunning.
Paralysis is our first status affliction. It sucks. You get paralyzed, you fall down, you have to wait until the paralysis wears off. It's usually inflicted by electric monsters or monsters with some kind of neurotoxic venom like Gendrome. It's also color coded yellow, because Japanese game conventions have decreed that paralysis is always yellow, poison is always purple, and sleep is always blue.
Genprey and Gendrome have a more natural color scheme with green and yellow rather than bright blue. Gendrome also lacks the sickle claws on the hands, not that it actually makes any difference in gameplay. The main new features are the V-shaped crest and the two long fangs sticking out the maw. The crest is a nice obvious shape on Gendrome, distinguishing it better from its minions than Velocidrome's crest did. The paralyzing fangs look really goofy. I get they're supposed to look like a snake's fangs, representing the raptor's paralyzing ability, but Gendrome looks more like a cartoon snake than something natural. If you look at real snakes with the longest fangs, like the gaboon viper, the fangs are efficient apparatuses that fold into the roof of the mouth when not in use. Meanwhile Gendome looks like its teeth will snap after a stiff breeze.
You vs the venomous reptile she tells you not to worry about.
Iodrome and Ioprey
Premiered in: Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Swamps, Volcanoes
Ioprey and Iodrome have the most unique design of the first generation raptors. The bright red with a hint of purple here make much more sense here than the the bright blue on Velocidrome, as Ioprey and Iodrome are poisonous. Real world poisonous animals often exhibit aposematic coloration, which means they're colored in a noticeable way that warns predators to back off. Think poison dart frogs, coral snakes, yellowjackets, monarch butterflies, lionfish, etc. Ioprey and Iodrome also often are found in hot volcanic environments, so the bright red coloring is appropriately fiery… Though it brings up the question of why the other place they're often found is cold swamps. I guess swamps = poison? The purple highlights again emphasize that purple is the official color for poison in video games.
The downturned head is an interesting shape. It almost looks like the face is melting, which again fits the poison theme and oppressively hot habitat. It's not practical for catching prey, but then again, Ioprey and Iodrome use poison to hunt rather than brute force. The crest complements the droopy face, and like Gendrome it's relatively easy to distinguish the smaller and larger versions at a glance. On the neck there's a sagging patch like a bird's wattle, again emphasizing the melting theme while also explaining where the creatures store their poison. No toe-claws this time. I actually think this matches the moveset of Iodrome/Iaprey better, because they focus more on projectiles than the melee-focused raptors we've had so far. The arms are also hilariously pathetic after Gendrome's and especially Velocidrome's, with two spindly fingers on each wimpy hand, but again, that actually fits a creature that doesn't rely on force to fight. If I had to choose my favorite visual designs from this batch, Ioprey and Iodrome are easy picks.
The poison icon, supposed to be bubbles but looks more like two cartoon eyes tilted on their side.
Unfortunately, the moveset is almost the same one we got from the previous raptors. Ioprey and Iadrome thankfully bring a new move to the table though: Poison spit! The poison status affliction works as you'd expect: Slow damage over time until the poison runs out or you use an antidote. It's a surprisingly common ailment in Monster Hunter, to the point that the series mascot Rathalos inflicts poison. One neat detail about Iodrome is that the monster will actually prioritize attacking poisoned hunters, so poison is doubly dangerous. It's a bit of behavior that gives the Iodrome some extra character, a vicious opportunist. Too bad it still doesn't even have a turning animation. Iodrome is surprisingly tanky compared to the other raptors, but is still a minor threat that really is only a problem if you're distracted or if it's the first generation where the Ioprey won't leave you the hell alone.
My most vivid experience has been with Ioprey rather than Iodrome: Specifically, the Ioprey that attack in area 9 of Volcanic Hollow. I often did charm mining runs in Volcanic Hollow in the fourth generation games, and every time I'd reach area 9, the little bastards would swarm me and force me to stop for a moment to do pest control. Even my AI companions weren't able to distract all of them. This is pretty mundane, which speaks to just how little there is to say about these monsters.
Giadrome and Giaprey
Premiered in: Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (PSP 2007) (Technically Monster Hunter G for Giaprey)
Classification: Bird Wyvern
Habitat: Snowy mountains
We're still not done.
This is technically our first second generation monster review, but let's be honest, Giadrome is just a recolored Velocidrome with Iodrome's moveset. The only difference is that this raptor spits freezing spit instead of poison.
Why does Giadrome even exist? Monster Hunter Freedom 2's first map was a snowy mountain and the devs needed an early game monster that made sense in a cold climate. The weird thing is, Giaprey already existed in Monster Hunter G... As a stronger Velociprey variant. No ice spit or cold climate. It was even called White Velociprey in English.
The new color scheme is nice. Giadrome fits better in the snow than garish Velocidrome ever did in the forest, and the blue crest of the boss contrasts better with the maroon crests of the lackeys. The giant sickle claws make even less sense here though, as Giadrome's major gimmick is a freezing spit that inflicts the Snowman status. Snowman is pretty nasty, entirely immobilizing you until the snow breaks off or you use a cleanser item. Giadrome's still a glorified recolor of a trash-tier monster though, so is anyone really threatened by this? Giaprey also inflicted Snowman at first, but when they made their triumphant return in Monster Hunter Generations they instead inflicted Iceblight, a status that mildly inconvenience's the player's stamina. Makes sense that the minions would have a weaker projectile than their boss.
Snowman might be annoying, but it looks so funny I can never hate it.
Other Games
Velocidrome, Gendrome, and Iodrome are all rideable Monsties in Monster Hunter Stories. They're weak early game monsters and are soon replaced. Velocidrome is actually the usual "starter" Monstie, the first one players get to hatch. Like a Chikorita the starting Drome is best thrown in a box as soon as possible and ignored for the rest of your playthrough. About the only thing the Dromes have going for them is that they prioritize Speed attacks, since there are few decent Speed options at the start of the game.
Velocidrome also appears in, of all places, Sengoku Basara (Capcom's answer to Dynasty Warriors, or more specifically Samurai Warriors). The raptor was made into a crossover costume for Gotō Matabei. The result is deeply disturbing and further reason why Velocidrome and all the other dromes should be eradicated from existence.
Bonus Feature
Baruragaru
Baruragaru is from the now defunct Japanese-only MMO Monster Hunter Frontier. I'm not planning to review most of Frontier's monsters, but I need to give this fella a shoutout for a couple reasons. Obviously, the design is incredible. Baruragaru is a Leviathan (A class of monsters we will cover much later in this thread), but it feels like no other Leviathan in Monster Hunter, with that sickly pale coloration and long whip-like tongue. But an amazing design isn't the only reason I'm spotlighting Baruragaru; it also performs much some much needed pest control. This monster preys specifically on the dromes. Its long tong skewers them and then sucks the blood out of them like a straw. This gruesome process doesn't just keep the Baruragaru fed, it also grants the monster attacks with the dromes' unique status afflictions. Iodrome gives poison, Gendrome gives paralysis, and Velocidrome gives... Blood? I guess that's just the vanilla option when you're a blood-sucking monster. Each unique attack type changes the color of the stripe on the monster's body, a neat visual indicator for the players' benefit.
I've never played Monster Hunter Frontier and sadly never gotten the chance to fight Baruragaru. I would love to see this leviathan make the transition to the main Monster Hunter games. If Capcom are not going to update Velocidrome and its derivatives to modern standards, the least the devs can do is add their natural predator.
I don't know about you, but as someone who just wasted over 2000 words on Velocidrome and its clones, this is a cathartic note to end on.
Last edited:
I like how you even mentioned that you used to be able to chop the -prey type beasties back in the old days!
Anyway, great write-ups, as usual!
Anyway, great write-ups, as usual!
Ah the Dromes, my first encounter with one of them was in that tutorial Guild Mission in 4U, and I distinctly remember skedaddling the heck out of there because I wasn't yet confident in my hunting skills.
Other than that, yeah they're pretty uninspired and filler-y, but I don't hate them at all fight-wise.
If I had to choose a favourite (design-wise) I think it would be Gendrome, and although unique, I kinda hate Iodrome's stupid melted face.
Hopefully the Great Izuchi will continue the lineage well!
Other than that, yeah they're pretty uninspired and filler-y, but I don't hate them at all fight-wise.
If I had to choose a favourite (design-wise) I think it would be Gendrome, and although unique, I kinda hate Iodrome's stupid melted face.
Hopefully the Great Izuchi will continue the lineage well!
Last edited:
Was always more a fan of the -aggis than the -dromes. Good writeup though. Gendrome can go jump off a cliff.
OP
OP
Great Ichuchi really shows how much the concept has evolved in the last decade and a half of Monster Hunter. We finally see the pack coordination the raptors were always supposed to have.
So out of curiousity, what's everyone here's favorite class of monsters? Personally think all the fanged wyverns look pretty awesome
Toxi Thanks for the bonus blurb regarding Baruragaru, since I had no idea it existed and now I really hope that someone remembers it for a future game since that is a fantastic gimmick it has while also looking like the leviathan version of Gigginox.
EDIT: Oh my god, Zenith Baruragaru looks like legit nightmare fuel. It's like the Thing got to him and Mac found out too quickly:
YIKES
EDIT: Oh my god, Zenith Baruragaru looks like legit nightmare fuel. It's like the Thing got to him and Mac found out too quickly:
YIKES
Despite being shit monsters, I LOVE their armor designs (despite...uh... not really depicting the actual monster).
One of the best decision they made with third generation is ditching these guys,
Leviathan, looks amazing and none really feel shit to fight (including the "round" one like Gobul). Hope they return in the future.
As far as non-dragon/wyvern one, I like the Giant Crabs lol.
One of the best decision they made with third generation is ditching these guys,
Leviathan, looks amazing and none really feel shit to fight (including the "round" one like Gobul). Hope they return in the future.
As far as non-dragon/wyvern one, I like the Giant Crabs lol.
Wohoo! In for the ride!
The dromes are boring as hell. Even Great Jaggi was more interesting, honestly.
I had no idea Yan Kut-ku was a Gen 1 monster. I started out in Tri, so I only came across it in 4U. Qurupeco is still better in pretty much every aspect.
The dromes are boring as hell. Even Great Jaggi was more interesting, honestly.
I had no idea Yan Kut-ku was a Gen 1 monster. I started out in Tri, so I only came across it in 4U. Qurupeco is still better in pretty much every aspect.
I liked velocidrome more than the other dromes. As a relatively new MH player (my first one was MH4U), I found about gia some weeks ago in Generations.
Always enjoy the Stories references, keep em coming!
Always enjoy the Stories references, keep em coming!
That's a tough one. I guess I'll go with leviathans due to the sheer number of monsters I greatly enjoy. That being said amphibians have Zamtrios (and I'm really excited for Tetranadon), Neopterans have Seltas & Seltas Queen, Nercylla is great (and I can;t wait for Rise so it's not the only temnoceran), All the primate fanged beasts are cool, and so on.
The Dromes almost embarrassingly put me off the series initially because giving a friends copy of Freedom Unite a try, with an easy monster and then just getting jump attacks spammed like a lemon who had no idea how to play, was a very defeating initial experience for sure.
Specifically it was a Gendrome because I recall the paralysing beatdown.
Probably one of the biggest examples of how far we've come of the returning Gen 1 monsters popping up in 4/Gens alongside Gravios, because it really highlights how limited their attack patterns are, generic designs as well, would not miss them being jettisoned into the void forever.
Specifically it was a Gendrome because I recall the paralysing beatdown.
Probably one of the biggest examples of how far we've come of the returning Gen 1 monsters popping up in 4/Gens alongside Gravios, because it really highlights how limited their attack patterns are, generic designs as well, would not miss them being jettisoned into the void forever.
I feel like it'd be fine if they kept one drome type around (probably Velocidrome) and diversified it's attack patterns and the like and got rid of the rest which are just way too similar. Like comparatively the Great Jaggi family stuff is way more diverse and interesting while still being similar and filling that same type of role, but the Velocidrome's designs aren't terrible so I feel like having just one and making it better would be fine
Neopterons.
Of course, they didn't really get interesting large monsters til 4th gen, but Seltas Queen is one of my fave all-time monsters, too!
I feel 4U introduced the most creative monsters out of the games I played.
The Seltas are amazing, the Najarala as well.
I didn't play World, but I get the impression it failed to bring any truly new monsters. Does it have any new skeletons at all? The bigger fellas seem to be all based on Gore Magala.
Thre's a new Fanged Wyvern skeleton used for Tobi-Kadachi and Odogaron. They happen to be my favorite new monsters in the base game for that reason.
Ah, good to know! At first glance I thought it was based on Zinogre. Glad to know I was wrong.
I was suprised to not see the Bulldrome covered. I only started playing monhun in generations but that thing is super lame
Toxi on the localisation's use of drome, the suffix -drome is usually used to denote a large structure related to a particular activity.
Like a velodrome is an arena for cycling (velo = French for bicycle), hippodrome is a horse racing course (hippos = Greek for horse) and aerodrome is an airfield. -drome itself is Greek for race course.
Like a velodrome is an arena for cycling (velo = French for bicycle), hippodrome is a horse racing course (hippos = Greek for horse) and aerodrome is an airfield. -drome itself is Greek for race course.
Last edited:
Bulldrome wasn't introduced until MH2, which is why it hasn't been covered yet.
I'm hoping that the Plesioth review is nothing but hate, fuck that fish and his broken hitboxes.
Can we extend the hatred to all the Piscine Wyverns? They all suck. Plesioth takes the cake, though.