The Monster Hunter franchise has greatly expanded since its first game back in 2004. The franchise has not only many games under its belt, but it also has anime shorts, manga, a trading card game, and films. It is compared to other big game names such as Dauntless, God Eater, and Freedom Wars, while remaining a standout among them. In terms of indie game comparisons, though, there is a lack.
Only a few titles in the indie game world are comparable to Monster Hunter games in their crafting, customization, and monster bosses. On the positive side, there are some upcoming indie games that look very promising for Monster Hunter fans. With the rise of more indie developers, there is a likelihood that more indie games inspired by Monster Hunter will appear down the road.
Valheim
Valheim is an indie game that as a decent amount in common with Monster Hunter games, particularly Monster Hunter World. Players have access to a big open world, character customization, and food buffs along with hunting boss-level monsters and crafting items out of hunted creatures. Entirely inspired by Norse mythology, players are tasked with building, battling, and gathering resources.
Like Monster Hunter games, Valheim is all about the grind. It is currently in the early access stage on Steam, but overall, the game already has overwhelmingly positive reviews. It also can be played either alone or with up to 10 players, which should appeal to lovers of Monster Hunter multiplayer.
Bound By Blades
Bound by Blades is an upcoming indie game that looks perfect for Monster Hunter fans. The action RPG focuses on intense boss battles while also crafting gear, collecting loot, and taking place in a cozy atmosphere. While the game is not out yet, its free demo released in 2019. The game will have 30 unique armor sets and 30 different weapons. Like some Monster Hunter titles, the player will even be able to collect pets and send them on missions or have them assist in combat. The release date is set for some time this year.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
Developed and published by Fatshark, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is known to be a great game to play with friends. Like Monster Hunter, players can kill enemies and loot them to upgrade and/or craft equipment. Combat is also similar in that the player must focus on aiming, countering, dodging, and parrying. One of the biggest similarities with Monster Hunter is the treatment of different weapon types. Each weapon can be more or less useful depending on the type of enemy a player is dealing with. The game definitely has its differences with Monster Hunter though, such as the fact that its in first-person.
Little Devil Inside
Like Bound by Blades, Little Devil Inside is another indie game set to come out later this year. Like Monster Hunter, the player will have a routine home base where they get ready for expeditions and gather intelligence on regions and bosses. What gear is brought can determine the level of success the player has, depending on what creatures they meet and the environment they explore. It is the first game to be published and created by Neostream Interactive and its planned platforms are PC, PS4, and PS5 (and possibly more consoles later). The game will support co-op multiplayer.
Vampire Survivors
This indie game looks incredibly different from Monster Hunter games in terms of visuals, but it's similar through strategy and weapon builds. In Vampire Survivors, combat is all about skillful positioning, as well as players upgrading and unlocking new weapons. Like Valheim, Vampire Survivors is another game in early access on Steam. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews with players calling it addicting and a must-have. Like Monster Hunter, the core gameplay promotes repeated combat in order to get better and better weapons.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is available now on PC and Switch.
