TheMonster Hunterfranchise has spawned multiple mainline games, a number of spin-offs, and even a movie, all of which have served to cement its legacy in the realm of pop culture. It is a recognizable brand, with the likes ofMonster Hunter World,Rise, and nowWildspulling in impressive numbers. Of course, Monster Hunterdidn’t succeed by accident. Rather, it has proven itself to be a phenomenal series worth playing, one packed with complex mechanics, intricately designed bosses, and impressive world design, among many other great features.
Of course,Monster Hunterfans will have already sunk hundreds of hours into those mainline titles, and are likely after something new. Fortunately, those wondering if there aregames likeMonster Hunter Wildsare in luck, as there are plenty of great titles perfect for the discerning Monster Hunter fan. From sprawling open-world titles to near-identical clones, there are more than enough games likeMonster Hunterto satisfy even the most hardcore players.
10Freedom Wars Remastered (Dimps)
A Classic Reborn
Freedom Wars Remastered brought back the iconic 2014 PlayStation Vita title for contemporary audiences, putting it on PC and modern consoles. It largely adopts a similar structure to the God Eater franchise, which is heavily inspired by Monster Hunter. Freedom Wars Remastered offers a genuinely compelling Monster Hunter-esque experience with a plethora of quality-of-life improvements that will appeal to those more accustomed to World andRise’s level of quality.
In Freedom Wars, players take on the role of a prisoner in a bleak future and are sent on missions in order to shorten their one-million-year sentence. With a variety of weapons at their disposal and a handful of AI-controlled companions to assist them, players must tackle giant enemies called Abductors in challenging and thrilling battles. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot to love about Freedom Wars for fans of Monster Hunter.
9Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Capcom)
Open-World RPG With Monster Hunter-Esque Combat
Dragon’s Dogma 2comes from Capcom, the developer ofMonster Hunter, and it shows. Players explore a somewhat linear open world, venturing from town to town attempting to complete quests and pursue the main story. However,whereDragon’s Dogma 2really shines is in its combat encounters against giant mythological creatures. Whether it’s the towering cyclops or the terrifying griffin, players have a plethora of genuinely challenging boss fights that they can encounter while simply roaming the world.
While the first game is great and worth playing, people don’t need to beat it in order to understand the sequel. In fact, the sequel could be considered more of a reboot, one that improves upon the mechanics established in the first game.
Dragon’s Dogma 2also features a number of classes, each with its own weapon specialtythat requires players to truly get to grips with them and master their abilities. These classes are akin to the many weapon types inMonster Hunter, giving players lots of options when it comes to how they approach combat. They’ll also be accompanied by Pawns, AI-controlled companions that function very similarly to the AI hunters inMonster Hunter Wilds.
8Monster Hunter: Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (Capcom/Marvelous)
Monster Hunter Meets Pokémon
Monster Hunterfans will have almost certainly played all the mainline entries, from the very first game all the way through to thestaggeringly impressiveWildsbeta. However, there’s a good chance that many of them may have skipped out on the exceptionally underrated spin-off seriesMonster Hunter Stories. In an attempt to bring the often very complexMonster Hunterseries to a younger audience,Capcom releasedMonster Hunter Stories, which blends the crafting, exploration, and titular monster hunting of the mainline games withPokémon-esque creature collecting.
While it is substantially different fromMonster Hunterin terms of combat -Storiesadopts turn-based battles - the foundations of the mainline games are very much intact, albeit in a more beginner-friendly manner.Newcomers to this spin-off series should probably dive straight into the sequel,Wings of Ruin, as it doesn’t require any prior knowledge and features a lot of quality-of-life changes that vastly improve the overall experience.
7Granblue Fantasy: Relink (Cygames)
If Monster Hunter Was A JRPG
Granblue Fantasy: Relinktook the franchise in a whole new direction, deviating from its mobile and fighting game roots and shifting to an RPG model akin to theMonster Hunterfranchise. Rather than battling characters from the series in intense matches,players embark on a thrilling narrative that sees them explore small open areas and battle against giant monsters. With dozens of characters to choose from, each with their own weapon type and abilities, there’s a good reasonGranblue Fantasy: Relinkis one of2024’s most slept-on RPGs.
Much like in theMonster Huntergames,players will venture to handcrafted locations and fight a variety of smaller enemies before eventually taking on that area’s boss. They can then return to each area to gather new materials and fight the boss again, albeit at a much higher difficulty or with modifiers making the challenge harder. After returning to the hub victorious, fans can then craft better weapons for their chosen character and party members and tackle even tougher fights.
6Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games)
It’s Monster Hunter With Robots
TheHorizonseries essentially did whatWildsis doing for theMonster Hunterfranchise, but nearly a decade earlier. It offers players a thrilling narrative-driven journey through a sprawling open world full of giant enemies to fight, each with its own weak points to exploit and patterns to learn. Players can utilize traps and avariety of weapon typesto take down their foes, as well as elemental weapons that deal more damage to the corresponding foes. Essentially,Horizon Zero Dawnand its sequel took the coreMonster Hunterformula and implemented it in an open-world structure.
Of course,what setsHorizon Zero DawnandForbidden Westapart is its post-apocalyptic setting, one that sees humanity return to its tribal roots while fending off a horde of mysteriously aggressive robots of an unknown origin. That mystery is what sustains a lot ofZero Dawn’snarrative and then is further explored in its sequel. Players should definitely completeHorizon Zero Dawnbefore playingForbidden Westas their stories follow on from one another.
5Eternal Strands (Yellow Brick Games)
A Fantasy RPG Version Of Monster Hunter
Eternal Strandsis the debut indie darling from developer Yellow Brick Games, a studio formed of a collection of legendary developers, including the lead onMass EffectandDragon Agegames.It blends the exploration ofBreath of the Wild, the towering giant bosses ofShadow of the Colossus, and the combat, resource gathering, and crafting ofMonster Hunter, making for one of thebest indies of 2025.
Players will head into open areas to gather resources which are then used to craft better gear. However, they’ll come up against the game’s many enemies, including the giantMonster Hunter-esque bosses. To take these down,players will need to utilize their variety of elemental abilities, including fire, ice, and gravity. These can be used to manipulate their surroundings - such as building a bridge or wall with ice - as well as their foes. The most notable example is freezing a giant flying enemy’s wings to force it to land and make fighting it easier.
4Wild Hearts (Koei Tecmo Games/Omega Force)
The Closest Thing To Monster Hunter Fans Can Get
Wild Heartsis Koei Tecmo Games' second attempt at creating aMonster Hunter-esque game, and it is by far its best attempt. For those who want something almost identical toMonster Hunter,Wild Heartsis easily the closest they can get. Featuring giant bosses, sprawling open areas, resource gathering, and frenetic third-person action with a plethora of weapon options,Wild Heartsadopts the best parts ofMonster Hunterwhile adding a few twists of its own.
The main change inWild Heartscompared toMonster Hunteris the ability to craft structuresthat can be used to take down the giant bosses. From towers to hammers, these structures are useful tools that can be upgraded to improve their efficiency. While it doesn’t change the formula too much - thus still appealing to hardcoreMonster Hunter fans- it is enough to make it feel like a distinct experience.
3Dauntless (Phoenix Labs)
A Free-To-Play Monster Hunter-Style Game
Dauntlessis the free-to-play multiplayer-focusedMonster Hunterclone that took the world by stormwhen it launched back in 2019. There are not many differences between the coreMonster Hunterformula andDauntless’Behemoths hunting gameplay. Players will craft new weapons and armor in the game’s hub area before venturing out into open areas to gather more resources and take down the game’s big bosses.
Dauntless Reforged Preview: Improving Upon Greatness
Dauntless Reforged is the title’s largest update since its release, turning a linear monster hunt into a fantastic adventure filled with exploration.
While the game has fallen out of favor with fans over the years, it’s still worth trying for those who are after their nextMonster Hunter-esque experience. It’s not quite as well crafted as Capcom’s beloved series, but,much likeWild Hearts, it is one of the rare attempts at replicating theMonster Hunterformula verbatim.
2Toukiden: Kiwami (Koei Tecmo Games)
Monster Hunter Meets Japanese Mythology
BeforeWild Hearts,Koei Tecmo Games attempted to replicate theMonster Hunterformula with theToukidenseries. Deviating from the tribal fantasy setting of the Monster Hunter games,Toukidenand its sequel pitted players against monsters from Japanese mythology called Oni in the game. These demonic creatures makeToukiden’sworld much darker and more mature, which is great for those looking for more unique monsters to face.
Toukiden: Kiwamiis the remastered version of the original game, bringing it to modern hardware while introducing a lot of new features.There are enough differences betweenToukidenandMonster Hunterto ensure that players aren’t just playing the exact same game, but the basic gameplay loop is more or less the same. Fans ofMonster Huntershould definitely check outToukidenfor their next hunting adventure.
1God Eater 3 (BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc.)
Over The Top Anime Monster Hunter
TheGod Eatergames used to be one of the few competitors of theMonster Hunterseries, before it grew in popularity in the West. It took the general idea of hunting giant monsters utilizing a series of giant weapons but switched the setting to be more futuristic, allowing the player to use guns to take down the horrifying monstrosities they’re hunting.
After Playing The Beta, Monster Hunter Wilds Isn’t For Me, But That’s Exactly Why It’s Great
Monster Hunter Wilds’ latest open beta proved that the game isn’t for me, but that’s absolutely fine considering just how much it appeals to others.
It is also far more story-focused, heavily leaning on its anime style to deliver an impactful and often emotional narrative. Fortunately, those who’ve skipped the first fewGod Eatergames can still play the third without feeling lost. Serving as one of the more polished and beginner-friendlyMonster Hunterclones, theGod Eatergames, especially the third, are the perfect choice for fans looking for the next best thing.
