The Monster Hunt Continues...

The last few days I've been absolutely obsessed with Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for PSP. I knew that the one for Wii - Tri - came out in Japan like 2 weeks ago now, so I set out to see when the release date for NA region was, and apparently there isn't one, it's just 'TBA' right now. However, PSP users are getting a new version for that system in late June. Now, I wanted the Wii one to come here quickly because I want to be able to play online. Dot dot dot, the PSP one once again has AdHoc mode, but they said that true online play would be possible! Yay!... is what I'd be saying if it wasn't for Sony's typical proprietary paranoia/ploys. Apparently this new MH, called Freedom Unite, is going to feature online play that's not AdHoc, buuuuuut you have to have a PS3 to utilize it. Sony has a proprietary piece of software called AdHoc Party for PSP which you use to connect to Sony's site to play over the net. Instead of allowing people to use regular WiFi like every other gaming device in this generation, Sony is still intent on creating a "solution" that requires the user to buy their products for some (probably specious) reason. For what Sony has done in the past, making a lobby system on the PSP that works over generic WiFi is not a big leap.

I will totally buy a Wii for MH Tri, I will not buy a PS3 just so I can play the newest PSP version of MH online, that's absurd. This is the whole PSP ---> Sony Store thing revisited. You'd think that you could connect to Sony's Store for the PSP via WiFi, it would only make a moderate amount of sense, right? Not only can you not connect to the store wirelessly, you need to install - wait for it - MICROSOFT Windows Media Player 11 to use it via USB! What madness is this?! To top this all off, you need to provide credit card info (obviously) if you wish to buy things, and if WMP11 is involved, with all of its security holes? No thanks, I'll just pirate my PSP games like everyone else, thank you.

Below are some cool Monster Hunter CMs (commercials) that's I've run across lately, including a few for Tri featuring an "Airou" and "Poogie" that speak in Kansai-ben ^^: