Monster Hunter Outlanders launch guide and beginner tips

Monster Hunter Outlanders, the free-to-play open-world survival game developed by TiMi Studio Group under license from Capcom, launched on October 29 for iOS and Android. You hunt monsters, gather materials, and craft gear on the island of Aesoland, solo or in a four-player squad.

Key terms to know

Playable characters are called Adventurers. Your protagonist is the Fated Adventurer, while recruited story adventurers are each locked to one weapon and one of three classes: Assault for damage, Disruptor for debuffs and crowd control, and Support for healing and buffs. Buddies are companions, and the Palico, Rutaco, and Trillan line up with Assault, Disruptor, and Support. Radiant monsters are creatures altered by a substance found on Aesoland. Standard Contracts, used to recruit Adventurers, come from quests or from exchanging Ruta Coins.

Start with the Fated Adventurer

The Fated Adventurer is customizable and can use every weapon and role, so test weapons here before spending recruitment items. The store listing names seven weapons, and producers confirmed an eighth for launch: Great Sword, Long Sword, Dual Blades, Hammer, Lance, Heavy Bowgun, and Bow, and Charge Blade. Recruitment covers characters only, so weapons and gear are crafted from hunt materials. Some content is limited to the Fated Adventurer.

Pick a control scheme and learn lock-on

Monster Hunter Outlanders offers a traditional multi-button layout and a simplified three-button one built around attack, dodge, and an ultimate, the latter aimed at players new to mobile action games. The official site lists controller support. Holding the lock-on button opens a radial menu for targeting parts such as the head, wings, legs, or tail, but you still need to reposition to land hits.

Progress and manage resources

Building watchtowers clears fog from the map, and ziplines and wind-generating devices stay in place after you leave, cutting travel time. Daily and weekly tasks reward experience, currency, and materials. Several guides advise focusing upgrades on one main weapon instead of spreading rare materials across several, and one suggests forging gear soon after defeating a monster. Check the in-game mailbox for pre-registration rewards, which include Raya, a Disruptor with Dual Blades.

Build a balanced party

Cover all three classes, and let a buddy fill any gap. Recruited Adventurers have preset roles, weapons, and unique ultimates and can outperform the Fated Adventurer in some situations. Learn their moveset before mashing the attack button, because their animations can differ from the base weapon and leave openings.

Combat tips

Monsters glow red before big attacks, so dodge when the red appears. In the Tokyo Game Show demo, the glow sometimes showed before a monster took flight, not right before the strike. Ultimates fire when you tap your character’s portrait once its gauge fills, and some force a major flinch. Radiant monsters are tougher than standard ones and can enter frenzied states, so upgrade your gear before facing them.

Explore and team up

Mini-games, gliding, and egg-collecting challenges are scattered across the map. Up to four players can hunt together, and test builds dealt extra damage when teammates hit a broken monster part in quick succession.

Mobile requirements

The official site recommends iOS 17 or Android 12 or later with at least 6 GB of RAM, and it lists controller support. Citing the pre-download notice, it gives minimums of iOS 15 on an iPhone 8 Plus with 3 GB of RAM or Android 12 with 4 GB of RAM, plus about 20 GB of storage on iOS and 16 GB on Android. Monster Hunter Outlanders was also tested on the Honor X9b and provided a smooth experience.