Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting

Hand me a very large sword to defend myself in a skirmish, and I'll more than likely manage to lop off one of my ears.

It's this stark assessment of my (lack of) masculinity that coincidentally allows me to conclude that Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting is incredibly true to life.

Just as in the real world, I have absolutely no control over what I'm doing in the heat of battle, and risk bringing about my own demise - albeit here on account of the wretched command system.

It's almost as if Capcom has taken a long, hard look at the immaculate Infinity Blade and done it's best to try and dismantle the model behind it.

Much of this hackfest attempts to tread the same path as ChAIR's epic adventure, opting for a gesture-based system in battle, for example, rather than virtual buttons or thumbsticks. Capcom has also decided to dispense with the franchise's signature hunts themselves, instead handing you a succession of monsters on a plate.

The idea is to use swipes to take each creature down, dodging or defending against their attacks whilst consistently jabbing away at their own health at the same time.

Credit you earn slaying each monster can be traded in for upgrades to your equipment, enabling you to deal with the increasingly menacing nature of the foe.

Dynamic disaster

What makes things difficult in Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting is the game's unerring inability to recognise your intentions.

Things initially appear to be simple. Sliding your finger across to either side of the screen sends you walking in that direction, while moving your digit up draws you closer to the prey.

Standard attacks are deployed by tapping your target – manic taps bringing about combo moves - but more forceful jabs can be engaged by either flicking your finger vertically or horizontally.

There are also the arts of evading and blocking to consider, both of which are mapped to two-finger screen swipes - though the latter depends on you having a compatible shield equipped.

It's a system that sounds manageable enough in theory, but in practice it soon falls apart.

All too often, attempts to evade attacks or move around your target are misread, resulting in your being unfairly cut down.

The stripping back of the series to a collection of boss battles is intentional, but though some man not lament the loss of the hunting sections, the inadequate nature of the control system sadly undermines the gameplay that's left over.

Not that there's all too much of it, either. From start to finish, Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting has just 12 beasts to take on, with the scripted style of their attacks giving the whole affair a routine flavour.

The rare periods where everything comes together demonstrate that this could have been a perfectly playable (if not entirely original) hack and slash sim, filled with a bevy of creatures worth your time.

Ultimately, however, it's Monster Hunter: Dynamic Hunting's complete lack of control that proves to be the real monster of the piece.