Monster Hunter Outlanders review: Gacha grind meets a full mobile hunt

Monster Hunter Outlanders brings the series' signature loop of hunting, gathering, and crafting to mobile, and it does so with a scope that resembles mainline entries like Monster Hunter World. Set on the island of Aesolan, players explore large zones, fight monsters, and collect resources while following a story about a mineral called Radiantate. The game looks impressive and runs smoothly, maintaining a stable 45fps on an iPhone 14 Pro Max during testing.

Combat retains the familiar rhythm of timing attacks and switching between offense and defense. Outlanders introduces two control schemes: Adventure, which simplifies actions to three context-sensitive buttons, and Classic, which offers more traditional controls. A controller is recommended for the Classic scheme. The game also features a squad system where players pull gacha characters, each with unique movesets and abilities, adding variety to hunts.

Where Outlanders stumbles is in its overwhelming number of systems. Players must manage multiple currencies, upgrade paths for equipment, partners, charms, and Visages, and track various ranks and levels. While the game is generous with materials in the first 30 hours, roadblocks eventually appear, requiring grinding or waiting for daily rewards to progress the story. The constant menu navigation can feel like it gets in the way of the actual hunting.

Despite these issues, Outlanders offers a substantial amount of content, including free hunts, a 150-battle trial mode, and guild activities. The monster roster is solid, with Radiant variants that add new behaviors. The streamlined combat and design make it a viable option for Monster Hunter fans looking for a portable fix, though the gacha monetization and system clutter may test their patience.