Generations did a lot of addition and subtraction to evolve from the Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate seed. The main storyline is practically gone, as are huge scripted battles. Hunting styles, hunter arts, playable palicos, and four new flagship beasts make an appearance, which more than makes up for those absences. There are also more weapons and armor as well as more quests, making Generations quite a bit larger than previous entries in the series.
Co-op gains quite a bit from Generations' tweaks to the formula. The basic hub set-up is the same as Monster Hunter 4, which is great news since that game really nailed multiplayer. Search for a room or create one from scratch, then start hunting. There you go. The quality of your experience will vary depending on the combatants who join, but if you've got a band of regular warriors to play with, co-op is one of the finest modes in the business, certainly the best cooperative experience on the Nintendo 3DS.
Having hunting styles and hunter arts sprinkles a touch of tactics onto team crafting in Generations. You might want extra Aerial style hunters if the subquest calls for mounting, for example. Of course, most rounds have hunters choosing whichever style suits their personal taste, which is also perfectly acceptible. The beauty of Generations' skills is that they don't throw anything out of balance for casual or even serious players. Speedrunners might have a few bones to pick with the additions, but everyone else can prepare to have an awesome time.
Monster Hunter has always been about nuanced combat strengthened through practice and attention. The hunter arts ratchet that down that ever so slightly, especially the dramatic rolls and jumps in Adept and Aerial styles. No skill is a surefire path to victory, however. The MH team made sure everything was balanced with sacrifices for every advantage. Old monsters survive the new skills with grace, and the new monsters put those budding talents to the test. In fact, the new flagships are some of the most dynamic and interesting monsters in the series. Especially if you like dinosaurs with fire swords as tails!
There are fans on both sides of the love/hate camp with the changes made in Generations. When it comes down to it, this new Monster Hunter still feels like Monster Hunter. Sure, there's a bit more spark and fire to it, but when you're out with your friends chasing a Duramboros through the mountains, those point value nitpickings just don't matter.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
Overall
The Co-Op Experience: Four hunters suit up and get some monsters slain!
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.