The Monster Hunter-like title Dauntless is finally getting a full release next week across all platforms and, as a kicker, on the PC as an Epic Games Store exclusive.
Dauntless is nothing new, of course, as the game has been out for quite some time now. I even got the chance to play it when it was still in alpha state, back in 2017. The game finally entered the open beta phase in May of this year.
Dauntless was quite interesting as it first made its mark on the PC during a time when Monster Hunter World was only available on consoles. It therefore received considerable attention, adding to the fact that it was going to be released as a free-to-play title, and the overall situation reminded me of Paladins compared to Overwatch. One was a paid premium experience made by a big developer and publisher, and one was a free-to-play title made to take advantage of the hype and offer an alternative.
Free-to-play does not make a bad game though, and it can certainly be applied with Dauntless. It is pretty barebones, and the art style is a hit-or-miss for some people, but mechanically the game is fine. The game’s core loop is the same as the Monster Hunter series, with players hunting bigger and more powerful monsters in order to acquire better materials for better equipment, making them capable of facing even more powerful monsters. Dauntless, when it first launched, featured considerably fewer monsters than Monster Hunter World, but it was still a fun affair nonetheless. It is also by far more accessible and easier than Monster Hunter World, with move sets not being as complicated.
Dauntless’ free-to-play status means that it needs microtransactions to survive, though I’m pretty fine with them due to the fact that they’re mostly cosmetics. It does offer a Battle Pass system similar to the one in Fortnite, so there’s that. The game’s full launch on May 21 includes the fifth Hunt Pass, which comes with a Basic track and a paid Elite track with unlockable tiered rewards.
Dauntless is set to be released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Epic Games Store on PC this May 21. Developer Phoenix Labs is also planning versions for both mobile phones and the Nintendo Switch, set to come out at a later date.
