Chapter 924: Unearned Confidence
The free trial and official promotional CG effortlessly shook the players' previously steadfast resolve…
Those who had been adamantly shouting "I'd rather die than play" found themselves caught off guard by Chen Mo's tactics.
Shameless, utterly shameless!
Cunning, incredibly cunning!
The longest road they'd ever traveled was the one paved by Saelent's schemes!
Weren't they complaining the game was too punishing? No problem—here's a free trial. If it feels too brutal, just drop it right there, no need to even bother with a refund. Whenever you feel like buying it, just pay up. Isn't that generous enough?
As for the promotional CG, it showcased the gameplay and full ecosystem of *Monster Hunter* to all players. Many could only mutter "Emmm…" for a while before admitting that this game really did seem completely different from *Dark Souls*!
In terms of setting, *Monster Hunter*'s main environment was a dense forest filled with various beasts, unlike *Dark Souls*, where there wasn't a trace of living presence, just wandering spirits and hollows everywhere. Just from the setting alone, it significantly eased the players' psychological burden.
Moreover, *Monster Hunter* didn't have nearly as many malicious ambushes. Instead, it focused more on a "tracking" process—following footprints and claw marks on the ground to pinpoint the monster's location.
The most crucial point was that the combat system looked far more forgiving than *Dark Souls*!
There was a mounting mechanic: climb onto a monster's back and unleash a flurry of attacks, no longer limited to just hacking at its feet. Ranged weapons could also serve as primary tools—like the heavy crossbow in the promotional video, which was practically a Gatling gun, pelting the monster with a dense barrage of bullets right in the face.
And on top of that, monsters would even fight each other, meaning clever players could swoop in and reap the benefits.
Plus, it allowed four-player co-op!
Clearly, these features made players feel that *Monster Hunter* was significantly easier than *Dark Souls*.
One major reason *Dark Souls* was so punishing was that ranged weapons couldn't be used as primary tools (except against certain bosses); all players had to engage in close-quarters combat. But if bows were an option? Then you could just shoot from start to finish—the safety of ranged attacks went without saying.
In *Dark Souls*, players were almost always fighting alone. Except for a few levels where they could summon NPCs or call on Sun Bros, most of the time they were isolated and helpless. Even summoning Sun Bros had limitations—you couldn't team up for the whole game.
But in *Monster Hunter*, four-player hunts were likely the norm. Whether your teammates were godsends or dead weight, at least having more people around made players feel a lot more secure.
“…Chen Mo is actually offering a trial! What do I do? I'm starting to waver…”
“Stay strong! You have to understand Saelent's nature—the more he tricks you into playing, the more you shouldn't play!”
“But the last game with a free trial was *Uncharted*, a pure thrill ride. If it were really a punishing game, would Chen Mo dare to offer a trial?”
“Well… okay, I'm confused too. When the trial starts, I'll check it out. If it's really a fun game, I'll consider buying it…”
Many players began to doubt their own judgments, involuntarily thinking, "What if—just what if—*Monster Hunter* really is a fun game?"
In truth, *Dark Souls* had fantastic impact feedback. Charging in with a greatsword and smashing everything was incredibly exhilarating. If the player's health were boosted and defense increased, many could easily treat it as a power fantasy.
What if *Monster Hunter* actually toned down the punishing elements of *Dark Souls* while keeping that thrilling combat and satisfying impact?
Then it would absolutely sell like crazy!
Even though many players felt that, given Chen Mo's nature, such expectations for *Monster Hunter* were wildly unrealistic, a sliver of wishful thinking lingered in their hearts.
Anyway, the game had a free trial—just try it out and everything would be clear!
…
…
On October 12th, *Monster Hunter* officially launched its trial!
In fact, *Monster Hunter* wouldn't be fully released until Sunday, the 14th, meaning…
Chen Mo was once again dead set on being a cliffhanger jerk!
Although players saw through Chen Mo's little trick the moment they saw the release date, they still willingly fell for it.
Because… they really wanted to play!
With the trial available, how could they not take a look?
At noon on the 12th, many streamers were already waiting in their gaming pods, ready for *Monster Hunter* to activate the trial.
These streamers were clever too—streaming *Monster Hunter* now would maximize viewer interest, since audiences loved watching punishing games. But what if it really was brutal? No problem—the trial was just a short segment. After enduring it, the full release would be two days away. If it was too painful, they'd just drop the topic entirely after two days, pretending it never happened.
Perfect plan!
Lin Xue, however, had even grander ambitions. At that moment, she was in her gaming pod, chatting confidently with her viewers.
"A punishing game? Hah, no big deal! Look at those streamers—cowering like cowards. Pathetic!"
"I beat *Dark Souls*! What punishing game could possibly stump me? Huh?"
"I'll say it right now—I *will* finish *Monster Hunter*! I'm not like those scaredy-cat streamers who panic at the word 'punishing.' I'm a high-IQ player, and I think this game is perfect for me!"
Lin Xue's bold claims made the chat viewers sweat for her.
"Ah Xue, stop! Stop planting those flags!"
"Ah Xue, are you putting on a show? That's enough!"
"Oh no, I've got a bad feeling, but why am I so excited? Hehehe!"
"To be fair, I think Ah Xue has got this—she managed to scrape through *Dark Souls*, after all…"
Lin Xue wasn't saying this just for show; she genuinely had full confidence in herself. Players who had beaten *Dark Souls* often carried an unearned confidence, believing no other ARPG could challenge them—especially since, based on the promotional video, *Monster Hunter* seemed significantly easier!
"Here it comes, it's starting!"
At exactly 1:00 PM, Lin Xue was already waiting in *Oasis*, having just pet her newly acquired Shiba Inu and snapped a few photos to use as emotes.
Just then, a bell tolled from outside. A massive wooden sailing ship rode the waves and docked beside the pier in *Oasis*.
A booming voice shouted, "Members of the Fifth Expeditionary Corps, prepare to set out!"