Although I do agree with several of the points on this slideshow, I would make the argument that not having health bars significantly adds to the satisfaction of defeating a monster. With a health bar, you have a clearer expectation of when the fight will end. However, without them, the tension of the battle is raised as you constantly shout, "WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!" while hacking and slashing away at a beast's kankles.
An example scenario where it adds to the tension: Say you have only two mega-potions left in a fight and ten minutes to go before the timer expires, yet no clear sign that the monster is about to give in. Not having a health bar changes the way you think from "Okay, I should be able to manage, it only has about 15% health left" to a more doubtful "Can I survive? Will I take it down in time? Crapcrapcrap, only one potion left!" Removing that expectation of success really makes a difference when the monster finally goes down. You let out a sigh of relief and carve that sucker up with a grin.
Also, it's stated fairly early on in the game when a monster is showing signs that it's in a weakened state. After a handful of hunts, new players should be able to discern the signs of a monster running low on health (Limping, sleeping, skull icon). Monster Hunter requires you to be attentive when pursuing a hunt, which I like and is ultimately what attracts me to the series.
Although it does seem the health scaling is a tad off in multiplayer, you have to consider that when in a party of two, both your Palicoes accompany the hunt, making a party of four. These guys can be super helpful with restoring your health as well as setting up traps for the monsters. Although not as beneficial damage-wise as another player, they are supplementary enough by giving you a chance for some extra thwacks on a monster. This is probably the reason why it does not scale according to the amount of players in a party. I'm sure there'll be some tweaks to it in future updates.
@dannyodwyer @DarkGamer007 Not to mention that Super Smash Bros is coming out for the 3DS as well, which I feel may be the more popular choice considering that you can play it anywhere at a cheaper price (assuming it follows the usual retail price for new 3DS games). My heart did sink a little bit when I heard that Bayonetta 2 is going to be a Wii U exclusive because I loved it on ps3 for its awesome and sometimes borderline insane visual style. I'm sure it will still look fine on Wii U and have some nutty scenarios like the previous installment (Y'all remember that final boss? Crazy!), but will not be as visually appealing as it could be with the power of the newest consoles. I have hope in my heart that Nintendo will come back with a great home console some day. I feel like a child who wants his parents to come back from a long, LONG vacation, but right now I'm only being cared for by uncle 3DS and I'm pretty cool with it because he's always around.
RIP Tom, your games were extremely challenging for me when I was younger but taught me how to tactfully approach a situation. Sad to see talent go too soon.
PS, good song choice GS. Building Steam With a Grain of Salt by DJ Shadow for anyone wanted to know.
What makes a game even better? You guessed it, political correctness!
...Really though, I don't think developers should have heavy consideration towards feminists, A game is a game, a collaborative effort to create an enjoyable experience for any and all crowds. Sure, some people can dislike it, but the development of a game shouldn't focus on being politically correct, it completely hinders creativity! In my opinion, everyone in TLOU seemed equally vulnerable. Hell, one grab from the clickers and Joel was toast (unless you had a shiv)! But did you see Ellie or Tess instantly get chomped? Nope, they put up way more of a struggle. Small point, but a point nonetheless.
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