MHForever 0.5.0: North America is here

New

• The North American release is playable. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (North America, disc ID ULUS10391, version 1.01) now runs next to the European one. Add your own .iso of either release, or both: the launcher recognises the disc, checks it and starts the program that belongs to it.
• Choose your copy in the Library. With both releases added, clicking one in the Library makes it the one that Home, Play, the settings and the save import work on. Your choice is remembered, and Remove only deletes that release's copy.
• Settings for each game. Home's Game settings now belong to the copy you chose, with its name and region at the top, for example Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (NA): video, audio, controls, saves and the copy's files. The Japanese release has different controls, so each release keeps its own. The launcher's Settings keep what is shared: your profile, whether to keep a copy of the disc image, and About. What you had set before carries over.

Notes

• Windows: MHForever-0.5.0-windows-x64.zip (73 MB). Keep the .dll files next to mhfu.exe and mhfu-us.exe, the games need them. Your settings and saves live outside the program folder, as before.
• Linux: MHForever-0.5.0-linux-x64.tar.gz. Built on Ubuntu 24.04, so it needs glibc 2.38 or newer (Ubuntu 24.04 or later, current Fedora or Arch). FFmpeg is inside the programs, and they can play sound through PulseAudio or PipeWire (PulseAudio protocol) or ALSA. The launcher needs WebKitGTK 4.1 and GTK 3, and the game needs a graphics driver with OpenGL 3.3.
• Tested on Windows 11 with the North American release: the language menu, the opening movie with its sound, a controller, the village with its music, and saving and loading. Not tested: sound on Linux (it was built with PulseAudio and ALSA, but nobody has heard it yet), the Steam Deck and other distributions. Reports are welcome.
• Saves belong to one release: a European save only works with the European release, and a North American save with the North American one.
• A small stutter just before the save and load message appears; it has not been compared with the European release.
• Only Freedom Unite (European and North American releases) is playable. The Japanese release is planned. Saves from a PSP or PPSSPP can be imported from Game settings > Saves (your own version of the game only).
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet: it is planned for 0.6.

Download

Windows: MHForever-0.5.0-windows-x64.zip. Unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. MHForever.exe, mhfu.exe and mhfu-us.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

Linux: MHForever-0.5.0-linux-x64.tar.gz. Extract it and run ./MHForever (if your file manager removed the execute permission: chmod +x MHForever mhfu mhfu-us).

You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The archives contain no game data.

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later. MHForever includes FFmpeg (LGPL); its licence and source notes are inside the archives.

MHForever 0.4.2: the movies are back

New

• The movies are back. The opening movie now plays, picture and sound. It used to be a black screen. The pictures and the sound are decoded with FFmpeg, thanks to a contribution by sodomon2. The game's music uses the same decoders now.
• Change your buttons. Settings > Controls lets you remap the keyboard and the controller (Xbox, PlayStation and Switch pads work alike). The Escape menu has a Controls tab too: pick a row, press the new key or button, and it applies at once and is kept.

Notes

• Windows: MHForever-0.4.2-windows-x64.zip (51 MB, it was 24 MB: it now carries FFmpeg's DLLs). Keep the .dll files next to mhfu.exe, the game needs them. Your settings and saves live outside the program folder, as before.
• Linux: MHForever-0.4.2-linux-x64.tar.gz. Built on Ubuntu 24.04, so it needs glibc 2.38 or newer (Ubuntu 24.04 or later, current Fedora or Arch). FFmpeg is inside the programs: there is nothing more to install. The launcher needs WebKitGTK 4.1 and GTK 3, and the game needs a graphics driver with OpenGL 3.3. The README inside lists the packages.
• Tested on Windows 11 (the movies and the music, heard in a window) and on Linux under WSL2 with Ubuntu 24.04 (the game starts, plays the opening video, and the launcher opens). Not tested: sound on Linux, the Steam Deck and other distributions. Reports are welcome.
• The sound effects can sound a little loud: lower them with Escape > Audio.
• Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable. Saves from a PSP or PPSSPP can be imported from Settings > Saves (your own version of the game only).
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

Windows: MHForever-0.4.2-windows-x64.zip. Unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

Linux: MHForever-0.4.2-linux-x64.tar.gz. Extract it and run ./MHForever (if your file manager removed the execute permission: chmod +x MHForever mhfu).

You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The archives contain no game data.

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later. The movies and the music use FFmpeg (LGPL); the licence and source notes are inside the archives.

Thanks to sodomon2 for the movies and the keyboard bindings.

MHForever 0.4.1: first Linux release

New

• MHForever now runs on Linux. This release comes with a Linux download next to the Windows one, thanks to a contribution by sodomon2: release packaging, a desktop entry with icon, an application icon in the window, and clearer errors when the game can't start.
• The launcher now explains why the game could not be started (missing file, permissions) instead of just "the game closed right away".

Notes

• Windows: MHForever-0.4.1-windows-x64.zip. Nothing changes for you.
• Linux: MHForever-0.4.1-linux-x64.tar.gz. Built on Ubuntu 24.04, so it needs a similar or newer system (Ubuntu 24.04 or later, current Fedora or Arch). The launcher needs WebKitGTK 4.1 and GTK 3, and the game needs a graphics driver with OpenGL 3.3. The README inside lists the packages.
• Linux was tested on a real Linux machine by a contributor (game boots at 30 fps to the village). It has not been tested on the Steam Deck or on other distributions yet: reports are welcome.
• Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable. Saves from a PSP or PPSSPP can be imported from Settings > Saves (your own version of the game only).
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

Windows: MHForever-0.4.1-windows-x64.zip. Unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

Linux: MHForever-0.4.1-linux-x64.tar.gz. Extract it and run ./MHForever (if your file manager removed the execute permission: chmod +x MHForever mhfu).

You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The archives contain no game data.

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

Thanks to sodomon2 for the Linux work.

MHForever 0.4.0: your saves, anywhere

New

• Saves now use the same format as the PSP and PPSSPP. Bring your hunter over from a PSP memory stick or from PPSSPP, and take it back: copy MHForever's save folder into PPSSPP and it loads there.
• Import your saves from Settings > Saves. Choose the folder that holds them (the PSP/SAVEDATA folder, or PPSSPP's memory stick folder) and import. If you already have a save, it is not deleted: it is moved to a backup folder (Documents\MHForever\saves\ULES01213\backups).
• Safer saving. Every save is checked before it is written, and the previous version is kept next to it (.previous), so a bad save can be put back by hand.

Notes

• Only saves of your own version of the game can be imported: each version of Freedom Unite encrypts its saves with a different key. This release is for the European version (ULES01213), so American and Japanese saves can't be used yet.
• Older MHForever saves still load; the next time you save in the game they are converted to the new format.
• Saves made by MHForever load in PPSSPP. A real PSP is not guaranteed to accept them.
• Back up Documents\MHForever\saves before updating, as with any release that changes how saves are stored.
• Windows 64-bit only. Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.4.0-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data.

MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

Thanks to theguyser for the save-data cryptography and his help.

MHForever 0.3.0: in-game menu, live video and audio settings

New

• In-game menu. Press Escape (or the controller's guide button) while playing: the game pauses over a blurred picture of where you were, and a full-screen menu opens with tabs for Game, Audio and Video.
• Change video and audio while you play, no restart. Music and sound effects volume, internal resolution (1x to 10x), frame rate (30 to 180 fps), fullscreen and smooth textures.
• Works with the keyboard (arrows, Enter, Esc, Q/E or Tab to change tab), a controller (D-pad or stick, A to select, B to go back, shoulder buttons for tabs) and the mouse (hover, click, drag the sliders, wheel).
• The launcher's resolution setting now goes up to 10x.

Improvements

• The system dialogs (save, load, on-screen keyboard) now share the menu's look.
• The size of the next game's menu is set by what is on it: nothing is stretched, and it fits any window shape.

Notes

• Changes made in the in-game menu apply to the current session; set your usual values in the launcher's Settings.
• Very high resolutions (8x to 10x) need a lot of video memory. If the game slows down or fails, go back to a lower one.
• Windows 64-bit only. Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• Saves live in Documents\MHForever\saves, so updating never loses them.
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.3.0-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data.

MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MHForever 0.2.3: lighter frame interpolation

Improvements

• Frame interpolation is much lighter. In heavy places like the village, 180 fps went from about 90 to about 150 in our tests, and hunts hold 140 to 150.
• In-between pictures are no longer lost when the drawing thread is busy: a late one is still shown, at the right position.
• Less work per picture: vertices are uploaded once per picture and placed on several CPU threads, and the drawing thread copies far less data.

Notes

• In the heaviest scenes, 180 fps still tops out at about 150: the game's own drawing and the extra pictures share one thread. Moving the extra pictures to a thread of their own is the next step.
• Windows 64-bit only. Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• Saves live in Documents\MHForever\saves, so updating never loses them.
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.2.3-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data.

MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MHForever 0.2.2: HUD interpolation fix

Fixes

• The on-screen interface (HUD) now takes part in frame interpolation at 60 fps and above. In 0.2.1 a bug in how 2D elements were matched between frames kept them from being interpolated when the game swaps its two drawing buffers every frame.
• Item icons, text and textures still don't flicker in chests, rewards and menus.
• Fixes the interpolation test on Linux.

Notes

• Windows 64-bit only. Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• 60 to 180 fps is experimental: heavy scenes may not hold the highest rates, so 60 or 90 is the safest choice.
• Saves from a real PSP are not supported yet.
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.2.2-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data. Saves live in Documents\MHForever\saves, so updating never loses them.

MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MHForever 0.2.1: Audio fix, saves kept safe, less flickering

Fixes

• Audio clicks fixed. The sound device was being fed slightly less audio than it plays, so it ran dry many times per second. Audio now stays steady, including loud fights and music.
• No more flicker of item icons, text and small textures when using 60 fps and above (chest, quest rewards, menus).
• Frame interpolation no longer falls back to 30 fps during normal play.

Your data is now safe when you update

• Saves live in Documents\MHForever\saves (one folder per game) instead of next to the program, so unzipping a new version never loses them.
• Settings, your library and your player identity live in %APPDATA%\MHForever.
• The first time you press Play, saves and settings from an older version are copied over (the old files are never deleted or overwritten). If you unzipped a new folder, copy the old memstick folder and launcher.json next to the new MHForever.exe first.

Notes

• Windows 64-bit only. Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• 60 to 180 fps is experimental: heavy scenes may not hold the highest rates. Choose it in Settings.
• Saves from a real PSP are not compatible yet.
• Early software, expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.2.1-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares what it needs from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data.

MHForever.exe and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MHForever 0.2.0

What's new

• Higher frame rates: 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 fps. The game still runs at 30 fps, as on the original console; MHForever now draws extra pictures in between so motion looks smoother on a fast screen. Choose it in the launcher Settings → Frame rate. 30 fps stays the default.
• The launcher passes your choice to the game (--fps), and the game shows it in the window.
• Terrain, characters and monsters are placed again through a camera interpolated between two frames, so the ground no longer breaks into squares when the camera moves.
• The extra pictures only use time the game does not need: in busy scenes you get fewer of them instead of the game slowing down.

Notes

• This is experimental. In heavy areas (the village, large monster zones) your PC may not hold the highest rates. If it struggles, pick a lower one.
• On a 60 Hz screen, anything above 60 looks the same as 60.
• Only Freedom Unite (European release) is playable.
• Still early software: expect rough edges. Online multiplayer is not available yet.

Download

MHForever-0.2.0-windows-x64.zip: unzip it anywhere and run MHForever.exe. You need your own copy of the game; the launcher prepares it from your disc image on your PC. The zip contains no game data.

MHForever and mhfu.exe are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MHForever 0.1.0

MHForever 0.1.0 (first public release)

An unofficial Monster Hunter recompilation project. Play Monster Hunter Freedom Unite natively on your PC: no emulator, a launcher that sets everything up from your own disc image, and gamepad support.

Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Capcom or Sony. This download contains no game content: you need your own legitimate copy of the game.

What you need

• Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.
• A plain (uncompressed) .iso of your own copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, European release (disc ID ULES01213, v1.01). CSO/ZSO images are not supported.
• A controller is optional (tested with a PS5 DualSense); keyboard defaults are included.

How to play

1. Download MHForever-0.1.0-windows-x64.zip and unzip it anywhere you can write to.
2. Open launcher.exe and add your .iso. The launcher checks your copy and prepares what it needs from it.
3. Press Play.

Status

This is an early release. Freedom Unite is playable at 30 fps, as on the original console. 60 fps and online multiplayer are being worked on. Expect rough edges; bug reports are welcome as issues (never attach game files or saves).

Good to know

• The programs are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may warn you: choose More info, then Run anyway.
• Only the European release is supported for now. Other regions and games of the series are planned.
• Your saves are stored in the memstick folder next to launcher.exe.

MHForever is free software under GPL-3.0-or-later. Source code and licenses: this repository.