MHForever 0.7.0: the Japanese release and a launcher that updates itself

New

• The Japanese release, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (ULJM05500, v1.01), is playable. Add your Japanese .iso to the Library like the others: it gets its own program (mhfu-jp) and its own video, audio and control settings. Its Japanese text is drawn with a free font, Noto Sans JP, in the game and in MHForever's own load and save dialogs. As on a Japanese PSP, ○ confirms and × cancels.
• The launcher updates itself. When a new version is out, a banner offers to install it: "Update now" downloads it, checks it against the SHA-256 GitHub publishes for it, replaces the program files and restarts the launcher. Your settings and saves are never touched. Settings → Check for updates turns this off. This starts with 0.7.0: you still download 0.7.0 itself by hand.

Notes

• Windows: MHForever-0.7.0-windows-x64.zip. Keep the .dll files next to mhfu.exe, mhfu-us.exe and mhfu-jp.exe. Your settings and saves live outside the program folder, so unzipping a new version never touches them.
• Linux: MHForever-0.7.0-linux-x64.tar.gz. Built on Ubuntu 24.04 (glibc 2.38 or newer); the launcher needs WebKitGTK 4.1 and GTK 3, the game OpenGL 3.3. Updates download with the system's curl and unpack with tar.
• A save from the Japanese release only works with the Japanese release (the same as for Europe and North America).
• If something looks wrong or crashes, please send your game.log (next to MHForever.exe).

Download

Windows: MHForever-0.7.0-windows-x64.zip. Unzip it anywhere you can write to and run MHForever.exe. The programs are not digitally signed, so Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC": choose "More info" and then "Run anyway".

Linux: MHForever-0.7.0-linux-x64.tar.gz. Extract it and run ./MHForever (if your file manager removed the execute permission: chmod +x MHForever mhfu mhfu-us mhfu-jp).

You need your own copy of the game; the archives contain no game data. The code is on GitHub under GPL-3.0-or-later.