Monster Hunter Stories announcement trailer is adorably awesome

Capcom just posted an adorable trailer for an upcoming 2016 Monster Hunter game. I know what you're thinking, "adorable" and "Monster Hunter" don't usually go hand in hand. But after watching the trailer, I think you'll agree.

The new title, called Monster Hunter Stories, will be a more lighthearted take on the series it seems, one with a more vibrant art-style, almost reflecting that of Level-5's recent games, or even Capcom's Layton series. Though the trailer doesn't actually show anything in the way of gameplay, there are a few hints that signal what's to come.

First off, Palicoes will once again be prominently featured, as we can see it running along with the main character, and helping him with his quest to retrieve the golden egg. Secondly, it looks like players will be able to utilize monsters as mounts, as is evident when the mini Rathalos swoops in to save the character from a rampaging Tigrex. That's certainly taking mounting to a whole new level.

The text then lets us know that Monster Hunter Stories will be an RPG. What exactly does that mean? We're still not sure. Let's just hope it doesn't mean that the game will have some sort of turn-based mechanic. Lastly, the trailer shows off a slew of iconic monsters such as the Aptonoth and the Kelbi, as well as a look at a Congalala. That means players will still be hunting familiar monsters, if they've played any previous entries in the series.

Given the rousing success of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate on the 3DS, I can definitely see Capcom bringing this game to the US after its Japanese release. With games like Final Fantasy Explorers shaking genres up in an established franchise, I'm quite eager to see how Monster Hunter will work as an RPG.

You can check out the full trailer below.