User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Deviljho (4th Gen)/@comment-5020152-20160117001352

DEVILJHO (aka G.I. JHO)

Concept: The entire point of Deviljho’s existence is to scare the living daylights out of people. So what better way to do that then to make this guy a Tyrannosaurus Rex mixed with a Baryonyx and pumped full of steroids, with ridiculous attacking power and a terrifying theme to boot? 8/10

Design: As I so eloquently put it in the section above, G.I. Jho is basically a jacked-up T-Rex with the head of a Baryonyx, but he’s got a few features all his own. First of all, there’s that giant pickle of a tail that he has, which is elastic enough to curve all the way around to his head when he whips it around. Then there’s the big spikes lining his chin, which all look unnervingly like extra teeth. And when he gets enraged, he swells up and becomes crisscrossed with glowing battle scars. His color scheme is pretty cool too, a leathery grey-green. Deviljho has probably one of the simplest designs in all of Monster Hunter, which makes him look a bit plain – but in this case, simple works. G.I. Jho is all about fear and hunger, and that’s exactly what he looks like. He’s a mix of gluttony and tyranny that walks on two legs. 9/10

Sound: No one can quite forget the time they first hear the Deviljho. There you were on your first High-Rank quest, minding your own business, when suddenly you hear a “DRRRRAAAAAAAARRRGH!” His roar isn’t exactly a roar, it’s more of a bomb going off. And the music that plays whenever G.I. Jho walks into the area is something else you’ll never forget – it’s dark, it’s dramatic, and it sounds like the world is about to end. Get the hell out of there, hunter, because Deviljho is coming for you. 7/10

Gameplay: Chances are, you’ll have first encountered G.I. Jho in Monster Hunter Tri or 3 Ultimate – perhaps he crashed a Great Jaggi hunt, or he was called in by a Qurupeco. Either way, it was a terrifying sight, and all throughout your High-Rank journey, you were dodging Deviljho left and right as he continued to pursue you. I like to think that the build-up to Deviljho is half the experience, which is part of the reason why I don’t like how 4 Ultimate basically throws him at you unexpectedly.

When you finally get equipment good enough to stand up to this dinosaurian bully, the real fight begins. Deviljho’s attacks consist of nothing but sheer brute force, and while he may be slow, he’s a complete powerhouse. His stomps cause earthquakes, his hip checks span tremendous distances, and his Dancing Devil attack is something to be feared. G.I. Jho is unlike any other monster in that he runs out of stamina almost constantly, causing him to drool acidic saliva all over you if he manages to land a hit. Fortunately, this gives you the opportunity to feed him some toxic meat – it can come in Drugged, Tinged, and Poisoned flavors. Sadly, Deviljho is easy to anger, and when he becomes enraged, he becomes able to inflict Dragonblight with his deadly Dragon Breath attack. Deviljho is easy in 4 Ultimate if you know what you’re doing, which is disappointing – in Tri and 3 Ultimate, he was a challenge no matter what. He’s a popular monster for sure, but 4 Ultimate shouldn’t have brought him back. 7/10

New Stuff: In G-Rank, Deviljho gets this absolutely hilarious attack in which he stands upright and starts stomping around, then unleashes a quick blast of his Dragon Breath. My reaction? “RUUUUUUN! IT’S GODZILLA!” 10/10

Equipment: Deviljho’s weapons, for the most part, deal nothing but raw damage but gain Dragon-element damage when they are “Awakened”. I’ve never bothered making these weapons, but they do have excellent power and some interesting designs. The armor also has an interesting design, as it looks less like armor and more like something you’d wear as part of a motorcycle gang. With Attack Up, Speed Eating, and Razor Sharp, it’s a great set to forge if you’re willing to tackle G.I. Jho again. 7/10

Cutscene: N/A

Summary: In the past, Deviljho was fear and hunger incarnate, a terrible scourge that could show up at any time in any place. Now in 4 Ultimate, he’s just another monster. Certain monsters that reappear in subsequent games always get some kind of nerf, or get booted out of their limelight, and they become something less threatening than they used to be (except for f*cking Rajang). Deviljho is a prime example. Fear given form one day, a regular dinosaur the next. A moment of silence for G.I. Jho, who was once, and shall always be, the dastardly scourge of High-Rank Qurupeco hunts. Overall 8/10