The figures speak for themselves. After its release more than a couple of years back in 2018, Monster Hunter: World has sold over 1.8 M copies and is still going quite strong. That naturally aroused the interest to see where this would lead to. The series has never failed to rise to the occasion with every release. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate debuted in the same year on Nintendo Switch. And Monster Hunter Rise will be the latest version that has been built keeping in mind the Nintendo hybrid console. A PC port followed next year.
Successive changes, subtle yet definite, in the quality-of-life technicalities has made sure that the game fits in perfectly with Nintendo’s latest/ system and you get a more efficient and up-to-date version of the entire experience on the run.
Monster Hunter Rise has retained the similar feel of Monster Hunter: World and there are good reasons for it. You are drawn to monster hunts that take place in open, huge, and changing environments that keep the excitement going. You then make your equipment like armor and weapons by salvaging their parts. The complexity of the series had in the past put off some newcomers.
But there have been constant quality improvements beginning right from World and continuing in the latest, Monster Hunter Rise. But no major or drastic changes have been made keeping in mind the legions of loyal fans who would not want to fight in unfamiliar territory. It is still the same true Monster Hunter feel and experience at the core that fans can expect. Though Rise has managed to add in something extra that is sure to thrill fans, with new aesthetics and mechanics that make it rise above the previous versions.
Monster Hunter Rise Adds A Fresh Background Of Paint
Monster Hunter Rise is set in medieval times in Japan and the aesthetics are quite pleasing and provides a nice background to the battles. The town folks are decked in customary Japanese-style dresses. You get to see many defining aspects of their culture all through Village Kamura, the home base of Monster Hunter Rise. There is the dango café, the onigiri shop, the candy-apple stands. Each contributes to the endearing small-town feel of a Japanese village.
The setting of Kamura village has not been kept as overwhelmingly large as Astera, the main hub of Monster Hunter World. There are none of the seamless runs between the multiple floors visualized in Astera. Instead, you will need to transition across the loading screen to reach Kamura’s core area and other areas like the Arena.
But all loading transitions are fleeting and are just not noticeable. They have been seamlessly achieved and at just the right moment and place. As in the Monster Hunter World, the Monster Hunter Rise hunting grounds are vast open areas in place of separate ones that connect through loading. It is the powerful hardware of Switch, that the traversal and the battle all run smoothly than they did in the franchise’s previous 3DS entries.
The emphasis in Monster Hunter Rise is much more on vertical games. One of the pieces of equipment is a Wirebug which acts like a modified grappling hook. It is handy for both combat and traversal, the Wirebug lets you scale high walls and reach high ground. the Wirebug adds combos to the attack during battle. You can, for instance, propel your body in the air using the Wirebug, use it further to suspend your body before diving down to launch an attack. It further adds to the intensity of excitement of the game and gives it an additional dimension. The combats become more dynamic and interactive.
Eliminating the loading screens in the thick of the battlefield has enabled a host of varied interactions. They include Turf Wars, which makes a return from Monster Hunter World. Such areas consist of 2 to 3 huge apex monsters, with all capable of stumbling into each other’s vicinity. A battle thus ensures far greater control over that area.
The Introduction Of Gameplay Makes The Series More Exciting
An exciting and unusual introduction of a new mechanic in the gameplay rule of Monster Hunter Rise is the inclusion of Wyvern Riding. Here you can ride the Wirebug and take control if you manage to inflict considerable damage with them. you can even attack another monster even as you ride a monster with the help of the power invested by the Wirebug. You can ram your monster and hurt it with the control of the Wirebug.
But every Wyvern Riding doesn’t last long though it is quite exciting. You are finally forced to relinquish your control over the monster. Though the Riding adds an element of daring and adventure, it doesn’t do much to influence the ending of the final battle.
These monsters possess gigantic HP pools. While you can inflict more damage even as you ride a monster than you would in your normal travels, at times it feels that you aren’t causing much damage.
Another return from the Monster Hunter World is the Palico cats. A novel addition to Monster Hunter Rise is the Palamute dog. Bothe these animal companions help you out on the battlefield. Riding the Palamute dog helps you move across the battlefield much quicker than if you were doing the running. And there is no loss of stamina. You can chase and hunt down a hiding monster easily by riding on the Palamute dog.
Another new addition in Monster Hunter Rise is the convenience of marking the monsters on a minimap. You can get their exact position. In Monster Hunter World, you were forced to track their footprints to hunt them down. And even as you are busy hunting down the monsters, you can acquire more Palamutes and Palicos and coax them out to get their hands on added materials.
And the best thing in Monster Hunter Rise is that you need fewer materials and do not waste time in creating new armor and weapons than you did in World. Upgrading is also quite easy. Now it takes only half of the monster parts as it did in Monster Hunter World. This takes down the tediousness associated with acquiring materials. The lesser time it takes to acquire material, the more time you can spend experimenting with different builds for the 14 weapon types in the game.
Thus you are assured that you are progressing as you concentrate on the game. The making of new equipment throws up more scrap. You can use this to craft equipment for your Palamute and Palico.
The Introduction Of Rampages Adds An Extra Dimension To Monster Hunter Rise
The Rampages is the latest addition to Monster Hunter Rise. These are horde battles for tower defense. The Rampages play a pivotal part in the game. You need only a handful for the story to progress though they are vital and add to the narrative.
The storyline of Monster Hunter Rise has been kept light and it is only a cover for never-ending monster hunts. There are Rampages faced by Kamura Village and the mascot monster of Monster Hunter Rise, Magnamalo comes in. the game is eventually about the story of this monster and his final defeat.
You are allowed to install large weapons and set traps like cannons and ballistas to help you fight many monsters simultaneously at the gate of Kamura. The secret of tackling the Rampage is by defeating the Apex predator.
The presence of the Rampage ensures high-level action with a full house of four. You only get 10 seconds after felling each Apex monster to pick up the parts before you are back in the game in Kamura village. This time should be increased.
The adaption of the RE Engine by Capcom in Monster Hunter Rise is particularly impressive. It was added to Devil May Cry 5 and both the remakes of Resident Evil 2.
Finally, Monster Hunter Rise has been exceptionally well made, looks greats, and delivers a fantastic performance. Fans of Monster Hunter: World should enjoy the latest addition to the series. Though Monster Hunter Rise appears minor in scope, it ensures that it is just right for the Switch.
