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Monster Hunter Rise review: every bit as great as MH: WorldFang-tastic
Fang-tastic
After the roaring success ofMonster Hunter: Worldback in 2018, the idea that the next big PC entry in Capcom’s dino pants craft ‘em up is a game that originally started life on the Nintendo Switch is bound to ruffle a few feathers. But far from being a step down from World,Monster Hunter Riseis every bit its equal - and Capcom’s stellar work with this PC port has given it a much-needed buff and polish to really make it shine. Not only does Rise offer the same seamless and expansive environments as World, but it also adds a few new twists to make tracking down its titular titans even more enjoyable.
The first of these twists is the wirebug, a giant, luminous firefly-cum-grapple hook that lets hunters launch themselves skyward, recover from brutish pratfalls, and put reins on stunned beasties so you can briefly ride them rodeo-style to dole out some mega hit points. It’s a highly versatile piece of equipment, giving rise (sorry) to not just the game’s moniker, but also what elevates it from the rest of the series.
Monster Hunter Rise - Steam / PC Trailer [4K/60fps]Watch on YouTube
Monster Hunter Rise - Steam / PC Trailer [4K/60fps]
Next port of callHardware editor James has lots more to say aboutMonster Hunter Rise’s PC performance, but from where I’m sitting, this is a stupendous port. I’ve already sunk dozens of hours into the Switch version over the last year, but Monster Hunter Rise has never looked better. The elevated frame rates and high resolution textures are a huge step up from Switch, and playing at 4K in particular is a real treat.
Neither does whipping them out for a quick recovery swing when you’re really in the thick of it. I’m not gonna lie. As someone who often gets a big too carried away swinging her Dual Blades around in the heat of battle, I’ve probably spent as much time being knocked flat on my arse as I have standing upright. As long as you’ve got a fresh wirebug to hand, though, a quick squeeze of the left trigger and a tap of A will now yoink you to safety rather than break the flow of battle as you nurse your bruised glutes (I should also note that while keyboard controls are serviceable here, using a controller is definitely recommended). This isn’t merely about saving face. Picking yourself back up after a proper walloping always felt a little jarring in previous Monster Hunter games, but breaking your fall with a cheeky wirebug helps keep the momentum going and gets you back into the fight faster.
Kamura Village is your main hub. You’ll take on quests here, upgrade your armour, chow down on delicious Bunny Dango before missions and much more besides. It’s real pretty.
They’re also just great fun for hurling yourself at enemies like an anime super warrior. Like previous entries, dealing damage while airborne brings you closer to being able to mount monsters for extra damage - a concept first introduced in Monster Hunter 4 with the pole-vault-style Insect Glaive, and later expanded in World to give all weapon classes a taste of the action. Rise, however, really goes to town with it, adding a raucous rodeo element that sees you take direct control of your foe, and even attack other monsters with it. Turning monsters’ signature attacks against their own is real crowd-pleasing stuff, and the enduring physicality of these wriggling wyverns has never felt stronger. They’re tough to control, but so they should be given their size and might, and the tension that comes with trying to make the most of these brief windows never fails to raise your heartbeat.
As always, the goal of hunting these scaly beasts is to harvest their flesh for precious hides, fangs and scales to forge ever stronger sets of armour and weapons for you and your two animal companions. You can only carve off three bits of monster after any given hunt, although your cat-like Palico and dog-friend Palamute will often scavenge a few extra doodads on your behalf to help bulk up the numbers. Even so, you rarely have enough to craft a complete armour set after just one hunt, so you’ll often have to head back out for another round to fill in the gaps. This is the age-old rhythm of a Monster Hunter game, creating a natural grind that some may just not have the patience for.
The egg, pot and rock-loving Kulu-Ya-Ku is a returning monster from previous MH games, but its superb animations have never made it feel more alive.
One of my favourite things Rise carries over from World is the gradual deterioration of its monsters over time. Who needs a health bar when you can see just how much damage you’ve done?
The one thing I am thankful for, though, is a marked shift away from capturing monsters as opposed to just hunting them. Capturing monsters with traps is something I’ve been bad at in previous Monster Hunter games, and getting stuck on these missions has often been the reason I’ve stopped playing them. With Rise, however, there isn’t a single capture mission until after the first end credits and you unlock the level 5 missions. Superior hunters can still trap and capture monsters whenever they wish, of course (and get rarer material not available via carving in the process), but the lack of emphasis on it in the main campaign is a very welcome change.
You’re only able to mount monsters for a short time, but using them to fight other monsters is always a thrill. Eat Great Izuchi tail, Arzuros!
For the most part, though, Monster Hunter Rise is another stonking addition to the series, and in my books a more than worthy successor to Monster Hunter: World. There’s a generous and playful sense of freedom here that keeps combat and exploration feeling fresh, and the momentum of its hunting-led missions means you’re rarely spinning your wheels as you seek out that last elusive armour part. It’s kept me playing much longer than I ever did with World, and I can’t wait to see how it develops with its imminent Sunbreak expansion later this summer.
