Monster Hunter Rise - Another Successful Hunt!

The new entry in the Monster Hunter series: Monster Hunter Rise is getting a lot of attention among fans of the franchise all around the internet, since it definitely looks like it is going to offer a greatly enhanced experience than its predecessors, as it comes packed with quite a few new features and extras. In the following review we are going to have a more detailed look at the style, gameplay and new features introduced in this now iconic CAPCOM title. The release date for Monster Hunter Rise is set to January 12th 2022, so surely you can add it to your wish list for the upcoming year as the game is now in a PRE-ORDER state.

That being said, we are now ready to go hunting, in the new and very improved world full of legendary monsters, together. Ready? Let’s go!

Monster Hunter Rise’s vast worlds you can explore and hunt in!

The setting of the story starts in the Kamura village and the colorful characters there. You would have to periodically return to the village to build up your setup and make use of the various facilities that are located there and upgrade your armor and inventory.

The game is going to be released in 4k and with high-def graphics and through the glimpses we got through the official trailer earlier this year we are sure that this is going to be one of the best Switch games up to now! With its big variety of terrains and locales, players are going to go through many climates, environments and elements. Each area has its own specific feel and dynamics, promising a rich and adaptive experience to enjoy while hunting for creatures lurking all around you.

The announced main levels consist of the Lava caverns, Sandy plains, Flooded forest, Frost islands and Shrine ruins that are all very different from each other, each coming with multiple subareas having different accents and vibe. All of them look very photo-realistic and well-crafted with clearly lots of effort and attention to detail given to them. There is quite a big development of the verticality aspect in the game with different geographical features to climb up and maneuver from when taking part in battles or just advancing through the areas. These lands all deserve a bit of an analysis, so that you could have a better idea where you might have to fight and how to approach each of them.

The Lava caverns are separated into hot and cool sections each with some volcanic aspect and imagery. First you dwell in the scorching lava-filled tunnel system where you get hot-rod monsters and then transition towards the much cooler parts where you are going to find beautiful waterfalls and rivers teeming with monsters. The blend between elements is incredible as you go through these and would most certainly offer some grand trophies to obtain.

Next we are going to traverse into the Sandy plains and delve around the rocky formations and canyons there. The levels here are separated between sunny bright daytime and night sky ones, with only the moon shedding some light over your path, making these lands both relentlessly unforgiving and mystical at the same time. The desolation and emptiness offer some very aggressive enemies to handle as well, so stay on the lookout for potential threats throughout your adventure.

In the Frost mountains there used to be a mighty dragon that has vanquished lots of heroes through the centuries, but lately the environment has gotten much more icier and the creepy final resting place of the dead and unsung warriors. Death is never too far away here, it is even sticking out of the walls with giant dragon bones all around you, the remnant ruins of a Dragonship could also be discovered by the hunters brave enough to go through here, so a hefty amount of bounty should be hidden somewhere near.

The very balanced combination of dense and hard to navigate forests with ancient and lost to time ruins of forgotten civilizations make the Flooded forest a sight-to-remember, but it could get very deadly quickly! Thread carefully through the submerged trees and enjoy the scenery while you can, since the monsters here will not spare you as just a friendly tourist. Be vigilant as this is the locale you could find King Rhinos available on Higher Rank quests and if you want to get some of the best scenic views in Monster Hunter Rise, climb up the ruins by using your Wirebug, which is going to be of great use in this title.

Last but absolutely not the least worthy of attention areas are the Shrine Ruins with their once lively spiritual and religious importance, now a broken down wreck of haunted grounds and constant threat of creatures day and night. It still retains some of its mystery and could offer hunters greatness and glory if they are able to rid the sanctum of the evil presence creeping in the region. Explore the sacred places around and restore the peace if you are worthy enough.

All levels offer scattered items, buffs and potions that are somehow linked to the areas and the player could use them towards the level-themed beasts.

A character of your own making!

The game would have numerous menus and UI to get familiar with, and a big part of them is given to the character building system, with a detailed selection of attributes and options to make your own unique hunter and getting to express yourself artistically. You are able to edit any part of the look and style of your character and as you progress, and gain experience in battle, evolve them even further.

You can choose between male and female heroes and you should thoroughly go through skin, facial features, eyes and hair and multiple other details, as well as body build, type and style. Many more new and different looks would be released over time as the game grows and expands next year. For now your armor has five pieces and each has its own stats and talisman slots so make sure you select them carefully and according to your style. If you have the same skill in two pieces of your armor it gets augmented and the effect has an even greater impact. Three of the same give you a stats BONUS.

Hunters are also now voiced and you would have to think about that too, since you would hear your character speak all the time, you may have to consider what you want them to sound like.

A growing and improved buddy system

You might already be familiar with Palicoes, you know the cat-like creatures that have been supporting the heroes in various ways through the previous titles! Well, they are going to be included with an even broader list of abilities. Not only that, they are now joined by Palamutes that are a race of dogs you can rely on for protection, assistance and even transportation, as you could now mount them, through the maps.

A hero could get support by both creatures and edit their look and roles alike and in the same level of depth as your main character, so that you have full personalization over the models you use in-game. We are sure that they are going to be of great use and a fitting addition to the Monster Hunter Rise gameplay. You could even capture monsters and ride them in battle against other enemies around and this feature expands your combats to an even greater scale.

Now let’s move forward to check out the arsenal that you could use to fight the monsters with in this installment of the series and give a bit of a detailed answer to the question:

So, what is the weapons list in Monster Hunter Rise like

The Monster Hunter Rise weapons list includes 14 different types with various attributes and abilities included for each one of them. They are all used quite differently and vary in speed, range and strength. We are going to have a closer look at them, so that you could get a better understanding for each of them and carefully choose the right play style for you.

First is the Hammer, it gives a lot of damage potential. It could be charged on the move and prepare strong attacks. It could support a hit & run style, making movement and spacing very important with this weapon choice. The newly introduced attacks include some very serious aerial moves and slams. If you are looking to inflict great damage and retain good mobility at the same time, the hammer would be a wonderful variant for you.

Next is the Long sword, it is a build type of weapon that enhances over time, a sharp monster destroyer with great mobility and quite a bit of vertical attacks. The numerous attack absorbing counters included in this weapon work only when they get precisely connected with an oncoming hit, so your timing should be really punctual if you want to feel in control. You could dodge attacks if you miss an important hit and recuperate for the next combos. The serene pose gives you another method to counter as well and even if you take a hit you would deal damage back. In short this is a quick melee weapon that grows in power over time and requires skillful handling.

Then we have a weapon you most certainly do not want to be hit by, the Great sword with its immense power can go far in the damage points direction but lacks good speed. Charging big attacks is crucial here since if you miss you might swing at nothing and get hit really easily, so precision is very important with this one. A major benefit here is that this type due to its sheer volume could act as a guarding tool and even protect you, but the low mobility factor should be taken into consideration.

What if we add a real shield to the equation and combine it with a short sword? We could get a well-balanced setup for offence and defense with quick evades and fast paced slashes that could prove quite deadly for any monster you encounter. The aerial Falling shadow and range Windmill skills are going to give you a diverse style that could be considered a bit unpredictable and relying on multiple series of agile hits.

Let’s double the number of swords and you get a highly aggressive type with the Dual blades to slice everything that stands in your way. Coming in paired with a Demon mode that refills your stamina each and every time you hit enemies. A type that depends on combo strings since the damage could feel as less than other weapons, but the mobility is very high and you could feel as light as a feather equipped with these deadly fans. Strive to deal many hits and everything should workout nicely. With the Lance in your hand the range reach gets very high, but also the defense is boosted by the solid shield that could absorb big blasts aimed at your hunter and then return the blow pumped up. The Twin Vine and Anchor Rage skills keep you in action even at a safer distance and you get to have better control over the fight.

But what if we put a gun at the tip of the Lance? We would get the Gunlance type which increases the distance even more, offering you super-powerful cannon hits and if needed close combat action. Charge your blows with a variety of ammo and combine them with a Hail cutter and finish off with a powered up Guard Edge to completely devastate the foes. A strong and combinative type, that would not let you down at any time in battle.

Now it is time for the Hunting horn, which is a blunt weapon able to buff your party with melodies. It runs on notes and chords and is able to deliver massive hits as well as rhythmic combos of spinning action. The Earthshaker and Slide beat ensure a grand performance with this virtuoso instrument of raw sonic power.

Looking for diversity? The Switch Axe comes in handy when you want to be adaptive and flexible with a big variety of usage from axe mode with pretty big single punches and the alternate sword mode for quicker attacks. The effects gained in one mode could be transferred to the other when you make a switch to even further develop your combos. A multipurpose weapon type appropriated to handle anything the game throws your way.

Another similar weapon is the Charge Blade that acts both as a sword and axe, but is a bit more complex to wield since it has to be charged and then combined from the sword and shield into a mechanism promising inevitable demise for any creature standing between you and victory. It could require some mastery at first but the potential for heavy blasts would definitely pay off acquiring.

The Insect Glaive is quite unique and differs from the other types in a few ways. First and foremost you gain command and control over a species of Kinsects to absorb essence and buffs from your prey. High acrobatics are typical for this weapon and your attacks would land from any direction you choose fitting. It is aggressive and impactful with lots of intensity to it but also a with a monitor factor for your servant insects and connecting complex combos into series.

There are three types of bows in the game, a regular one for high mobility and range attacks with a wide variety of arrows for different effects over the enemy. Focus your shots from a far distance and stay safe from harm. Then consider the two types of Bowguns that are light and heavy versions of weapons that excel in the range category. Based on the choice of ammo they shoot you could do multiple strategic and well-thought barrages and bring enemies down from afar. The Light bowgun could plant mines and traps in the ground and the Heavy bowgun has some really powerful kinds of blows to offer.

All of the weapons have three main skills and you could swap them in many different setups to greatly enhance your style of play to fight the monster types and become even deadlier to them.

And now without any further due, we are going to review the different monsters in the game. You might be wondering; How many monsters are in Monster Hunter Rise?

Plenty of monsters to battle with

The beasts you would face up with in battle are more than 30 and are all different depending on the ecology they are located in, you could stumble upon some gnarly creatures such as dragons, dinosaurs, hydras, top predators and demons all over the levels.

Here are some worthy mentions the devs have to offer;

The Magnamalo is a ferocious armored beast that is always hungry and could eat other monsters standing on its path, becoming stronger with each meal.

The Crimson glow is another cornerstone monster that has mutated from a Valstrax. This dragon has gone mad and is swooping down to capture anything it notices that is moving.

The Apex Zingore is a mighty lizard-like monster with electric attacks that would vanquish you if you are not careful enough around it.

Technical aspects and versions of the game

The game is going to have two main versions, Monster Hunter Rise PC released on Steam and one for the Nintendo Switch, with an announced Monster Hunter Rise for Pro Controller support. You might have noticed the Monster Hunter Rise Reddit bustling with debates and be asking yourself; So can check it out right after you finish reading our review and then pre-order the Monster Hunter Rise and get some exclusives such as cosmetic layouts and hunter skins as well! Depending on your edition (Standard, Deluxe or Collector’s variant) you get multiple bonuses and bargains.

We hope our review has been of use to you and we can’t wait to see you hunting alongside our team!