Review Bites: Monster Hunter Rise

 

Welcome to the first Review Bite! This new series will be for smaller reviews on media I want to talk about. It's giving a bite of a game and my own recommendations.  So today I would like to present the very first Review Bite on Monster Hunter Rise!

Appetizer: Historical and Personal Context

Monster Hunter is a series that is notoriously hard to get into. The first game released in 2004 with a simple premise, hunt down giant monsters that roam the land. It's a premise that is surprisingly simple for how complex the gameplay is. Over the years the series has taken strides to streamline and polish the experience so that anyone can enjoy the thrill of taking on giant creatures. Monster Hunter Rise is the culmination of that effort, and it's the game that finally got me into the series.

My own history with monster hunter is brief. I got Monster Hunter World for the Xbox One a few years ago as a recommendation from my cousin. However I could not get into it since I was not accustomed to the slow movement and complicated weapons. There were so many things to think about right away that I felt I couldn't keep up. It wasn't really the fault of the game, plenty of people like more complicated and deliberate experiences. However, I was overwhelmed.

Years after I attempted to play World, Capcom announced their new game: Monster Hunter Rise. With this announcement came a demo that could be played before the game released. My cousin once again convinced me to give it a shot. Luckily this time I was both more experienced with games and ready to tackle the complex and thoughtful combat. In addition the smaller scale of the demo helped me get used to the combat. The more I played I felt myself becoming more and more attached to the game as I found a playstyle that suited me. I didn't have to think about upgrading armor and weapons just yet. Then after a few months of on and off playing the demo, the game came out, and everything clicked into place. 

The Main Course: Review

Monster Hunter Rise released on March 26th 2021. It released as a Nintendo Switch exclusive and as the latest in a 2 decade old franchise.  Rise is a game built on the extremely solid foundation that has been refined over those 2 decades and is a triumph in action game design.

Monster Hunter as a series is pretty self explanatory, you are a hunter and you are tasked with hunting monsters. The plot of these games is generally pretty minimal which is fine. It knows exactly why people are playing and focuses its effort on elements that enhance the core gameplay loop. People come to Monster Hunter to hunt really cool monsters and Monster Hunter Rise is bursting with awesome creatures to fight and weapons to use.

Monster Hunter as a series is a great example of improving what is already there. Each mainline game makes efficient use of what has come before while refining the more rough elements. They reuse monsters and weapon types all the time. Despite this Monster Hunter never slips into lazy territory. In fact the reuse of weapon move sets and monsters plays to the games benefit. Especially for someone like me who didn't play the other games

Rise's Monster selection is really cool. It features a diverse set of creature each with their own move set and behaviors. Some will tend to fly above and divebomb you while others burrow underground to knock you off your feet. Each fight with the big monsters is thrilling and keeps you on your toes trying to learn how they move and attack. The all feel like real distinct living creatures. It elevates not just the immersion, but also the gameplay. You can really tell this roster of monsters and their move sets were refined to the moon and back.

Of course having a set of cool monsters to fight would be nothing without interesting weapons and Monster Hunter Rise delivers. There are 14 weapons and each has its own heavily polished set of moves. There is a weapon for every kind of playstyle. You can keep your distance with the bowguns or rush up close with dual blade or deal massive blows with the hammer. I don't personally like using every weapon but that doesn't matter because I have the option to use whatever weapons best fit me. 

The entire time I've played monster hunter rise I primarily used 3 different weapons, the dual blades, switch axe, and chargeblade. Each one feels exactly right for my own specific playstyle. Whenever I pick up that chargeblade I get the sense that this is a weapon that could carry an entire action game move set. It's like this for every single weapon. Each one of the game's 14 weapon types has this benefit. Years and years of games and development to build upon and refine.

Of course, there are still things in Monster Hunter Rise that are completely new. Rise adds a Palamute companion that you can ride around the map. You can either use this new buddy, or pick the series staple Palico. The Palico helps you out by providing healing and buffs to you. This is a wonderful addition and I love the interesting dynamic of picking between the more mobile Palamute and the utility of the Palico (at least in multiplayer, you get both when playing alone).  

The other big addition is the wirebug. This is the single greatest part of Rise for me. I'm a person that loves when a game gives a lot of movement options. Game feel is one of the biggest factors that influence my enjoyment. The wirebug gives you more moves and movement option in such a way that it instantly clicked with me. I love using it to zip around the battlefield and dodge the monster's attacks. It is incredible.

My personal favorite part of Monster Hunter Rise was the time I spent with other people. Monster Hunter is a game where the social interaction is almost necessary to understand all the nuances of the game. But that is ok since the process of learning was made immensely satisfying with my group of friends. I had the time of my life hunting different monsters with them while increasing our hunter rank and crafting the ultimate set of armor. Monster Hunter is a game that is enhanced tenfold by its multiplayer and I had a blast with every second I spent on it. I'll never forget the thrill of beating giant dragons with my squad.

Dessert: Conclusion

Overall Monster Hunter Rise is a game that I grew to adore thanks to a rock solid foundation and the experience of learning its secrets with friends. 

I would recommend this game to people who love the feeling of triumph after a long fight. Rise gives that feeling in spades. Its progression gives you a sense of growth as you tackle more monsters and hone your own skills.

I also recommend Rise to those who want a good time with friends. It's one of the best co-op multiplayer games on the switch and provides hours upon hours of fun with friends. If you have a group of friends who love action games, there is no better game for you than Monster Hunter

Monster Hunter Rise was such a fun experience for me. It gave me so many fun times with my friends and so many triumphs against gigantic and formidable foes. I spent almost 100 hours on this game and will hopefully spend many more once the game's Sunbreak expansion comes out next year. I became a Monster Hunter fan thanks to Rise and my Monster Hunting squad. 

Thank you for joining me for the first Review Bite! If you'd like to get updates on blog post, follow my Instagram. How did you feel about Monster Hunter Rise? I love seeing other opinions on the media I love so leave a comment if you wish. Have a wonderful day!

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