Monster Hunter Rise Review (Steam)

It’s time to hunt in our Monster Hunter Rise Review on Steam. Having previously been released on the Nintendo Switch, Monster Hunter Rise comes to PC. It’s not quite Monster Hunter World and it’s not quite original Monster Hunter, but what is it? Read on and find out!

Monster Hunter Rise Review Pros:

• Gorgeous graphics.
• 18.73GB Download size.
• Steam achievements.
• Full controller support.
• Three voice languages – English, Japanese, and Monster Hunter language.
• Five-button icon choices – Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
• HDR support.
• Graphics – 3 presets (low/average/high), fullscreen, resolution, v-sync, aspect ratio, ultra-wide position correction slider, framerate cap, display frequency (50/50.94/60), high-resolution textures, image quality, texture filtering, ambient occlusion, shadow quality, dynamic shadows, processing reduction via model swapping, mesh quality, anti-aliasing, variable-rate shading, foliage sway, motion blur, lens distortion, vignette effect, depth of field, film grain and filters.
• Settings show the CPU load and graphics memory usage.
• Monster hunting gameplay.
• Character and companions creator – male/female, basic settings, advanced settings, clothing, and voice.
• Basic tutorials on controls and layout of the hub, crafting, shops, etc.
• Tutorials are dealt with via an optional set of objectives with the trainer.
• The classic soundtrack of the series.
• You can use potions and move at the same time. (this is a big deal)
• Autosave can be turned off and on but a manual save is always available.
• Pick up/scavenge is quicker.
• Quests are handled by a quest giver and they are split into difficulty rated via stars.
• In-game cutscenes with a haunting black and white filter, Japanese voice-over, and creepy soundtrack.
• Can press a button to track and show any of the big monsters in an area.
• You can skip the cutscenes.
• Monsters will fight each other regardless of size.
• Day/night settings along with different weather conditions.
• Can ride a large monster and attack the other one with it.
• Familiar controls and menu system.
• Takes a lot from Monster Hunter World but also maintains the feel of the older games.
• You get 3 attempts at a quest before it fails.
• Companions have grown with a Palamute and Palicoes.
• Hire, fire, train, and craft/equip new gear to them.
• You can ride your Palamute and attack/heal when riding around.
• Meowcenaries – send out a team of companions to get supplies for you as you play the game.
• The Argosy is a shop where you get unique items to trade and buy.
• Hunter connect is a system where you can set up a card of your preferences like active hours, name, description, and if you can auto invite people in.
• Customizable radial dial for the hub and game-like poses and emotes.
• A Guild card is like a player card that shows your language, preferred weapon, playtime availability, play style, comment, hunter rank, ID, and set an image. It will also show people your best monster kill sizes and amount of times you have killed them.
• Hub world is massive housing steelworks, buddy plaza, training area, your room, village entrance, gathering hub entrance, hub prep area, and gathering hub.
• Can create sets of gear to a slot for quick swapping.
• Fast travel around the hub from the menu.
• Your housekeeper Palico allows you to customize your room from what music plays to what is displayed on the walls including your own images.
• To unlock the next tier of quests you have to do X amount of village quests. Luckily you have a counter showing on the screen in the hub.
• You have online and offline quests both going their own route to unlocks and progress.
• HR is your hunter rank.
• Full lobby search system.
• Easy to set up a private lobby.
• A wishlist is used to track what resources you need for a particular upgrade or crafting project.
• Weapons can be upgraded and have a massive array of trees that change depending on what monsters you have slain.
• Hunt (kill) or trap monsters.
• The areas you enter will be the same layout wise but the inhabitants can vary depending on the quest or time of day.
• Stamina is used for running and attacks.
• Living breathing world.
• Bugs are everywhere and interacting with them can grant temporary buffs like defense up or fast stamina regen.
• When out of combat you get unlimited stamina.
• All loot and resources are on a rarity scale.
• Wirebug – this thing allows you to fly around by aiming it you go forward a large amount. Great wirebugs can be found in an area to promote fast travel and you can earn extra uses.
• Item pouch is reworked with ammo and fixed items (whetstone/kunai/BBQ spit) being separate and not counted as a space in your pouch.
• A central chest that can be accessed in the hub, your room, and at a camp in an area to swap items around or gear.
• Before every hunt/quest you get a few free items.
• The map is automatically with you now and doesn’t take up a slot like before.
• Cohoots are owl-like creatures that you can call to you and can trigger special events/rewards or take aerial pictures.
• Dojo for your companions where you can train them and increase their stats and effectiveness.
• Rampage is a new separate mode within the game that plays like tower defense. You get a brief bit of time to set up traps and defenses then monsters will attack and try and break through.
• Online supports four total players and you can do the main online quests or rampage.
• A lot more accessible to new players.
• Resources to gather vary from fishing to mining to grabbing plants and even carving up monsters and animals!
• Free DLC and rewards can happen including new arenas and events.
• You get each weapon type straight away.
• Expedition quests are where you can freely go into an area and do what you want.
• Optional side quests can be had for rewards, you can carry five at any time.
• BBQ spit is a mini-game in which you cook meat.
• Armour is a big part of Monster Hunter and as you kill new monsters you unlock an armored variant of said monster and then you kill them over and over to get the parts.
• Breakable parts are back, hitting a certain part of a monster will break it which grants a unique drop but also visibly shows damage on the monster.
• No need for paintballing to mark your monster anymore.
• Layed armor works like transmogs where it will change your appearance but not affect stats.
• Set your companion’s behaviors like attack aggressively or defend, heal you, or give buffs.
• Full camera controls via the right stick.
• Photo mode.
• Fast loading times.
• Fourteen weapon types – Greatsword, long sword, sword and shield, dual blades, lance, gun lance, hammer, hunting horn, switch ax, charge blade, insect glaive, light Bow gun, heavy bow gun, and bow.
• Interactive points are highlighted.
• Areas have a lot of depth and verticality.
• Companions earn exp and level up to increase stats and unlock new buffs/abilities.
• End-of-game rewards vary on performance, lives lost and items collected.
• A lot of button shortcuts like a depart button instead of going to a door, items pulled from storage, etc.
• The first visit to a new area will have you uncover the map.
• Relics can be found and give insight into the story and lore of the world.
• Lottery – occasionally a special event will be held at the shop where you can buy a lottery ticket for prizes.
• You get prompts and notifications from your companions on things like when the monster is ripe for capture.
• Handy refill all buttons for items in your pouch, taking from your stash.
• Expeditions can be completed from the menu whereas before you had to carry a ticket and return to camp.
• Quick travel to camp option.
• Craft from your stash ingredients.
• The map can be zoomed in and filtered to show all items, resources, animals, monsters, etc.
• Unlock new camp locations in areas by finding the spot then doing a quest.
• Special license tests can be taken and these will increase your gathering hub quest level by one rank. These quests can disappear over time.
• Special events can be downloaded and played.
• New missions, hunts, and upgrades unlock as you go up the HR (online) quests.
• Eat meals before a hunt at the tent for temporary buffs depending on what you eat.
• They got rid of the hot/cold mechanic that previously required you to drink a hot or cold drink to combat.

Monster Hunter Rise Review Cons:

• Still, a pain to pause the game even if playing solo offline.
• The initial first load is a long one whilst it compiles shades and assets.
• Weird slowdown or choppy animation with flying animals.
• The upgrade trees are still a nightmare to read and understand.
• No cross-save with the Nintendo Switch version.
• There is a great deal of grinding in Monster Hunter.
• Doesn’t have Crossplay support with the Nintendo Switch version.
• No real weather effects and the environment weather does t change on the fly.

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Monster Hunter Rise:

Official website.

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Store Links –

Steam