Monster Hunter Rise Reviews
Experiencing Monster Hunter for the first time on Switch is an awkward reminder of the limitations of Nintendo’s hybrid console, particularly a few months after the launches of Series X and PS5. Rise often feels like a throwback — and not in a good way.
In terms of gameplay, Rise has been a refreshing reintroduction to the series for me. After Monster Hunter: World I turned away from the series, skipping over Stories 2 entirely as the Stories games hadn’t really piqued my interest. It is a little daunting to restart the grind for gear and to ascend the Hunter Ranks again, which is why I don’t play MMOs anymore. Unlike with World, I don’t have a co-op partner for Rise, which can make some fights a little more difficult if you don’t want to queue up with randoms online. However, after diving back in for this review, and discovering the dual blades are so much better than the bow in Rise, I can see myself sinking a lot of time into this one.
Despite releasing nearly a year after its Switch counterpart, the PC version of Monster Hunter Rise feels like a minimal improvement. Sure, you can get frame rates in the hundreds and high resolutions, but frequent crashes can reset your settings and cutscenes are still locked at 30. The keyboard and mouse control options are a big boon for accessibility, but the visual improvements here feel so minimal I'll stick to the portable edition.
While it's still too difficult to get into, Monster Hunter Rise is the best entry to date. Hunts feel faster and more dynamic than ever and additions like Weapon Swap Skills, Wyvern Riding, Palamutes, the Rampage, and especially Wirebugs keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.
Overall, the PC port of Monster Hunter Rise is superior to the Nintendo Switch version, thanks to the PC enhancements. It has some of the best combat mechanics in the Monster Hunter series, the new monsters are an absolute delight to hunt, and the improved frame rate and resolutions enrich the hunting experience. It does have a couple of flaws, but they are minor issues in the grand scheme of things.
Flush with flash new tricks, simpler action and a bulging roster of hostile creatures, the latest instalment of the enduring series is an absurd delight
I seriously surprised myself at how much I love Monster Hunter Rise. With a campaign that doesn’t last long, just enough to train players up and then being the real game. The endgame is where it’s at and going after those high-level monsters is such a delight with or without friends playing. Even after all the time I have invested I have yet to see all of the monsters and I can’t wait to continue to discover more and the upcoming Sunbreak expansion coming summer 2023. Yep, seems there has never been a better time for Monster Hunter fans new and old and I am happy to now count myself among them.
Monster Hunter Rise distills the fun of boss fights into an entire game, and it excels at doing so. While it is good in single-player, the best experience is found online playing with fellow hunters. Despite not adequately holding the player's hand in regard to its ancillary systems, Rise never gets in its own way, and offers a fun experience for both casual players looking for short bursts of fun, as well as the more hardcore looking for a time sink.
If you loved playing MH: World you will most definitely fall in love with MH: Rise, too. All the great stuff you know and love is still in Rise with some smaller tweaks and additions. I had a good time and it was worth waiting for the graphically improved version. My only gripes are that Rise is too easy compared to World (especially the story), yet High-Rank defense missions are imbalanced for solo players, and it doesn’t look as graphically pleasing as World.
Monster Hunter Rise is a fantastic action game that will keep you busy for hundreds of hours, and the upgrades on Xbox compared to the Switch original are considerable.
While not as technically impressive as its predecessor, Monster Hunter Rise succeeds as a follow-up by focusing on getting players into the hunt quickly and comfortably without compromising on challenge.
Monster Hunter Rise is the new standard for the series, and it's a delight to finally have it on PlayStation, thanks to the improved frame rate and visual fidelity over the original release. There's so much to it that there are still many things we haven't mentioned, like the new monster riding, sped-up collecting and mining, or the hunting helpers. It's a game this reviewer put over 100 hours in on the Switch, and we could be looking at 100 more on PS5. Monster Hunter's eternally satisfying gameplay loop is met with now-essential quality of life and traversal improvements.
Monster Hunter Rise on PC is the definitive version of an excellent entry in this long running franchise and whether you are a veteran of the series or a rookie, looking to jump in for the first time, it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a weapon and start hunting some monsters.
Monster Hunter Rise is probably the best game in the series. It isn’t quite as accessible as World, but long term it offers much more varied combat and a richer experience. Its world and gameplay are insanely engaging and fun. Technically, the port to PC results in solid, smooth gameplay and marginally better visuals. If you have a choice, it’s definitely the way to play, the best and most complete version of one of 2021’s standout games.
Monster Hunter Rise was an excellent chapter of the series on Switch, but the PC version plays in a completely different category. If you liked Monster Hunter World, you'll love Rise. Yes, even if the thought of starting all over again terrifies you.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Another good port from Capcom makes Monster Hunter Rise the best version of the game to get.
With the streamlining of some of the most annoying aspects of the Monster Hunter experience and some excellent additions to the formula like Wirebugs and Switch Skills, Monster Hunter Rise reaches the heights of the best entries in the series with ease. While not all of the changes and new features have been for the best, like Rampage Quests, their general quality level, and the amazing PC port, do make the game one that's worth playing for both long-time fans of the series and newcomers.
Once players get past the poor onboarding experience, Monster Hunter Rise might offer the series' best entry for first time players while series veterans will fly over the competition with the new Wirebug mechanics.
I have written a lot here and feel like I have only scratched the surface. Monster Hunter Rise had big shoes to fill after coming off the heels of World, and man, did they come through swinging hard. They hit a homerun here, and with taking things from all the previous games have created a game with a great setting, fun and flashy combat, tons of customization option, and wonderful traversal. This is a fantastic game for both the newcomer to the series as well as the veteran.