Battling a Magnamalo, Monster Hunter Rise’s flagship monster is a spiral of emotions. The malicious Wyvern with big cat features and manners is capable of bringing out the best and worst in the player himself. It tests your dexterity and your ability to adapt to the worst circumstances. Beating him is also an experience.
The first time you take down the mighty Magnamalo, the body asks you for a couple of minutes. No matter how good your weapons are, the duel is extremely intense. And when you’ve fully experienced the feeling of accomplishment, the natural impulse manifests itself: stop by the forge, see what you can do with the pieces you have obtained, return to the meeting room and put them to the test against the biggest bug there is. Cast the penultimate game. Always the penultimate.
Officially, Monster Hunter Rise ranks as the best game ever released by Capcom on Nintendo Switch. And, in the process, as an absolutely unbeatable Action RPG: spectacular in presentation, outstanding in content and, most importantly: 100% Monter Hunter.
Inheriting the best of the classics of the cult saga, all the successes of Monster Hunter World and, in the process, taking a giant step forward in the playable through new mobility systems that feel great for the whole.
More and better consolidating the New World that we knew – and loved – on Xbox and PlayStation and, in the process, taking us to new ground. Specifically, around the exotic Kamura. A small village very much inspired by feudal Japan – with great overtones of fantasy here and there – whose welcoming locals prepare for a catastrophic event: the imminent attack by hordes of monsters known as the Frenzy.
Because if there is something that the Monster Hunter saga does wonderfully, it is to convey the feeling that there is always something interesting to discover, a mission or objective to do or some improvement, armour or weapon to put to the test. And, in this regard, the portable possibilities of Nintendo Switch shine with their own light. Especially when – as you will see – the game looks brutal even outside the console’s Dock.
Monster Hunter Rise, the evolution of a cult saga on Nintendo Switch
Monster Hunter Rise is not a custom version of Monster Hunter World, much less a minor instalment. It is the next step in the evolutionary line of Capcom’s most powerful saga, a license considered a cult in Japan and the next foray into a New World, the fifth generation of the saga, with the weight and responsibility to meet the expectations of 16 million hunters. Expectations, by the way, that MH Rise is not slow to exceed.
An achievement that Capcom obtains by reinforcing its formula, taking note of what it liked in the most recent instalments and, in the process, pushing the Nintendo Switch to its limit as a system. A landmark that rests on three strongly founded pillars:
- On the one hand, being reverentially faithful to the classic instalments. Keeping in mind those who were hardened with the first forays of the saga and found in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate the experience that dazzled them.
- Now, those who come from Monster Hunter World will feel at home. In addition to the playable settings, MH Rise introduces completely original areas and revamps old maps so that the areas are no longer interconnected, but are explored as a single daunting setting. Both in size and verticality.
- And yet Monster Hunter Rise is also a resounding step forward in gameplay. Although, we all agree that the absence of a second stick limited the development of the saga in Nintendo laptops, the theme of feudal Japan serves to introduce new “ ninja ” mobility options that masterfully speed up travel and, in the process, they feel scandal to the fighting.
Because, from the very first game, Monster Hunter Rise doesn’t feel like an extension of the New World that we met in Monster Hunter World, but like a new instalment in every aspect, opening up even more to new players and, in the process, establish what has been learned and innovate with courage and success in the face of those who arrive from previous deliveries with new hunting actions.
keys with which mobility and hunting skills are greatly intensified is the chordopter , a thread that we can deploy in any direction, in a way similar to Spider-Man’s web or the Three-Dimensional Maneuvering Team of Attack the titans. We can even use them to tame beasts.
We can run sprints, balance in the air, access very high points, make fleeting escapes and, in combat, access new and brutal movements for each weapon that we can also equip or exchange. Accentuating more and better one of the keys of the game: constantly encourage us to experiment while we find our style.
On the other hand, in addition to the Felyne comrades, in Monster Hunter Rise the Canyne comrades make an appearance, which not only provides support in combat but also serve as mounts, speeding up tracking and exploration, simplifying minor combats and, making that the persecutions are more intense. Not to mention, of course, the advantage of reaching the monster to beat without being with the resistance bar at minimum.
Unsurprisingly, Monster Hunter World’s new mobility techniques and legacy of the same grand setting without separate zones also affect biome design. While it would be very unfair to equate the level of detail and quality of finishes with those seen on Xbox and PlayStation, they benefit from a formidable verticality and are more and better suited to exploration.
And best of all: Monster Hunter Rise is a visual joy on Switch, whether we play on a TV or play on a laptop.
Capcom has not limited itself to doing the tasks but has set out to raise its own bar from Nintendo Switch
In addition, Monster Hunter Rise has a kind of photo mode: our protagonist can take photos that he will save in the game and we can even keep them on the Switch reel. It even has a generous series of gestures.
Although where Capcom takes the cake is in the village itself. A place that exudes life and color, lending itself to fantastic photography in the process.
As a curious fact, if we take pictures of the Monsters we can use them to complement the bestiary of the game. Which is a huge detail. Of course, going back to the finishes, it shows that Capcom has put a very special pampering on each bit of Monster Hunter Rise mapping.
In fact, each biome not only has an exceptional finish that speaks for itself if we approach the highest points, but it manifests its life by showing the behaviours of the Great Monsters of the game from a distance. After all, it is essential in the face of the inevitable persecution.
And what about textures and patterns? We can say that Capcom and its engine have adapted wonderfully to the limits of Switch, finding total redemption compared to what was seen in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (and its finishes that showed its origin from 3DS) although, logically, the detail of MH World on Xbox Series X.
And yet, beyond its spectacular presentation, it also highlights that during our games we have not experienced any performance drops or problems that take us out of the game. Monster Hunter Rise doesn’t hit 60fps, but it goes the way it should go: steady and silky smooth, despite monsters’ glorious level of detail and new mobility options.
Capcom has not limited itself to doing the tasks but has set out to raise its own bar from Nintendo Switch. Of course, he has also dared to propose interesting novelties taking advantage of the new plot context on which the experience itself revolves: Frenzy.
Beyond the Hunt: Kamura’s Glorious Counterattack!
Monster Hunter Rise seeks to be the new standard-bearer of the saga itself, and Capcom knows that to achieve this it is not enough to incorporate successful new features in the playable. Thus, the village of Kamura is not only the starting point of our raids and we will forge weapons; rather, its walls are a brutal battlefield.
The plot of Monster Hunter Rise places us before the resurgence of a catastrophe: half a century ago, a phenomenon known as the Frenzy caused waves of great monsters to sweep over Kamura, causing chaos and destruction. Today that calamity reappears, but the villagers are prepared to fight it.
In addition to the village progress quests, raids, and gathering room quests, Monster Hunter Ris and incorporates the Frenzy quests. A survival test with a Tower Defense tinge in which we must defend the village walls from hordes of large tonnage creatures while positioning facilities such as turrets and traps. A true festival of destruction.
During the process, we will be able to trigger traps, place automatic weapons and even take control of powerful turrets. We can even invite other warriors from the village to take part in the impending massacre.
Logically, we can also use in these missions one of the new features implemented in Monster Hunter Rise: the mounting of wyverns. Using the chordoptera we can tame and attack the back of wild creatures. And although the playability of the wyvern mount is not up to the rest of the game, the damage that we can cause is atrocious.
In the end it all adds up, and in Monster Hunter Rise all our progress and materials obtained will be used to improve our weapons, our armour and those of our comrades. In fact, and as in previous instalments, the improvement of equipment will become our priority, inviting us more and more directly to start games in order to obtain a certain material that can only be obtained from a creature.
For its part, there is a story advancing at our own pace. Accessing the village missions we will see how a plot unfolds that revolves around the Frenzy itself, the defence lines of the village and a colossus that feeds on the evil that is generated during it: the brutal Wyvern of Magnamalo Fang.
We must measure ourselves with him sooner or later, of course. But, as is logical, and like any ARPG, little by little we will see that our progress is subject to our statistics and the figures of the equipment we carry. Luckily, as we already said, in Monster Hunter Rise there are always tons of missions and activities to do and reasons to improve.
And not only that, Capcom has integrated a new training room in which we will not only be able to master each weapon in the game, which is outrageous and very varied, but we will also be invited to experiment with the possibilities of the chordoptera. A total success.
Of course, multiplayer is an essential part of the experience itself. Monster Hunter Rise offers through its shortcuts Chat options, emojis and communication systems. And best of all is the way the access points are implemented. Of course, hunting among several is even better and more fun and generates a greater addiction to an experience that is already ten.
VidaExtra’s opinion
Monster Hunter Rise is a console seller in its own right and, best of all: one of the best titles in the Nintendo Switch catalogue. Not only because it is an action RPG formula forged over decades and perfected with new very successful contributions, but because of its way of achieving excellence as a game.
Its presentation or its superb gameplay are quantifiable measures of the great milestone achieved by Capcom in Monster Hunter Rise, of course, but how it penetrates the player is a separate issue. How the game constantly invites you to hook one game to the next. Rewarding every achievement. Challenging yourself a little more with each defeat. Trapping you, in the best of senses, with every milestone.
Monster Hunter Rise is everything expected of a saga considered cult. And even more
Part of this merit comes from the presence of his monsters. Spectacular, epic and fierce until the end. Facing them is an experience as intense as it is sensational. Even seeing two or more of them collide from a distance is quite a sight. And sharing games locally or online amplifies those feelings.
There are aspects that perhaps deserved to have been captured with a little more ambition. El Frenzy is a show, of course, but as a general rule, and except for the sections involved in the story, it feels more like a submode than a mega event. And the control of the wyvern domes could have perhaps been improved a little more.
And despite the fact that the Switch’s design is ergonomic in platform games, the Joy-Cons are going to suffer a lot at times of maximum tension. In the most desperate battles. But, of course, Monster Hunter Rise can’t do anything there.
And yet, the feelings of Monster Hunter Rise could not be more positive. The mobility and the Canyes comrades give new and successful nuances to the set that must remain in future instalments. And the Magnamalo is one of those flagship beasts called to leave a powerful impact on the saga.
Monster Hunter Rise is everything that is expected of a saga considered a cult and even more. Capcom delights in pushing the Switch to its limits with an action RPG proposal that is imposed as a must-see for Monster Hunter fans around the world. Positioning it preferably on the previous deliveries. Because, above all the above, Monster Hunter Rise is epicity made video game.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| A masterful action and role experience Visually spectacular: the monsters are epic and the settings are rich in depth The mobility news is the future of the saga Tons of hours of play that are best enjoyed in the company | Although you can enjoy a wonderful time on your laptop, your Joy Con will suffer a lot |
Monster Hunter Rise: System Requirements (Minimum)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4460, 3.20GHz or AMD FX-6300
- CPU SPEED: Info
- RAM: 8 GB
- OS: WINDOWS 7, 8, 8.1, 10 (64-bit required)
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD Radeon R7 260x (VRAM 2GB)
- PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
- VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
- FREE DISK SPACE: 20 GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
Monster Hunter Rise: Recommended Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i7 3770 3.4GHz or Intel Core i3 8350 4GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- CPU SPEED: Info
- RAM: 8 GB
- OS: WINDOWS 7, 8, 8.1, 10 (64-bit required)
- VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (VRAM 3GB) or AMD Radeon RX 570X (VRAM 4GB)
- PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
- VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
- FREE DISK SPACE: 20 GB
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 3072 MB
