✧˖° Monster Hunter Rise °˖✧ Release Thread

All other video games not related to the main farming series - Pokemon, Stardew Valley, My Time at Portia, and other indie-developed games.
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Bluie
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Image
Story Trailer:
Digital Event Trailer:
Notable New/Returning Features:
Spoiler:
  • * New companion Palamute - Dog that you can ride into battle and fight along side you
    * Returning Companion Palico - Cat that will buff/heal you and fight along side you
    * New Exploration item Wirebug - Allows you jump, launch yourself seamlessly, and scale locales (basically Spiderman)
    * Rampage Mode - A Survival mode with siege weapons and NPC support
    * Wyvern Riding - Allows you to ride and control monsters via the Wirebug for a limited time
    * Weapon Skills - Various skills to use to dodge or hit monsters
    * Seamless world with no loading between areas
    * Endemic life will grant various boosts if interacted with (birds, skunks, bugs, ect)
    * You may take one of your animal companions with you into multiplayer regardless of party size
    * Voice acting languages will be available in Japanese, English, and Monster Hunter Language(gibberish)
    * 11 new monsters to hunt and a total of 58 monsters to fight at launch with many more to be added via free update
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This week on Friday the 26th, Monster Hunter Rise launches on the Nintendo Switch. While I'm not sure how many of us on Ushi play Monster Hunter, this title is going to be one of the Switch's big hits in 2021, if not the biggest. The series used to be fairly niche in the West (very not so much in Japan - it's very popular over there), insomuch Capcom went through a phase of not localizing main entries in the series, until Nintendo bought it's exclusivity on 3DS and we received three mainline entries + one expanded version on Switch. With the most recent title, Monster Hunter World, being on PS4, XBOX ONE, and PC, it boosted the series into the mainstream becoming the best selling game in the series (over 16.8 million copies sold) and Capcom's best selling game ever in their history.

Now, if you've watched trailers and it's not your thing but you're wondering why this series is so appealing to so many (or if you're tentatively interested and not sure how to approach this series), it can be boiled down to two main things; rewarding gameplay and fun customization. Monster Hunter is very much a series where you are hunting wild beasts with your weapons and your wits. While each beast does have it's combat patterns, there is so much that factors into each fight that keeps it fresh. There are 14 different weapon types to choose from, all completely different from each other and all completely versatile in any fight. Combat is stylish and tight, and once you get used to it, you keep getting better and more skilled, preparing yourself for the next big foe.

As for customization, you will be creating your own character, and all of your stats are connected to your armor, which is made via the drops and carves you get from killing monsters. Armor sets can be anywhere from hilariously awful looking, to amazingly fantastical. They're upgradeable, dyeable, and you can transmog/glam them (basically making your current set look like another) so you can look as silly or as fashionista as you like while taking down a giant dragon. You companions are also completely customizable to their abilities and their appearances. Palicoes and Palimutes (cats and dogs, respectively) are your party members when playing solo and they are both adorable and equally sharing your zeal for hunting and fashion.

Multiplayer is also very, very big, but not required. The stories in Monster Hunter games are very 'big monster is going to destroy something, so go kill it before it does' or 'something is making the monsters act weird, so figure out what's going on', so most people don't play it for a riveting narrative. Making a hunting party and taking down monsters with friends is a fun pastime, especially since you're ranked for how much/well you hunt, making it easier to find people on your wavelength. Monster Hunter Stories 2, releasing on July 9th this year, is a traditional turn based JRPG in the Monster Hunter universe, and that maybe be more your speed if nothing I said here piques your interest. I'll be sure to make a thread for it when the time comes as well.

I am (obviously) very excited for this title. I've been playing the series since Monster Hunter Unite on PSP and I've played every localized entry since then. At first I hated it not being my standard JRPG fare, but grew to love it. It also connected me with the love of my life and many friends as well, so it has a special place in my heart. I'd also like to say that while I did dunk on the weak story of the series, the games are still very beautiful, have fun characters, and are very lore rich, so there is more there for those who are looking for a little bit more than the gameplay loop.

Anywho, enough from me! Happy Hunting!
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Panda Parfait
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I'm very excited! I've always had a bit of an interest in the series, but found it daunting and never got around to actually playing it until MH: World. I was really overwhelmed by the demo and thought it wasn't for me, but for some reason I still ended up buying it and once everything clicked I loved it. I never got around to the DLC and stuff, but I did finish the main game and played for about 80 hours. With this one being portable, I'm hoping it will have more longevity for me.

I did forget most of what I learned in World, though, so trying to remember everything should be interesting. My main weapon was the light bowgun, not sure if I'll stick with it or try something else now.
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Bluie
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Huzzah! A kindred spirit!

When it clicks, it just does! Mine was when I finally managed to take down a monster I'd been struggling with, which was honestly one of the weakest big monsters in the game, but it showed me that it was possible that I could play the game as intended. From then on it was all about getting the best armor for the next big monster and it got even more fun with friends.

I've mained bow for every entry I've played, but I'm tired of it now. I'm most likely going to go dual blades as I was considering Long Sword, but I just know I'd be prone to tripping my party while going ham on a monster tail. Dual blades seem mobile and easy to use, so I'll definitely work on mastering them.

One thing I am gonna miss is the Prowler mode from Generations, as it was the only other 'weapon type' I dabbled in, mainly because you could play as a cat. It'd be nice for it to come back in a future entry.
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Panda Parfait
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Oh, bow was one of the options I was considering! Heavy bowgun and hunting horn are in consideration for me as well, though I'll have to really test them all out to decide. I had some trouble getting used to the slower weapons, but I see that they have more movement options in this game, so maybe I'll finally give one of them a go. I am wary about melee because, yeah, the tripping. I remember going in to set up bombs with the bowgun and basically getting stunlocked lol.

Can't wait for tomorrow! I'll probably waste pretty much all of the first day of release on the character creator, as is typical for me.
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freckles
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Preordered this yesterday and am very excited!!!! >:D can't wait for the puppers!
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JayDucky03
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So excited to pick this up, hopefully tomorrow. I also adore the Palico amiibo and might splurge on it. ^_^ This will be my first Monster Hunter game and I’m looking forward to it.
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Bluie
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Taking a quick break from playing to give some impressions. It's very fun and very streamlined. As a veteran to the series, it feels a little too easy at times, but at the same time, not everyone has been eating the series for breakfast for the past 10+ years. It also doesn't mean that I haven't fainted, I got bodied by an invading monster waltzing in while I was fighting another. ALSO, all the older monsters still have all their same movesets from the previous games, so it's become very muscle memory in some instances. The NEW monsters is where it's at because they have all been fantastic so far as I stumble through their mechanics. I have to laugh at how fast monsters YEET away from you in this entry when they run. I guess they had to incentivize the doggos somehow besides exploration, because you NEED to ride them to catch up with your fleeing prey.

Multiplayer is absolutely wild this time around. I didn't play too much of World, but the whole concept of just dropping into someone's hunt at any time in their progress has made some interesting results. I had one time where I was the only one who dropped in to a hunt and they quest poster was ignoring the monster in favor of collecting items (dude, there's EXPEDITION MISSIONS again! Use them!!!) so, I beat it around until he finally decided to join me, and then he fainted and it was this third time so we failed lmao. Another time, I dropped in and there was already 3 others fighting the monster. By the time I reach them, I poked the thing with my daggers ONCE and it died. Yaaay, free materials! Comparing it to the last entry I spent 100 hours on, Generations, this system is flawed, but ultimately better than making a room and praying people join you for a hunt you've yet to start. Also, PRAISE THE ELDER DRAGONS, everyone who does the urgent quest has it count, not just the quest poster! That « Puppy Doodoo » made me SO IRRITATED from MH3U-Gen. I don't want to fight the same superboss 4 times! Once for everyone is good and how it always should have been!

I may need to turn down some effects or something, because when 4 hunters + their companions corner a monster and start wailing on it, it gets really hard to see what I'm doing, making it real easy to get slapped around. I'm also really not sold on the wirebug yet combat wise. I always forget to use it when I'm toppled due to the previous entries basically saying 'tough cookies, lie there until you recover and pray you don't get bodied'. The dual knives ninja run also makes it kinda useless when its easier and safer to sprint over to the monster, rather than vaulting myself into danger. IDK, it's only been a day, so I might get the hang of it eventually.

On non mechanics side: The setting is very nice, the characters are standard form but bursting with personality, and the music is FANTASTIC. I may never get another Toukiden, but this sure as hell is filling in the void.

P.S. - I don't miss poogie at all. Cahoots are cuter and not brats when you pet them! I do slightly miss Moofy though. I love video game sheep. :sheep:
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Panda Parfait
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Tried out a bunch of weapons, and settled on the hunting horn! Its been streamlined a lot and is way easier to use now. I'm really enjoying it, and I've mostly been playing with a friend so its been super useful.

I'm finding the game really easy so far as well. Fights feel very short compared to what I'm used to. I'm still pretty early in, obviously, so the difficultly has plenty of time to ramp up... but I do hope it does. I'm having fun, but I'd like it to be a little bit harder. Right now I'm basically able to just go ham on everything and not really worry about dying.

Some of the combat wirebug skills are super hard to use properly. I'm getting a hang of the close ranged one on the hunting horn, but I just can't judge the distance of the ranged one that brings you in closer. I think more often than not I'm completely whiffing the attack and getting smacked because I'm stuck in the animation lol.
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Bluie
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Yessss, I made it to High Rank in the hub! My main goal in the game was to unlock armor dye, and now that I have it, I'm going to leisurely tackle the rest of the game. The more I think about it, the more I'm OK with base game being easy, because updates and DLC will be coming and that's where the difficulty will be. I'm having a blast just spending time with the game, so I'm pretty satisfied all around.

My family who has either been playing with me or just watching are in awe of the little details they put into the game. The village feels especially alive as many of the characters will move around the village and interact with each other, or at least have different actions and poses when interacted with sometimes. There's scenes in certain areas you can trigger and they're really great in breathing life into it all. Previous game's hubs really only changed if a new NPC was hanging around (GOSH I still remember the absolute weirded out feeling I got when the Witcher dude was casually hanging around my hub in World - what are you even doing here???). Plus the game is just very pretty! None of the locales are stunning, but you can feel the effort put into them. I love finding all the secret nooks and crannies!

I'm defs interested in what the collab armors are going to be this time around. Previous entries went ham (Generations specifically) with anime armor sets, but there was also Nintendo content (Several Link outfits and his weapons + Marth/Lucina outfits and their weapons + Samus + her weapon), actual outfits you could buy in real life from Uniqlo, and then specially designed armor from companies like Square Enix. The thing that sucked about them all was they were all so bad to use in end game, it sorta defeated the purpose of even having them (to show off / cosplay). If we do end up getting them again this time around (and I feel that we will) I hope they're layered armor so we can transmog/glam them.
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Panda Parfait
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I'm at hub rank 5 now. Not sure how high it goes, but I'm slowly getting through high rank. Switched to bow for the time being because I got a bit bored of hunting horn. I'm really liking it! Takes some getting used to but the feeling of side stepping right before getting hit is very satisfying. The wirebug skill that launches you into the air is super fun as well.

Now that I'm in high rank, I'm pretty comfortable with the difficulty. The village stuff was easy, but I'm assuming they made it that way so that the game is more welcoming to newcomers, because the series can be very overwhelming to get into. I personally found it boring, but it probably wasn't designed with someone like me in mind, so that's okay. I'm very much enjoying what the hub has to offer.

The game is beautiful and packed with little details! I also love how animated everyone is. The little cutscenes (eating dango, sending off Meowcenaries, the monster intros, etc.) are so damn charming and full of personality.

Also, love the palamutes. I wasn't sure about them pre-release, but having a mount is great and they're so cute. My only complaint is that they make multiplayer even more of a mess because they're huge, so there's essentially 7 other human-sized targets and I can't see a damn thing when they're all crowding around the monster.

I am DESPERATE for layered armor. The mishmash of gear I'm wearing is absolutely hideous and I don't even know if the specific skill I'm using them for is obtainable on any other armor. Pls save me from this Tetranadon chest piece, Capcom.
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