Monster Hunter Rise Critic Reviews

Monster Hunter Rise is, put simply, the very best Monster Hunter game to date. Everything it does, it does well, and everything it doesn't do is just around the corner. It's a beautiful, enjoyable, exciting game, taking all the best parts of World and combining it with all the best parts of classic Monster Hunter, then adding a swathe of new features, monsters, play-styles, and more. It's a sharp incline for the series, a rise to the top if you'll forgive the pun, and it's likely to entertain and captivate for weeks, months, and years on end. If you only ever play one Monster Hunter game in your life, make it this one.

Monster Hunter Rise is a success built on years of gradual improvements, but it also takes some giant Wirebug leaps forward to deliver an unforgettable and endlessly thrilling adventure. This is a new contender for the best game on Switch.

While the essential component of repeatedly hunting monsters remains the same, the action elements have been refined with the introduction of the Wirebug and Switch Skill systems, and even monsters from previous games offer a fresh hunting challenge. The new Rampage mode, where the player must battle multiple large monsters at once, offers a stunning balance of difficulty and variety.

Monster Hunter has gone from strength to strength over the years, and Monster Hunter World in particular felt like a high point for the series. But Monster Hunter Rise manages to one-up even that ambitious game. A renewed focus on vertical level design and mobility take everything that makes Monster Hunter work to new heights (pun absolutely intended), and the Japanese inspiration gives this latest outing a very different, very impressive new sense of style, but without forgetting the series’ roots. Truly, Rise is Monster Hunter at its absolute best.

This is the game that the Monster Hunter franchise should have been all along. The annoying parts of the experience that were retained due to tradition have finally been stripped away, leaving a polished, enjoyable experience for newcomers that will make long-time fans equally happy. Monster Hunter Rise is Monster Hunter at its finest.

When you consider all of these new additions on top of the solid foundation of Monster Hunter World, what you’re left with is the best Monster Hunter game around. This game is as close to perfect as we’ve had yet, and assuming it gets a lot of post-launch support, we’re in for an incredibly exciting new era of Monster Hunter, and one that brings back some of the bombastic absurdity that World omitted.

Monster Hunter Rise thus exceeded every expectation I had. It’s just as, if not more fun than World, and that’s saying a lot. Whether you are a veteran hunter or you’ve never laid eyes on the series before, you owe it to yourself to at least try it. It is absolutely among the best games on the Switch. It’s also a technical achievement for the platform and a system seller. You could wait for the PC version, but why? Play Rise now, and play it again then if you’ve got a gaming PC. A game so nice I’d buy it twice!

Monster Hunter Rise does more than rise to the occasion: it utterly outdoes itself. Monster Hunter Rise as it stands might be one of the easiest games in the series, but it's also one of the most flexible and ultimately satisfying in each and every regard, and for that, it deserves full marks.

Monster Hunter Rise delivers as the ultimate Monster Hunter experience. With an abundance of elements that make it uniquely related to the other games of the franchise, it also brings back the best in each entry, both in gameplay and in the roster of monsters. It is a must play for anyone who likes action games.

Monster Hunter Rise is a step forward. In the absence of more content in terms of monsters (the promise of more additions allows us to be optimistic), all its new features make its gameplay the most enjoyable so far. Alone or accompanied, veteran or novice, Rise convinces in all its facets.

Monster Hunter Rise shows a tremendous amount of progress in terms of game design and accessibility, even after the great strides that Monster Hunter World made in those fields, and continues to improve upon itself with interesting ideas like the new monsters and the Wirebug – this game is a must buy.

By carefully mixing the most successful features of Monster Hunter: World, the "classic" structure of the old episodes, as well as a tasty roundup of novelties and sensational improvements to the quality of life, such as the Canyne and the wire insects, the Tsujimoto team he managed to synthesize an almost perfect play formula.

Monster Hunter Rise brings enough quality of life improvements that it’s arguably better than World was at launch. A strong line-up of monsters, loads of stuff to grind through, and the series’ highest level of accessibility to date make Rise one of the Switch’s best games and an absolute must-have for series fans.

Monster Hunter Rise is everything I had hoped it would be, and more. It’s welcoming to beginners while still retaining that deep core experience that longtime players know and love. It’s challenging, but never in ways that feel unfair or cruel. And the attention to the details that are meant to keep one smiling is something you don’t see too often. Every inch of Rise plays like it’s the culmination of the series’ best ideas. Subsequently, I’m enormously excited to continue my journey in discovering what else Capcom has crammed into the game. I’m 20 hours in, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. So, excuse me, my next hunt awaits.

Monster Hunter Rise pulls the best features from past games to create an experience that feels particularly tuned for a handheld system. With plenty of quality-of-life improvements and several fun new mechanics, Rise pushes the franchise forward while retaining all of the depth and fun that fans expect. Another stellar release from Capcom.

Monster Hunter Rise is shaping up to be my favourite Monster Hunter to date. From the fluid and in-depth gameplay, to the ingeniously designed new monsters, to the insanely fun gimmicks that add new levels of mobility, Capcom has outdone themselves with their latest entry in the franchise yet again.

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.

Monster Hunter Rise is absolutely phenomenal. It will be a worthy contender for GOTY but could easily be discussed as Game of the System.

Capcom does it yet again and elevates its franchise above and beyond. A fantastic new entry in a series that keeps delivering new monsters for old and new hunters.

Monster Hunter Rise marks the beginning of a new era for the series' pocket adventures, finally free from the antiquated mechanics that the previous chapter, Generations Ultimate, brought with it.