Pretty much just a bit of an update to my original review being able to finally give my thoughts on the game after a year of it being out and all the dlc/post launch support being done.
So a year later my thoughts on this haven't really changed much although it's definitely a much more positive experience than I had with World by its first year. Rise's real biggest problem is that it really did launch as an unfinished game with missing monsters that could have easily been there from launch and were ultimately added in as "new" monsters in updates. This coupled with the really weak event quests (pretty sure only the USJ one gave actual new gear that wasn't just a layred set) and post launch support that lets be honest finished with Valstrax and Allmother should leave the most sour taste in my mouth and it kind of does, but MAN this is just so much funner to play than World was lmfao. The wirebug shit is as fun and dope as it was at launch and Wyvern Riding is just so much better than mashing triangle for upwards of 45 seconds when I can just end the mount in 1 to 3 wall slams that take respectively at most 5 seconds to perform if you go for all 3. The ATMOSPHERE (punctuated by the incredible score) of this game too it's unpalpable and unmatched by any other game of this type. Kamura is probably the best village area in these games since Bherna in Generations just love love love the absolute good vibes constantly emanating from it even with the threat of imminent destruction. Which in a way whether accidentally or not ties back to the more laid back (and faster) item/monster parts gathering and quick to the action quest set up the devs aimed for with this. Sunbreak better end with you heading back and being welcomed home by everyone like the last episode of an anime.
Cannot stress enough as well that while most of the event quest rewards are weak as fuck and even some of the events themselves can be kind of lackluster the fact I don't have to look at a monthly schedule for them and potentially miss out on something actually nice (the Sonic crossover and Super Apex/Monsters quests were so good) and I can just drop the game for months without worry to play something else just feels so damn nice. I cannot hate a game that lets me dress as Akuma and punch the shit out of dragons and big monkeys.
Also, I'm just gonna say? Monster Hunter doesn't need some endgame that artificially extends the game forever. We didn't really have that for a while and everything was fine. Games don't need to go on forever, and sometimes the best thing to do is finally be able to feel satisfied with what you've done, put down the controller, remove the disc or cartridge and move on to a new experience.
So, is it the best Monster Hunter game? No, fuck no lmfao. But is it top tier Monster Hunter? Absolutely. 100% the next generation leap for Monster Hunter I was actually hoping for World to be with a gorgeous art direction that actually captures the stylized anime look of the concept art and doesn't look like everything was lathered in Vaseline and grease. If this game is a spiritual successor to MHP3rd which is easily one of the best games in the series with a very similar size roster of monsters and arguably better if not on par with the actual third generation games G-Rank expansion then I hope Sunbreak is the G-Rank expansion P3rd never sadly got to have.
I think I'll definitely be spending a lot more time in Kamura and soon Elgado come June and hopefully in the near and far future not unlike many of my other favorite Monster Hunter games I eventually return to.
And yes I do still think Goss Harag is the best new monster AND YES I do still wish to cum inside Hinoa and Minoto.
So a year later my thoughts on this haven't really changed much although it's definitely a much more positive experience than I had with World by its first year. Rise's real biggest problem is that it really did launch as an unfinished game with missing monsters that could have easily been there from launch and were ultimately added in as "new" monsters in updates. This coupled with the really weak event quests (pretty sure only the USJ one gave actual new gear that wasn't just a layred set) and post launch support that lets be honest finished with Valstrax and Allmother should leave the most sour taste in my mouth and it kind of does, but MAN this is just so much funner to play than World was lmfao. The wirebug shit is as fun and dope as it was at launch and Wyvern Riding is just so much better than mashing triangle for upwards of 45 seconds when I can just end the mount in 1 to 3 wall slams that take respectively at most 5 seconds to perform if you go for all 3. The ATMOSPHERE (punctuated by the incredible score) of this game too it's unpalpable and unmatched by any other game of this type. Kamura is probably the best village area in these games since Bherna in Generations just love love love the absolute good vibes constantly emanating from it even with the threat of imminent destruction. Which in a way whether accidentally or not ties back to the more laid back (and faster) item/monster parts gathering and quick to the action quest set up the devs aimed for with this. Sunbreak better end with you heading back and being welcomed home by everyone like the last episode of an anime.
Cannot stress enough as well that while most of the event quest rewards are weak as fuck and even some of the events themselves can be kind of lackluster the fact I don't have to look at a monthly schedule for them and potentially miss out on something actually nice (the Sonic crossover and Super Apex/Monsters quests were so good) and I can just drop the game for months without worry to play something else just feels so damn nice. I cannot hate a game that lets me dress as Akuma and punch the shit out of dragons and big monkeys.
Also, I'm just gonna say? Monster Hunter doesn't need some endgame that artificially extends the game forever. We didn't really have that for a while and everything was fine. Games don't need to go on forever, and sometimes the best thing to do is finally be able to feel satisfied with what you've done, put down the controller, remove the disc or cartridge and move on to a new experience.
So, is it the best Monster Hunter game? No, fuck no lmfao. But is it top tier Monster Hunter? Absolutely. 100% the next generation leap for Monster Hunter I was actually hoping for World to be with a gorgeous art direction that actually captures the stylized anime look of the concept art and doesn't look like everything was lathered in Vaseline and grease. If this game is a spiritual successor to MHP3rd which is easily one of the best games in the series with a very similar size roster of monsters and arguably better if not on par with the actual third generation games G-Rank expansion then I hope Sunbreak is the G-Rank expansion P3rd never sadly got to have.
I think I'll definitely be spending a lot more time in Kamura and soon Elgado come June and hopefully in the near and far future not unlike many of my other favorite Monster Hunter games I eventually return to.
And yes I do still think Goss Harag is the best new monster AND YES I do still wish to cum inside Hinoa and Minoto.