Nintendo recently unveiled two Monster Hunter games that are coming to the Switch. The first is Monster Hunter Stories 2, which is a sequel to the original game that launched for the 3DS. The second, Monster Hunter Rise, is far more interesting in my opinion. It’s built in the same engine as Resident Evil 7, and looks like it’ll be a single player version of the incredible Monster Hunter World.
I’ve been keeping an eye on this game ever since it was announced, and I’m now more convinced than ever that it’s something really special. It seems to have combined worlds, the same as those in Monster Hunter World, which are living and active all around the player. Monsters interact with one another, and if all you do is observe, then you’ll see things play out in totally different ways to how they would with your influence. No area in a map is disconnected form another, so you’ll never had a single ‘room’ filled with smaller enemies, you’ve got monsters to deal with everywhere.
While there does look to be multiplayer in this game, I don’t think it’s as much of a focus as it is in Monster Hunter World. I actually think it’s more the opposite. There’s way more focus on your hunter, and their pets, as they work their way through the story. Of course the game still has everything that a Monster Hunter game should do, eating lots of meat, killing lots of monsters, and clunky combat, but it’s also an evolution of the series.
This is the first time that Capcom has taken this semi-open world approach to a smaller game outside of Monster Hunter World. They know that they’ve hit their stride with that MMO, and they’re now taking that gameplay and are applying it to a single player Switch title that will appeal to the masses.
For too long the Switch has been without a good new Monster Hunter game. It’s had a few remakes, but they’re nothing compared to what us fans are used to from Monster Hunter World. Hopefully this game lives up to everything it looks to be now, and brings that incredible Monster Hunter feeling home.
