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What’s new in Monster Hunter Rise?

Get the lowdown on all the new locations, mechanics and monsters!

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The next instalment in Capcom’s incredibly popular Monster Hunter franchise is only a few days away. And this time it’s a Nintendo Switch exclusive. We can’t wait! Fans of Monster Hunter already know the games are a ton of fun. And for those that aren’t familiar, here’s the gist.

You play as (surprise, surprise) a monster hunter, taking out a whole menagerie of terrifying beasties. Each monster has its own set of strengths and weaknesses that you’ll need to zero in on to defeat. Kill one monster and you’ll get cool upgrades to your weapons, armour and skills that’ll help you take on the next challenge.

But monsters aside- the story’s rich, the locations are beautiful and the gameplay is awesome. It’s no wonder the last game in the series, Monster Hunter: World, won Best RPG Game at the Game Awards 2018.

And Monster Hunter Rise already has game reviewers everywhere buzzing. Not just because of Monster Hunter’s legacy. But there are a whole load of amazing new locations, mechanics and monsters! Let’s check them out.

A whole world to explore

Like Monster Hunter: World, Rise is an open world game, meaning that you can explore a fully developed, intricate map without any loading screens between areas. Rise has got all the different environment types you could possibly hope for. Icy tundras, arid desserts, lush forests, crumbling shrines and temples – all of it in beautiful detail. And that of course has a knock-on effect for the monsters that lurk there, making battles even more epic as you and your enemies interact with the landscape.

Plus, there’s the game’s hub: Kamura Village. Capcom have gone with a distinctly Japanese vibe for the village and the people who live there. The detail is really impressive and it’s a great base to get everything your character needs.

Palamutes, a new canine friend

Buddying up with a companion is nothing new for the Monster Hunter games. Having a Palico (a cute cat that walks on its hind legs and helps out with quests) is one of the reasons fans love the games so much. And, don’t worry, Palicos are still very much a feature in Rise. But now there’s a new companion in town!

Palamute is Palico’s doggy counterpart. Ignoring the fact that dogs (real or virtual) are always welcome, the Palamute has some pretty great tricks up its sleeve. You can ride your Palamute, helping you explore faster and without spending your own stamina. They can even climb walls and cliffs! And they’ll help you take down monsters too. Customise their weapons, their armour and you’ve got one seriously tough battle companion.

Wirebugs, explore even more

Ever wonder why it’s called Rise? Well, Wirebugs are your answer. It’s a brand-new gameplay mechanic that takes Monster Hunter to new heights. Literally.

Wirebugs are kind of like grappling hooks, allowing your character to scale mountains and buildings. Kind of like Spider Man. But there’s an extra twist. They also work mid-air, basically letting you fly around freely!

This opens up a whole new level to combat too. Wirebugs allow for special moves on monsters, called silk bind attacks. With a silk bind attack you can whizz around your opponent or wrap them in silk, disabling them. Pretty cool.

Ride Wyverns!

If you don’t know the lingo don’t worry - a Wyvern is a type of dragon. So, yes, that’s right - you can ride a dragon in Rise. Once you’ve performed a certain amount of silk bind attacks on one, you can then control it using the strings like a puppet. You can even fight other monsters while on your Wyvern!

Rampage, a new battle type

Rampages are exactly what they sound like. Mega monster invasions where loads of beasts descend on Kamura Village. And it’s up to you to stop them! These battles are challenging but look really fun. Especially since you get to use heavy duty weapons like cannons and ballista to survive them.

New monsters

Of course, no Monster Hunter game would be complete without some extra enemies to face off against. Rise sees the return of old favourites like Diablos and Tigrex. But there are some excellent new additions too.

Take the game’s flagship monster, Mangamalo- a massive armoured, clawed and fanged terror with a spear-like tail. Or the mischievous and acrobatic winged Bishaten. There are loads of monsters to discover and fight in Rise- but we won’t spoil them all here!

Check out and pre-order the Nintendo Switch: Monster Hunter Rise Edition here.

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