Debuting in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, the action role-playing franchise Monster Hunter has since become one of the most well-known Capcom titles and a series well-loved by its fans. Now, monsters of all shapes and sizes will return in March 2021 with the release of Monster Hunter Rise.
Ready your weapon and warm yourself up to become the predator of these beasts. Luckily, while you wait for the official release, you can feast your eyes on these selections of similar games to help quench your thirst to hunt.
1. Dauntless
Dauntless is a role-playing action game available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android and PC. Like in Monster Hunter, your goal is to slay the monster or, in this game’s case, behemoth, that is terrorizing the world your character calls home. Dauntless is free to play, meaning you do not need to spend a single dollar on it, but it does come with a pass that involves many cool quirks and items if you’re interested.
The gameplay in Dauntless appears faster and less complicated than Monster Hunter, so it is great for beginners if you want to try out action role-playing games like this. There are seven weapons to choose from and many behemoths to hunt. The game gets updated every hunt pass, so do not worry about doing the same tasks over and over. It also has cross-play, so you can play Dauntless at your computer, your console and even on the go. Feel free to fight by yourself or join up with friends in this thrilling release.
2. Monster Hunter: World
Want to try a Monster Hunter game instead? Try Monster Hunter: World; it is on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. This edition introduced many newcomers to the Monster Hunter series with its user-friendly mechanics, and it is the most recent Monster Hunter game before the soon-to-arrive Monster Hunter Rise.
Become a hunter in the new world and slay monsters in thriving ecosystems alone or with other players. Like with all Monster Hunter games, you’ll take quests hunting a variety of beasts with a selection of 14 weapons. Along the way, you will gather materials on your hunt, which will create better weapons and armor to take on more difficult monsters. You can purchase Monster Hunter World by itself, but the game’s additional downloadable content (DLC), Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, received massive praise and is worth the price. Longtime fans and even newcomers are still playing this selection. Join up with the rest of the hunters if you wish to slay while you wait.
3. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
One of the classic games from the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate was originally on the 3DS but then was brought to the Nintendo Switch with even more to offer than its predecessor — such as G-Rank Hunts that have even harder monsters. Compared to Monster Hunter World, it is a lot more traditional, and it is harder to learn as a beginner. But once you get used to the mechanics and gameplay, you’ll become a seasoned hunter like the rest. It also has less enhanced graphics because it was brought from a less powerful console, but it still holds up as one of the franchise’s best games.
There are many monsters to hunt: 93 in total, which gives the game the most significant roster and makes it one of the most challenging games in the series. It also brings in new mechanics that no other Monster Hunter game has, including the ability to control your palico (a Felyne that helps you in battle) and hunter arts that bring more to the table for gameplay. Not to mention, the face of the game is a dragon that is literally a jet-engine monster. You won’t have that in Monster Hunter World. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate feels like an end of a past era for the Monster Hunter franchise, but you will still have a blast playing it.
4. Monster Hunter Rise Demo
Monster Hunter Rise will be a mixture of Monster Hunter World’s newer gameplay while keeping some of the old-fashioned features of other games like Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. But what if you just want to play Monster Hunter Rise? Then there is the demo itself. You could have downloaded it before Feb. 1, but for now, it is no longer available in the Nintendo eShop.
If you do have it, you can keep playing the demo until the game arrives, try out the missions and get a good feel of the weapons, monsters and mechanics. I suggest you try out the hunting horn. It is considered underrated because of how difficult it can be to master such a powerful “support” weapon (it is not really a support weapon, but it is considered one). But in the demo, it is now one of the most potent weapons, and it is user-friendly. I say the Bard army is now rising, and no longer will they be considered lesser than the other hunters. Join the club, bash monsters’ skulls in and play a solo on a sick guitar at the same time.
You can play the demo 30 times before it forces you to stop. However, there is a way to prevent this from happening. Go to data management in system settings, go to save data, and delete your save data. It will be a pain to adjust your settings again, but then you can play the demo all you want and try everything there. You can even try to speedrun the game; I’ve seen veterans of the franchise slay monsters exceedingly fast.
These three titles, plus the demo, are games you can play while you wait, but don’t forget the many more similar games and other Monster Hunter installments like Monster Hunter Tri, which is considered the kickstarter to the franchise. The series is one of the best, with so much to offer and a loving community that will help guide you if you wish to become a hunter like them. Want to learn how to become a hunter? Follow the path players have walked before and rise to become an exceptional hunter before the rampage of monsters arrives in Monster Hunter Rise.
