The popular Japanese Monster Hunter series returns and this time it returns with a strong effort as Capcom pushes for a stronger presence in the West. Monster Hunter World is the first main series title to release on Xbox aswell as the first title to allow cross-region cooperative play between Japan and the west, uniting the world playerbase for the first time in the series' history. This latest entry makes attempts to welcome new players and keep the large and dedicated fanbase of the series happy at the same time, which is no easy task considering this is now the fifth generation of main series Monster Hunter games. Monster Hunter World is also my first forray into the legendary RPG series and after playing it I wonder how it has taken me so long to finally get on bord with the series.
The heart of Monster Hunter World is its combat and everything that entails. There are 14 different weapon types available - 11 of which are melee options with the remaining three adding range to your weaponry. The mechanics of the combat feels solid with a number of combos and small nuances to allow for player improvement with the different types of weapons, the lack of attack cancelling also makes the combat slightly more like a Dark Souls game were any over zealous attacking can be swiftly punished. Behind the attacking and the different weaponry lies stats: all weapons, all pieces of armour, skills and attacks have numbers attached. The most skilled monster hunters will become familiar with the stats and build the most effective and capable hunter available, this again gives new and old players alike a future aim to be the best hunter they can be.
Monster Hunter World does an excellent job of easing new players into its system of tracking, hunt and fighting gigantic monsters. The game eases players in with detailed little tutorials explaining what to do and what different things mean as you progress in the game, the games complexity is also left on the back-burner for much of the games early hours. It doesn't an excellent job of letting you experience the game at your own pace especially with the plethora of side missions and investigations that can be undertaken which again make the game that much easier to get to grips with. Not to say the combat can't be challenging, but you'll be free to hunt incredible monsters in the beautiful open world well before any complaints over frustratingly difficult encounters.
The game is visually stunning, especially on the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, with a lovely palette of colours varying in the distinctly different environments. The frame rate is very solid with only minor drops being felt in the most intense action filled segments, with the majority even then running as smoothly as one could hope. The only issue graphically is the same to plague every ambitiously graphical game really, item clipping mainly noticeable on weapons and armour clipping into one another. This is sadly an irritant we have to put up with in all games though, even in masterpieces like Witcher 3.
In my gameplay the experiences whilst out hunting were quite varied and nothing can top the moment of hunting your first big monster just for an even bigger monster to interrupt and start a turf war. The game itself be it tracking, collecting, hunting or fighting is immensely enjoyable and very well-developed. The slow build up in the game from your novice beginnings through to being a master hunter is excellently paced with different intricacies being added as you progress and new layers of the game to learn aswell. Monster Hunter World does a fantastic job of bringing you into the world and allowing you to get the best experience you can.
One big element to this game and the franchise as a whole is the loot style of the game, killing monsters to harvest what you can from their body to then craft new fancy gear so that you can go out and hunt again and move on to more powerful mosters. It seems a very simple cycle but the very well thought out crafting and large range of materials usable in crafting makes the experience an enjoyable and rewarding one with many hours worth of repeating the process to keep building your perfect hunter. Other games with similar mechanics to these like Destiny 2 fall into the pitfall of being too repetitive, in Monster Hunter world although you will technically be repeating the same process over and over again it never seems to get old. The environments look stunning with plenty of depth to be explored and the excellent combat varies with every monster you encounter meaning no matter how many hours in the game still feels fresh and fun.
However in Monster Hunter World if a challenge feels just to great to be overcome you can always ask for the aid of fellow hunters. You can hunt and slay monsters with up to three other players and work cooperatively to kill the monster in your path. An experience that is frankly even more enjoyable than in singleplayer, killing monsters with friends or random players through matchmaking adds another layer to the game, especially as the sense of comradery between the hunters is excellent with everyone fighting the same goal. Although finding games within co-op can be quite awkward. You can post a quest open to the public or private for friends and let others join you that way, you could search for a quest to join as you aid a fellow hunter or you can swoop to the rescue by responding to another hunters SOS signal. whichever way you play co-op in Monster Hunter World is fast, fun and frantic!
Overall Monster Hunter World is a brilliant experience for the new hunters and the experienced veteran hunters alike. The newest entry is one of the best RPGs you will probably ever play, and the most inviting experience Monster Hunter has ever offered. After my first time playing a Monster Hunter it is clear to see why the series has such a large fanbase and after the wider release and easier accessibility I anticipate the fanbase will grow far larger for the future. For anyone with a yearning for slaying massive monsters with equally large weapons you must buy this title, equally anyone that likes a vivid environment, excellent and sometimes punishing combat, a different kind of loot game or an excellent RPG, Monster Hunter World is perfect for you. Overall I would give Monster Hunter World a 9.5/10. It is an incredible game with a wonderful experience I would recommend to anyone and everyone.