Ricky Savoca

A phenomenal entry point into the series for newcomers and one of the better Monster Hunter games in recent memory. I love the new wire bug and switch mechanics, they really help to round out certain weapons. As an insect glaive main I was disappointed to find some pretty significant nerfs when compared to mhw/iceborn. This feels more like the older games than world did but its a nice blend between the two styles. Some people may not be happy to hear that the game has been massively streamlined and simplified but honestly there is still plenty of complexity if you want to be a top player. The truth is, this just makes the game more accessible to newcomers and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. One thing that bugged me about this game as well as mhw was the general difficulty of the monsters, it's pretty low when compared with the older games. Iceborn tried to compensate for this by making everything hit like a truck but that's not exactly what I'm looking for. MH Rise is wicked fun and the gameplay loop is addictive as all heck, this is a Monster Hunter game that you don't have to sink 300 hours into just to learn all of the mechanics properly, this new generation of Monster Hunter games are really something special, pick it up and enjoy the ride.

[SPOILER FREE] This game is kind of like those burgers that you see in McDonald's commercials, they look great but they're made from plastic and glue. The game is visually stunning but unfortunately the story is a generic revenge plot that is told in a way that is beyond sub par. It takes beloved characters and forces them to behave uncharacteristically in service to a contrived plot that reeks of pretentiousness. The story itself tells events out of order and from multiple perspectives in an attempt to make you feel the consequences of your actions. This is poorly executed and actions that you took 6 hours ago which held no weight to them prior to context are suddenly thrown back in your face but by this time we've already moved on, it's too late to care. The attempt at humanizing the game's villain falls flat and becomes infuriating after a certain amount of time, we are forced to play as the primary antagonist of the game for around 10 hours during which time we are mercilessly beaten over the head with attempts to show that this character is just a regular human being with relationships and problems not so different to Joel and Ellie, which is accentuated not so subtly by flashbacks in which the two lead characters of the game are shown in near identical situations. The problem with this attempt at humanization is that the group in discussion has committed an act that will make the vast majority of players loathe the thought of their existence, let alone the attempt at redemption. The attempt itself is also poorly executed often relying on situations in which the characters are shown caring for animals or children. It's as if Niel Druckmann suddenly forgot how to write a compelling character without using crutches. Character development in game is essentially non existent, the story being told doesn't allow for much growth by either of our lead characters as it's told in a relatively short period (3 days). The supporting cast is well acted but we are never given enough time with these characters to learn anything about them or develop any sort of attachment despite them being rather important to the narrative. The dialogue between characters feels forced and messy and as a consequence their relationships feel unbelievable. The ending is one of the bigger issues I had with the game, It's drawn out and nonsensical all in order to hammer home the absolutely groundbreaking message that this game delivers which is essentially that revenge is bad. Genius, I know. This point was more than sufficiently hammered in throughout the story and the ending did not need to be compromised to give us another example of how terrible revenge is. This story should have been told within the same universe but with original characters, at least then it would only be a sub par sequel and not an insult to the characters that we know and adore, as well as the audience that purchased this game based on the good will that Naughty Dog earned with the original. If you have any love or nostalgia towards "The Last of Us" then don't play this game, it will alter your perception of the characters and leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. Knowing where this story leads will likely make it more difficult to enjoy the original game for the masterpiece that it was.