Monster Hunter: World review – Capcom classic returns to form, but not without its issues
Monster Hunter: World was released on January 26 in the UK as the latest instalment in the popular RPG series. Find out all you need to know about the game here.
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MONSTER Hunter: World is a challenging but rewarding blast through an alien world that is frustrating at times but incredible once you’re through the learning curve.
Fans of the series will be happy with the title as it’s more of what they’ve come to expect from Capcom, but in a slicker package that makes good use of the latest consoles’ capabilities.
Monster Hunter: World review (Xbox One)
Available formats: PS4, XBox One
A couple of hours into playing Monster Hunter: World, my poor hunter had already been trampled into the dirt three times and I was starting to wonder if I’d set to the difficulty to impossible by accident.
As a newcomer to the series, I quickly realised that this game takes no prisoners.
After a fairly short introduction that sees you and a band of fellow hunters transported across an ocean from the Old World to the New, you’re dropped onto an uncompromising island that you’re tasked with exploring, mapping and ultimately, mastering.
But it’s not an easy ride from newbie to experienced monster hunter. The franchise is notoriously inaccessible to new players, and despite efforts by the developers to make this game more inviting to novices, it’s still no picnic.
You’re not given a whole lot in way of combat instruction before you’re thrown up against your first sets of beasts, and it can be quite overwhelming trying to work out any of the controls while getting mauled by a pack of club-headed dinosaurs.
However, for those willing to persevere, it does get better.
Once you’ve got your head around the combat mechanics and better understand when to fight and when to run away screaming, the areas you’re tasked with exploring start becoming a prehistoric playground.
By and large, traversing the maps is simple enough as you’re guided to certain objectives by a trail of luminescent fireflies.
The mechanics are good too as your hunter dashes, jumps and slides their way around the world in a fashion somewhere between Assassin’s Creed and Gears of War.
From your home base, you're assigned a variety of different quests and objectives to complete, although they mostly involve a variation of, you guessed it, hunting monsters.
At the start of the game you’re introduced to Zorah Magdaros, a towering foe that’s part dragon, part volcano, who wrecks your ship and causes all-round carnage in the New World.
But if you want to fight the gigantic magma beast, first you’ll have to hack, slash and shoot your way through an estimated 40 hours of gameplay. If you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, this game is for you.
The hunts themselves range from short bursts of tracking with fairly quick executions, to gruelling battles with enormous beasts that take a fair bit of planning, skill and luck to overcome.
The maps provide you with different opportunities to take down your quarry, and with a variety of NPCs roaming the landscape, it’s not uncommon for your hunt to be interrupted by another, larger beast getting in on the action and forcing you to rethink your approach.
The strategies for each enemy can change radically depending on the weapon you choose. From heavy weapons with charge attacks, to run-and-shoot crossbows, every weapon set feels as though you’re completely altering the class of your hero.
With each kill and each mission completed, you get a chance to craft more and better gear from the parts of the monsters you’ve taken down, and you’re given a nice variety of weaponry and armour with which to do your slaying.
You also get to heavily customise your Palico, a cute little cat creature that aids you all the way through the game by distracting your enemies and providing you with healing potions and ammo.
Frankly, I felt like my Palico was doing most of the heavy lifting in my time playing the game and the monsters spent more time attacking it than me as they recognised the greater threat.
But there’s something to be said for a game that challenges you as frequently as Monster Hunter World.
In many RPG titles, overcoming even a fairly tricky enemy isn’t a big deal.
But in this game, bringing down a larger enemy after a 20 minute battle invites a fist pump and a sense of achievement.
That said, if you want to have an easier time playing Monster Hunter, multiplayer is recommended.
Most missions are available to play in a party from one to four, and working in a team to take down some of the tougher monsters is a lot more enjoyable than slogging it out by yourself.
With the various classes of weapons and armour, creating a balanced squad for each mission is a must and adds a tactical element to the game that makes the hunt even more rewarding.
Also, if you’re taking on a mission by yourself, but find yourself getting battered by a larger monster, you can send up an SOS flare that encourages other players join your session and aid your cause.
Monster Hunter: World review verdict – 'thrilling'
At its best, it's outstanding, offering players the chance to crash around a well-designed world full of exciting enemies and beautiful backdrops.
At its worst, it’s maddeningly frustrating, and I couldn't help wish the developers spent just a bit longer knocking together a tutorial.
Ultimately, if you’re willing to forgive Monster Hunter's steep learning curve and overwhelming set of menus, you’re rewarded with a thrilling game that delivers on the promise of fast-paced action and a rewarding progression system.
The actual story behind the main campaign probably won’t live long in the memory, but that’s not the worst thing as it simply serves to get you into the action as fast as possible.
While this title won’t be for everyone, and it certainly feels like a grind at points, I’d recommend it to anyone that’s looking for a challenge and wants something a bit different to a standard RPG.
Where can I buy Monster Hunter: World?
The game ordinarily retails at £49.99, however we've seen it sold for as little as £41.99 at .
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You can buy it from:
Monster Hunter: World at Smyths –
Monster Hunter: World at Gameseek –
Monster Hunter: World at ShopTo –