With Monster Hunter World now Capcom’s most profitable sport of all time, a direct sequel appears like an inevitability. Let’s check out some upgrades and adjustments that would make it the sequence’ greatest sport thus far…
As somebody who has been an enormous fan of the Monster Hunter sequence ever for the reason that very first launch on PlayStation 2, I’ve actually loved seeing it not solely break into the mainstream, however go completely nuts and grow to be the largest Capcom sport of all time. That is no imply feat if you’re up in opposition to the likes of Road Fighter and Resident Evil — industry-defining franchises, to say the least — however I am all the time up for theory-crafting methods for one of the best sport to get even bester. Rise’s main growth Sunbreak is due subsequent month, after which you’d count on Capcom to be ready to start out speaking about the place the sequence goes subsequent, and rumours recommend that we might have already seen World’s successor have been it not for the small matter of a worldwide pandemic slowing sport growth around the globe. With all of that in thoughts, let’s load up the Gunlance and get into it!
Monster Hunter World 2 ought to deliver again leviathans
Capcom reportedly tried out among the sequence’ most well-known leviathan-type monsters forward of World’s launch, however struggled to make them work. Monster Hunter Tri poster boy Lagiacrus would have been chief amongst these, however having seen Monster Hunter Rise introduce new monsters with comparable skeletons like Drampa Almudron, issues are trying fairly good for this distinctive monster sort. Even with out the underwater fight of Tri, Lagiacrus was nonetheless a cool struggle in later video games and I believe it is time we get to see an ultra-HD model of the toothy, zappy sea beast. I truly would not hate it if Capcom determined to deliver again underwater encounters too, if solely as a result of I need to see my boy Gobul once more — we’ve some unfinished enterprise. Certain, subaquatic fights have been a bit of sketchy in Tri, however they weren’t far off being good, so I consider it is one thing Capcom may deliver again… simply not one thing I am assured sufficient to present its personal part right here. As a substitute, let’s preserve the deal with the Lengthy Bois as there’s loads they might add to the sport, and actually are already including to Rise, to not point out earlier video games. Mizutsune is an superior struggle, Nibelsnarf is superb meme gas, and Agnaktor is principally only a model of Lavasioth that’s truly enjoyable, so let’s get these creatures again within the sport, or at the very least new ones that share that very same form of physique sort.
Prowler mode in MH World 2, please
14 fully distinctive weapon sorts is a improbable unfold, positive, however we’re nonetheless lacking one ‘weapon’ that’s provably numerous enjoyable. Monster Hunter Generations added Prowler mode as successfully a fifteenth weapon class, however in actuality, it was an entire new playable character: the trusty Felyne. World already has Palico companions with their very own distinctive gear units, instruments, and customized animations, so that you’d think about making them playable would not be an excessive amount of further work for the workforce. The payoff is improbable, too — Prowlers supply wonderful utility due to all of the totally different instruments they’ll pack, plus they have been invaluable in gathering quests attributable to not needing to depend on a finite quantity of fragile pickaxes and bug nets. That second half would not be so huge a deal since World already made nice quality-of-life adjustments to gathering, however there’s one other main issue that makes Prowlers interesting. These fuzzy associates won’t pack as a lot of a punch as among the beefier hunter weapons, however their survivability is second to none due to them successfully having 9 lives — with two self-revives per faint, they principally should get splattered thrice earlier than they cart as soon as, making them an excellent newbie’s choice or backup character to deliver to a struggle you are still studying. As long as you’ll be able to put up with their fixed meowing, these little guys make an excellent addition to the sport, and sending a four-stack of fancy cats up in opposition to a large wyvern is endlessly entertaining. And noisy. So, so noisy…
Bin off the crown achievements
Achievements primarily based on RNG often suck, however this dastardly pair of Monster Hunter World achievements would be the loss of life of me. I’ve performed 1000’s of hours of World on PS4, and these two stay the one issues stopping me from getting the platinum. ‘Many monsters’ truly means all monsters that do not have a hard and fast dimension, plus monster dimension is totally random (exterior of some occasion quests that assure big or tiny enemies, and a few others that supposedly enhance the possibility of crown-worthy foes) and it is not even like you’ll be able to actually eyeball it and simply stop out if you discover that your quarry is simply too common in dimension. As a substitute, you hunt them again and again, hoping to see that little crown on the outcomes display so you’ll be able to tick yet another monster off the lengthy listing. Iceborne admittedly made these a bit of simpler as for a lot of of them, you’ll be able to load into Low Rank quests together with your loopy Grasp Rank loadouts and produce them down in seconds, however it simply feels much more like a grind when it takes longer to discover a monster than it does to kill it. Additionally, Iceborne giveth and it taketh away, introducing one other set of crown achievements tied to its new Grasp Rank monsters, and there isn’t any solution to do them anyplace close to as rapidly because the OG ones. I am all for a little bit of a grind, particularly in video games like this, however you should not be capable of rack up 2,000+ hours in a sport and nonetheless not have the completion to indicate for it. That is simply loopy.
Monster Hunter nonetheless wants higher onboarding
I’ve misplaced depend of the variety of individuals I’ve carried by means of World, instructing them the mechanics and nuances of the sport that Capcom did not appear to really feel the necessity to clarify, and serving to them perceive simply why it is so rattling good. World admittedly made strides to enhance on this regard, with issues like armour abilities a lot simpler to know than in earlier video games, however it nonetheless is not sufficient. One fast repair could be so as to add combating game-style ‘trials’ for every weapon that stroll you thru their bread-and-butter combos, situational assaults (comparable to Hammer’s aerial flip from a slide), and the person gimmicks of every sort. There’s nonetheless extra that may very well be executed by way of visibility on armour abilities, as many nonetheless describe their results in obscure phrases that are not numerous assist, and even an non-obligatory 1* quest that holds new gamers’ palms by means of a typical hunt to introduce them to the loop correctly would go a good distance. Any adjustments Capcom could make to interrupt down the limitations to entry would do wonders for World’s follow-up, though it is all the time going to be a tricky balancing act — Rise made many weapon sorts manner simpler to make use of and even went too far in some situations, comparable to taking Searching Horn from one of many hardest however most rewarding weapons to play properly, to being completely braindead and having a loop so fundamental that it simply stopped being enjoyable to make use of. A part of that is on gamers to present the sport an opportunity and determine issues out on their very own, however there is definitely room for enchancment on Capcom’s half right here as properly.
Take the Palamutes to the kennels
Considered one of Rise’s key new options was the addition of a second ally character within the Palamute, a canine companion who helps with each fight and traversal, since you’ll be able to trip them to get across the map quicker. I would not be averse to them returning in the event that they solely did the latter, as quicker motion will all the time be welcome in video games the place the play areas are as huge as World’s. However I believe they make an excessive amount of of a large number in fight to deliver them again in that capability, particularly in multiplayer hunts. With 4 hunters and 4 canine all going nuts, hunts can degenerate into absolute mosh pits the place you’ll be able to’t make out what the hell is happening, particularly if you’re coping with smaller monsters. Palamute assaults in Rise are additionally linked to hunter actions, making them naturally a lot stronger with some weapon sorts than others — gradual hit-and-run builds cannot profit practically as a lot from that form of system as, say, a nimble Twin Blades person who not often cease smashing the assault button. They have been one of some elements that contributed to creating Rise manner too simple, too (I believe I solely carted like twice in my complete playthrough), so I believe it’s going to be for one of the best if we do not see them in World’s true successor, or maybe get them purely as mounts for that beautiful motion velocity enhance out of fight however dismiss them after we get off nearly like an MMO mount. Thoughts you, Iceborne already launched just about precisely that function within the Raider Journey, so we’ll see if Capcom fancies rebranding it within the subsequent sport.
Extra distinctive weapons
One of many principal criticisms hurled at Monster Hunter World when it first launched was followers complaining that numerous the attention-grabbing weapon designs primarily based on the monsters from which they use components have been misplaced, with numerous World’s weapons being little greater than the inventory bone or ore fashions, accented with just a few claws, fangs, scales, or no matter. A few of these did change to distinctive designs additional alongside the improve tree, however there did not appear to be numerous consistency by way of which monsters acquired bespoke gear, with even among the Elder Dragon weapons having that very same fundamental design with just a few monster bits slapped on. As such, followers of specific monsters or weapons discovered that a few of their favourites from older video games did not make the lower, changed with these a lot less complicated weapon designs that did not have practically as a lot character or enchantment. This was improved in Iceborne — the growth being all endgame content material naturally meant that each one new gear got here in a while the improve tree, and most acquired bespoke designs this time round — however hopefully it is one thing that Capcom can nail first trip with World’s successor. It is clearly a ton of labor to create a full line of unique weapons for each single boss monster within the sport (in addition to a bunch of others not linked on to a single creature), however that backlash proves that it is one thing that followers have come to count on from the sequence.
Hold the subspecies coming
In the event you although making a set of weapons for every monster was an enormous endeavor, think about how a lot effort and time goes into bringing the monsters themselves to life. It is a labour of affection and naturally implies that we will solely have so many distinctive monsters per launch… however what in the event that they did not should be distinctive? One of many nice issues about Monster Hunter is its capacity to introduce variations of present bosses, which may nonetheless supply wonderful worth merely with just a few tweaks to the encounter and a brand new set of substances to craft. This will occur on a per-monster stage (such because the Raths getting their Pink/Azure and Gold/Silver subspecies), or on a system stage, like with World’s Tempered monsters that supplied more difficult hunts with out altering issues up an excessive amount of. Generations truly took this a step additional with its Deviant monster reworks — together with Generations Final giving us the splendidly named Massacre Diablos — to ship extra intense variations of present monsters, and these may even be ranked up individually to make them progressively extra lethal in return for higher rewards. Level is, not each monster must be fully unique, and whereas Capcom does a very good job of well repurposing a few of its monsters, there’s probably much more room right here to create a wider roster with out an excessive amount of additional effort. Even simply the brand new gear you could possibly make out of them would make all of it worthwhile for blended set lovers like myself who love piecing collectively an armour set the place all of the perks simply come collectively completely.
Get the gimmick fights proper
One-off particular fights are one thing that Monster Hunter has a little bit of a hit-and-miss observe report with, however World’s ‘epic’ struggle with huge boss Zorah Magdaros is without doubt one of the weaker ones of current instances. Clambering round on the again of a blazing kaiju ought to be not possible to make boring, however Capcom discovered a manner — this struggle is principally simply operating round a volcano and hitting some rocks, then retreating to land and blasting away with cannons and ballistae for ages till the massive brute both falls over or goes residence. It is massively underwhelming as the primary boss for the primary portion of the sport, and whereas the true last boss is a significantly better encounter, it is also a extra simple one. If we glance elsewhere within the sequence, we discover some genuinely unimaginable ‘gimmick’ fights — Generations Final’s ridiculous Ahtal-Ka super-boss stays one in all my favourites, if just for the best way it begins out as a fairly unassuming neopteron however quickly exhibits it true kind by digging up and puppeteering equipment to create its very personal mech swimsuit. Going additional again, Tri’s Jhen Mohran was one other excellent instance of occasion hunts executed properly, with the sand whale leaping over your ship and offering an intense and attention-grabbing mix of weapon and gadget fight. World already proved it may get unique fights proper with the very good and ingenious Kulve Taroth and Safi’jiiva sieges, so extra of that in World’s follow-up could be welcome certainly.
I may preserve this up all day, however these are the details the place I believe Capcom may stand to construct on one in all final era’s greatest video games, so I am going to go away it there and head again to the Gathering Hub. What do you hope to see in Capcom’s inevitable follow-up to Monster Hunter World’s roaring success? Get within the feedback and hit us up together with your greatest concepts!
