Monster Hunter Rise is the game we’ve enjoyed playing with friends the most this year. For more of our awards, visit our Game of the Year 2022 (opens in a new tab) page.
Sean Martin, Guides Writer: Rise is the perfect Monster Hunter: a game for those who love deep weapon mechanics and building, and also those who just want to punch a monster in the face with a big sword. I’ve beaten 367 hunts with my beloved Insect Glaive and still feel like I’m discovering its little quirks. Like its weapons, Monster Hunter Rise is easy to learn, difficult to master, and that’s what makes it accessible to new players while offering the series’ signature complexity to those who set out to find it.
It’s also impressive how Capcom continues to support and streamline the game. Since the launch of its Sunbreak expansion and the PC port, we’ve had an ever-deadlier array of monsters join the fray, as well as an infinite endgame loop that allows you to reroll armor and refine your weapons. Even after 200 hours, I still haven’t unlocked the last Urgent Quest monster, and by then there will likely be even more to fight.
I may never beat every monster in Rise, but as with other great co-op games like Deep Rock Galactic or Vermintide 2, it’s such a treat to have the game out there for you to dive into in a hunt. At its core, it’s you and your friends working together to take down a fearsome creature. In its most complex form, it’s about dismantling a monster with almost mathematical precision as you coordinate through status ailments, resistances, part breaks, and skills. Whichever you choose is up to you, but the fact that both are possible is what makes Rise special.
Mollie Taylor, News Writer: Monster Hunter: Rise does a great job of streamlining what made World great, providing a more accessible and nimble experience than its predecessor. Additions like the wirebug let you get around the monster effortlessly, and while the weapons still retain a ton of depth and control, they feel much easier to pick up and work well. Longtime Monster Hunter fans will find the same fun entertainment there has always been, while newcomers will appreciate the game’s willingness to welcome them to the series.
Phil Savage, UK editor: Rise is one of the few co-op games where I can easily hang out with random players and still be sure to have a good time. Yes, I could tackle hub quests solo, or even with friends, but I love mixing it up with a team of hunters of varying skills and loadouts. Every hunt brings something different: maybe I’m helping a struggling team get a desperate kill, or watching in awe as a pure master of Rise’s expressive combat system absolutely tears down a beast giantess. Where Monster Hunter: World might feel clunky in co-op, Rise is frictionless and makes playing with others a joy.
Rich Stanton, Editor: The way Capcom streamlined the Monster Hunter co-op experience in Rise/Sunbreak has one huge consequence: I don’t play it anymore. I’m a regular hunter now and there would always come the point where your group of friends would start falling apart after 80 hours (lightweights) and you’d spend years hanging around the G rank waiting for help to fight a Tygrex. With Rise, it’s so simple to come in and do exactly what you want it almost seems illicit, and Monster Hunter’s unique mechanics are so suited to non-verbal communication with randoms that you can instantly be in a fight. complex, coordinating perfectly with three other skilled hunters to take down something dreadful. Monster Hunter with others has always been amazing, but it’s the best it’s ever been.