It’s been almost a full year since our first meeting with Monster Hunter Rise. In the aftermath of an intense and revolutionary experience like the one offered by the World chapter released on PC and last generation consoles, Capcom is back to collaborate with Nintendo to bring the new main chapter of this beloved action / RPG series exclusively to Switch , generating a certain discontent among those who consider the hardware of the small hybrid of the big N ‘limiting’, at least in terms of technical implementation.
To the test of the facts, however, with the exception of some more washed out textures, some less detailed landscapes and a frame-rate blocked at thirty frames per second, Monster Hunter Rise has presented itself to the appointment with its fervent community of Hunters in an excellent state of form, both from the point of view of gameplay and aesthetics.
The transition from the immortal MT Framework (graphics engine that has historically supported any episode of the Monster Hunter saga) to the futuristic and scalable RE Engine has allowed the series to make a generational leap forward even on a less performing console such as Nintendo. Switch.
Thanks also to an artistic direction in a state of grace and to some intelligent implementations in the now consolidated play structure of the brand, Rise has been able to collect unanimous acclaim from critics and the public by adding a further piece in the large mosaic of successes that Capcom is composing for some years now (net of a few small missteps, of course).
The ancestral battle between Hunters and Monsters, however, does not seem destined to subside any time soon. In recent weeks, the Japanese publisher has raised the curtain on a substantial expansion for Rise called Sunbreak which, according to the various press releases released for the occasion, should replicate the very high quality and content standards brought to the screen by Iceborne, the never too acclaimed DLC dedicated to Monster Hunter World.
But that’s not all: in conjunction with the announcement of Sunbreak (scheduled for the summer of next year), Capcom has finally unveiled the release date of Monster Hunter Rise on PC, set for January 12, 2022.
This version, highly anticipated by the most avid fans of the series, will bring with it a package substantially similar to the one released on Switch but will also be able to count on a plethora of technical preciousness that could add further value to an already quite commendable offer.
Support for 4K resolution, the introduction of high definition assets and support for higher refresh rates are just some of the new features that the PC edition of Rise brings to the table and, frankly, we couldn’t wait to deliver. a look at the beautiful settings of Monster Hunter Rise on a good hardware configuration.
Fortunately we did not have to wait long: thanks to an early access code provided by the manufacturer, we had the opportunity to get our hands on this new edition of Monster Hunter Rise in order to test the important work of visual modernization and to understand if what is good seen on the hybrid of Nintendo will be transposed without problems also on the PC platform.
Let’s start by saying that the demo in our possession, in a completely similar way to the one released at the time on the Nintendo eShop, gave us access to three different missions with an increasing level of difficulty: the undemanding hunt for the Gran Izuchi, the far more fearsome clash with the sinuous Mizutsune and, to finish with a flourish, the wearying war of friction with the powerful Magnamalo, the ravenous fanged wyvern that stands out on the title cover.
In order to provide you with as complete a view as possible of what you will find in stores starting from January 12, we have faced each of the missions several times in order to have a complete picture of the technical improvements that will accompany the release of this new version of He laughed. And you can believe it when we tell you that these are transformative changes to say the least.
From the first start it is easy to see how the implementation of HD textures has benefited the general look of the latest effort by the team directed by Yasunori Ichinose. Looking closely at the armor and the paraphernalia supplied to our Hunter, you can see countless details that, inevitably, have been left out in the Switch version. The textures of the fabrics of the clothes, the finishes and the ornaments present on the blades but also the other materials used for the creation of the armor now appear noticeably sharper and cleaner than in the past and, even on an average PC configuration, the difference is really tangible.
This speech can be extended, of course, also to the models of the monsters that in this version enjoy a series of visual precautions simply impossible to obtain on the Nintendo hybrid. The back of the Mizutsune, for example, shows a dense plumage of vibrant colors that dominates a scaled armor never so defined before while the purple fur on the tail and abdomen becomes realistically wet when the creature comes into contact with the ‘water.
The Magnamalo, for its part, appears even more threatening and dominant than what was seen on the Switch since the new high-resolution assets emphasize more the sharp and cutting edges of the carapace as well as the danger of the claws, fangs and pointed tail.
The work done in updating the particle effects is also excellent, now present in a much greater number and free from the constraints imposed by the previous hardware.
Let’s face it, we are still talking about a title built around the technical characteristics of a console notoriously lacking in performance, therefore you should not expect a visually flawless product, but we like to note how the Capcom developers have managed to give Monster Hunter Laughed a truly ‘next-gen’ aspect in view of its landing on PC.
That said, just like the proverbial icing on the cake, there remains perhaps the most exciting element of this re-release of Rise: support for higher frame-rate levels that allow the game to run at 144fps (provided you have available a monitor that supports these refresh rates).
We tested this Monster Hunter Rise demo on both a higher-end PC configuration and a slightly lower-level PC and the results, net of some inevitable compromise in quality presets, were equally astounding. The extreme scalability of the RE Engine paves the way for a smooth and uncertain gaming experience, even in the most agitated combat situations.
Although we had promoted the granite 30fps seen on Switch due to a preponderant stability that guaranteed a rather pleasant navigation in the various game environments, the 144fps support of the PC version is a real godsend that alone would be enough to justify a second. purchase of this latest iteration of Capcom’s action / RPG saga.
Ultimately, if you’ve never had the chance to experience Rise and its revolutionary movement system, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. The PC version grants access to 4K resolution, new HD assets, the highest frame-rate ever and even support for ultrawide monitors, configuring itself, in effect, as the best possible way to enjoy the video. experience offered by this extraordinary episode of Monster Hunter. Do we really need to add more?