The Weekly 'What are you playing?' Discussion
The Weekly 'What are you playing?' Discussion
Have you been spending hours trying to pass a level? Or maybe you are completely addicted to a newly bought game. Do you have a question about a game or would like to share something else? In the Weekly Discussion Thread, you can do it all!
Please don’t forget to use the spoiler tag as soon as you start talking about a storyline.
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Gave Valheim another shot.
The last couple times I've tried it I struggled picking up momentum and progressing in the game, as the initial tutorial seems to be missing a few key steps so I end up spinning my wheels not knowing what to do next.
This time I had Christmas break time to fuck around and find out. Pushed through the initial hurdles and actually made decent progress, including soloing the first boss. It's a solid game so far, but it could communicate its expectations a bit more clearly.
I picked up Monster Hunter World again last night after playing some Dark Souls Remastered and itching for more of that style combat. I forgot how much better it was than Rise, and I never got around to playing Iceborne. Having a lot of fun with the new stuff, and I think it'll be my default game this week.
I don't know what it was about Rise but something about it just didn't suit me. Out of the 3 MH games I've played (GU, World and Rise) Rise was by far the fastest I've dropped a MH game. World and Iceborne were excellent, my only two criticisms of Iceborne is having to use the clutch claw and doing Lance dirty. You need to commit a lot of skills to make Lance viable and then even with optimal play you're doing only average dps. Oh and and let's give late game monsters unblockable attacks so we could also remove the one thing that lance has over every other weapon, defense. So just a heads up if you're one of the rare lance players. Charge blade however, chefs kiss, by far my favorite archetype in Iceborne.
For me my issues with Rise are two-fold.
One, it's because it was designed for the Switch and based off the handheld version of the game, so they were working under stricter hardware limitations and could afford to sacrifice fidelity. This felt like a step backwards after we were spoiled by how detailed and vibrant World felt. The environments just felt more artificial and "gamey" where World felt like an actual place with real creatures interacting with each other in believable ways.
Two, it's because I don't much like the wire-bugs. They feel out of place in Monster Hunter because they're just a bit too OP and magical. I'm not a fan of the more fantastical elements MH has been introducing. I like the series being more grounded, and I felt World hit the balance nicely with the weapons and tools being fun and "anime" without being so over the top they break verisimilitude.
Both are minor complaints. Rise is still a great game and I did play it for a good while on the Switch, it's just not scratching the MH itch like World does.
You don’t like fantastical elements in a world full of magical fantastical monsters? What?
Right. It's a silly argument, I know, but I've been playing Monster Hunter since the original on the PS2. It had a particular vibe back then which has been slowly eroding away over the years as power creep and new, more flashy weapons and moves take the stage.
It's not all bad change, but I am one of the curmudgeons that still thinks the insect glaive is a bit over the top for the series and that the newer entries are making the game a bit too easy with too much in-combat QoL improvements.
Interesting. I see where you’re coming from, as I played MH on PS2 and loved it. However I find all the QoL changes refreshing. New ways to play offer more flexibility and options to new people, and the game only works if others are playing it. I hated how clunky most weapons were, how hard it was just to find the damn monster, how clunky the inventory system was and it was practically impossible to figure out what I needed for upgrades without a spreadsheet. Just a different perspective I guess. More verticality and more movement options is always better, that’s why I love Rise’s formula.
Rise is the best one yet. Improves on the old formula in every way.
I have to assume you didn't play World because Monster Hunter World made the biggest changes to the old formula, Rise is based on the changes made in World. Unless you for some reason think Wirebugs and Palamutes are the best thing ever then it's very likely those improvements came from World and not Rise.
I played the shit out of world and even beat Iceborne. Wirebugs and palamute riding IS the best thing ever. The verticality of the maps is amazing
So if GU had wirebugs and palamutes and more verticality in areas that would've made it the best MH in the world and would've been a bigger change to the formula than World?
No, now you’re just being reductive.
I'm being reductive? You said rise is the best one yet and you said that wirebugs, verticality and palamutes are the best thing ever. I merely took what you said and asked if the last game in the old formula would become the best if it had the things you claimed make the best MH game. If that's reductive then you've been reductive.
Feel free to list all things exclusive to Rise you think make Rise the best MH game to date, then imagine all those things in GU and say if you think that would then make GU the best MH even if it has no improvements from World.
I'm not saying Rise is a bad game, if you like Rise more than World then that's fine by me. I'm just saying give credit where credit is due. World walked so Rise could fly.