Monster Hunter Rise PC Starter Guide: Get Up to Speed Quickly!

Monster Hunter Rise PC is here, with classic returning monsters, new monsters inspired by Japanese folklore, an exciting new storyline, 14 different weapon types that offer unique gameplay styles, a full four person squad or the chance to hunt solo, and fun new Wyvern Riding systems combat options, this is your chance to become the ultimate hunter! Monster Hunt has, historically, always been one of the more obtuse games for new players to jump headfirst into. This has certainly been the case with previous Monster Hunter adventures, including the objectively phenomenal MH: World. You'll forgive us, then, for thinking that the issue may well be endemic to the franchise, and just one of those things that newbies will need to deal with. I mean, it's not surprising things may get tricky when you have countless monsters attack you, especially such ferocious monsters! As this Monster Hunter Rise PC starter guide aims to prove, though, Capcom has made massive strides in the core onboarding experience.

When we say 'massive', though, we mean it. MH: Rise is, by and far, the single most approachable Monster Hunter game we've seen yet. It's snappy, intuitive, and will - eventually - show you everything you need to know about how to battle fearsome monsters via good UI and UX, and sensible early-game content.

If you need just a bit more direction than that, though, or if you're interested in how it all works out in the first couple of hours of the game, you've come to just the right place. With this Monster Hunter Rise PC starter primer, we'll show you all the things you, too, ought to do before heading off on your monster-killing adventure. Trust us, this will come in handy before you set off to hunt the all-new creatures inspired by Japanese folklore!

The nuances you'll need to get on your own, of course. We're just here to give you a nudge in the right direction. After all, Monster Hunter Rise, too, is almost unbelievably large and loaded with content. Getting lost during the onboarding experience is... confusing, to say the least.

Monster Hunter Rise PC Starter Guide: Your Shortlist of Must-Dos and Must-Haves

As we had previously discussed right here at 2Game, Monster Hunter: Rise is emblematic of its franchise in all the best ways. The game is slightly simpler and more streamlined than, say, World was, but for the better. The good people over at Capcom who worked on Rise seem to have had an ax to grind with tedium, because most of it is gone.

If you're not a veteran of the series, this is stellar news. It also doesn't necessarily mean that you'll figure everything out in short order. Thankfully, MH: Rise does have a decent tutorial sequence. It is also followed up by a number of quests and activities designed to let you interact with the game's systems and features in a safe-ish manner (well, as safe as it gets with fearsome monsters on the attack!)

Here, we've got a shortlist of things you, too, should be doing after you kickstart the game!

#1: Do The Training Quests

The first order of business is the actual tutorial. Rise's comprehensive selection of Training Quests consists of four major quests or missions that will give you a rough idea of what to expect out of the game to prepare you to battle fearsome monsters.

Back to Basics

Back to Basics is as simple as it gets. Here, you'll learn how to control your in-game avatar and interact with the game world. Expect fun traversal and light combat with classic returning monsters, as well as all-new creatures inspired by Japanese folklore. It's a simple sandbox to get you acquainted with how Rise feels in motion.

Learning to Ride

Wyvern riding is a fun new feature in MH: Rise. This section of the tutorial will teach you how to catch a wyvern all of your own, and then fly across the hunt map using it! This is a crucial skill for fast traversal.

The Basics of Capturing Fearsome Monsters

Monster captures have always been a key higher-end feature in these games. Captures can help you finish hunts way more quickly and more efficiently. On top of that, they will also often be the only way to get unique monster ingredients for crafting recipes. Once you've captured your monster, go back out on the field and hunt even fiercer monsters to earn even better rewards!

The Rampage Approaches

We had previously described MH: Rise's all-new Rampage Mode as a key reason to play the game in the first place. This will probably be your first interaction with dealing with a rampage of such ferocious monsters, and it's a must-play for endgame preparations.

#2: Make Pre-Hunt Preparations a Habit

Once you're done with the basics, you'd be ready to jump head-first into the fray in most other games! Monster Hunter, though, is a beast all of its own. The importance of good preparation for any given hunt simply cannot be understated. It's all pretty easy and straightforward, too, but a newcomer to the game might not think of eating before starting a hardcore hunt.

Be sure to eat the appropriate food before difficult hunts

Eating is, somewhat strangely, a key feature of Monster Hunter Rise. Since each and every monster has an elemental affinity and a set repertoire of moves and attacks to use against hunters, you'll sometimes need to combat them ahead of time. This is where treats and foods come in!

Learning the ferocious monsters' strengths and weaknesses, as well as the availability of different foods, will lead to you being able to organize a feast to buff yourself and your party before a hunt. If you're dealing with a fire-breathing monster, then, you may want to invest in some fire debuff foods and similar goodies.

Once you reach high-tier hunts, pre-mission feasts may well make or break your sessions. Do not underestimate how important these are.

Be on the lookout for Endemic Life

While feasts and foods were present in most previous Monster Hunter games, Endemic Life is all-new to MH: Rise. These cutesy critters are interactive elements of the mid-mission overworld. If you interact with them, they'll provide you with a neat little buff or protection increase, depending on the type of critter you find.

It's important to note that these are always at the same place. So, learning where they are and what routes might lead to the biggest buffs against a given monster will be of immense value for a min-maxing hunter.

#3: Learn the Ins and Outs of Weapon Categories

One of the things that Monster Hunter Rise doesn't go into substantial depth on are weapon categories. Or, rather, their complexity and feature-set. While it's certainly possible for a new hunter to be efficient with a Charge Blade from the get-go, something like a Long Sword or a Hammer would be a better, more straightforward early on. Especially against the fiercer monsters.

Some types of weapons - powerful and satisfying as they are - are simply more technical than others. If you're still in the process of figuring out how the game works in the first place, you don't want to get stuck dealing with a powerful monster using an item you can't even figure out yet.

So, the community has already come up with a handy little complexity chart for all fourteen of the game's weapon categories. From the most complex and intense to the most chill and straightforward, they are as follows!

Insect Glaive

Flashy and fancy, the Insect Glaive is a Devil May Cry player's dream come true. It's the most difficult weapon to use in MH: Rise, though. You'll not only need to understand aerial combat and trajectory control, but also the Glaives' passive buff retention abilities. This all makes for a complex item for early-game users.

Charge Blade

Charge Blades are all about short bursts of damage interspersed with energy-storing periods, which are then again followed up with stronger attacks than usual. Potentially even more technical than the Insect Glaive.

Bow

Bow weapons are far less straightforward than you might think. They require a fine balancing of stamina for efficient use, but you'll also need some high-grade coatings, armor, and abilities to make full use of them. Avoid if you're a newbie.

Great Sword

Dispatch monsters in style with the slow, plodding, and devestating Great Sword. Great Swords are a very technical weapon because they lock your avatar into animation frames while dealing damage.

Hunting Horn

A support/hammer lord combo, the Hunting Horn requires a good sense of rhythm more than anything else. A good fit for the musically talented, we feel.

Switch Axe

As the name implies, this weapon category allows you to switch between two different utility modes on the go. Knowing when to use which mode will be key for successful long-term use.

Gunlance

Another plainly apparent combination of two disparate weapon categories, Gunlance weapons are, in fact, extremely versatile and generally reasonably safe to use against the fearsome monsters. When out monster hunting, you will need to learn how to manage the weapon's ammo meter, however.

Heavy Bowgun

The shotgun of Monster Hunter, a Heavy Bowgun is a charge-type firearm that needs to be loaded with unique ammo types, the efficacy of which is dictated by the type of monster you're dealing with. Knowing what to use and when will be important for a Bowgun user.

Light Bowgun

Much like its bigger cousin, the Bowgun is easy to use once you come to terms with the weapon. It's a far more forgiving - though also less damaging - sub-variant of the Heavy Bowgun, and learning how to use one will help you use the other!

Lance

It's a Gunlance, without the gun. All jokes aside, the Lance is a simple and straightforward weapon that takes away your mobility for powerful defensive abilities and a counterattack option. Perfect for tank-oriented players.

Hammer

Hammers are the go-to option for players looking to time and charge their attacks without opting for the way more punishing Great Sword options. Hammers are light and fast, with immense damage potential to boot.

Sword & Shield

This combo-beauty allows for players to move from defensive to offensive combat styles in a split second. Just be wary of its deceptively short-range attacks, as you'll need to hug the monsters really tightly to use these weapons effectively. Not always easy against some of the most fearsome creatures, inspired by Japanese folklore, known to the series thus far!

Long Sword

As you'd expect, Long Sword weapons are an easy option for players who don't want to concern themselves with class technicalities, but who still want some zest to their gameplay. Accessible and fun, they're a fan-favorite for good reason.

Dual Blades

These speedy dual blades are twin daggers and are the easiest, most natural weapon option in MH: Rise. In fact, you may find it possible to straight-up button-mash many monsters into submissions, which won't be an option with most other weapon types!

#4: Make Good Use of Advanced Mobility Features

Since Monster Hunter: Rise has basically done away with almost all the tedium and busywork that MH had previously been host to, the time is nigh for young players to make good use of the game's all-new mobility options! These are, most notably, the Palamutes and the Wirebug itself.

Palamutes are effectively badass guard dogs that double as mounts. They work alongside the cat-like Palico to assist hunters virtually every step of the way. Here's the thing about Palamutes, though: they can hold their own in combat, too.

Combine your awesome pup-buddy with the grapple-hook Wirebug, and you've got a veritable Monster Hunter evolution. Never before have hunters been able to leap around the overworld and arenas to such an extent as they are in Rise. This was tested with World and Iceborne, for sure, but the sheer openness of new features is basically unprecedented for Monster Hunter.

#5: Proceed with Single-Player Village Quests

Finally, before you set off properly into the wondrous world of Monster Hunter Rise, PC starter experience suggests that the new Single-Player Village Quests ought to be your first stop. These simpler, more contained missions where you hunt solo will slowly lead to increasingly more difficult hunts, as well as progress the ongoing narrative, as you work your way towards becoming the ultimate hunter.

In time, Village Quests will also lead to Special License Tests, which will permanently increase the rank of your regular missions and tasks.

This will, in turn, slowly ease you into the late-game progression systems, of which there are many. Note that the effective endgame of MH: Rise - the so-called G-Rank - is currently unavailable, and likely coming with the future Sunbreak DLC, as is usual for the series.

Join Forces With Friends and Have Fun!

We hope that this generalized guide helps you set your foot in the door of MH: Rise on PC, now that it's finally coming out. Of course, all of the above is merely your first step into the pandemonium that is Monster Hunter.

This immense Hack 'n' Slash RPG will easily offer dozens, if not hundreds of hours of fun before the end rears its head. Doubly so if you've got friends to go on hunts with, as up to four players can take on the task together! Most of what we spoke about in this article applies to groups of players, as monsters scale with player counts on the go.

You can jump right into Monster Hunter Rise on PC quickly and easily via 2Game, too. We're even offering the special Deluxe Edition at a top-tier price, so be sure to check them out if you are even remotely interested in the game. In the meantime, we'll get to sharpening our blades for the game's release later today! Happy Monster Hunting!