Monster Hunter: World - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition

I’d definitely heard of the Monster Hunter series prior to playing this game, but it never really piqued my interest. A buddy of mine put this one on my radar, and the only reason I was initially interested was because they used Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn) as a marketing tool, and I’m a big fan of that game and character. Once I started playing the game, Aloy was the furthest thing from my mind as this was one of the best games I’ve ever played. Sure, you’re made to feel like you’re a badass hunter that can take ANY monster down. However, as you progress further in the game, and the monsters get tougher and tougher, you’ll start asking yourself: “Wait a second; who’s hunting whom?” During my two and a half month long playthrough, here are the 8 things that jumped out at me. [1] Time… As of writing this review, I’ve played Monster Hunter: World for roughly 200 hours, which shatters my previous time of 113 hours. It felt like a quick 200 hours though, because for the most part, there was always a ‘goal’ that I was working towards. I would often tell myself that I was only going to play for an hour, and if I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to in an hour’s time, I would ‘retire’ for the night. Nope, that rarely happened. I kept playing match after match, until I realized I’d been playing for more than 3 hours! Please be aware that this game is designed to be addictive. [2] Grinding… As I talked about in the aforementioned paragraph; MHW is designed to take up a lot of your time. I’m the type of gamer who gets bored with the idea of doing the same stuff over and over again; so that’s why I never replay games. With that being said, the grind was part of the Monster Hunter fun! I didn’t mind fighting the same monsters over and over because each encounter still felt fresh and different. I’ve probably fought the infamous Anjanath (The T-Rex) 30 times, and I can tell you each time felt a little different. These battles are not really scripted, so anything can happen. For example, while you’re fighting Anjanath, another ‘predator’ might drop in and start fighting with both of you!! Or, maybe you’re fighting him alongside a friend or two, which could change the complexion of the battle. Keep in mind this is the type of game that forces you to work hard for the gear and upgrades you want, as nothing will be handed to you. [3] Multiplayer… This will be the one thing that keeps me coming back to this game for months to come. Although I enjoyed doing some of the missions by myself; playing online with others is when I had the most fun. You’ll be able to play with up to three others, and I never had trouble finding random people to play with. Personally, I think it’s best to join a match in progress, as opposed to being the host. When you’re looking for a match to join, you’ll be able to see the rank of the players who are already in the quest. When you’re the host, you don’t know who the hell might join. I can think of quite a few times where lower leveled people (you can see their rank once they join) joined my quests, only to get carted 3 times within a few minutes, thus causing me to fail the quest. You can definitely enjoy the game and beat it by yourself, but playing with others takes the edge off some of the tougher battles. [4] Monsters… It shouldn't take a savant to figure out the Monsters are the star of the show. They start off easy enough (I’m looking at you, Great Jagras), but will get harder and harder as the story develops. They’ll come in all shapes and sizes, and you’re sure to find one you enjoy hunting more than the others! Please allow me to get a little nerdy for a second. There are 6 major classes of Monsters, and I’ll give you a brief overview of each one. The Brute Wyverns (my favorite) will be your bulkier, stronger monsters. The Flying Wyverns (my least favorite to fight) are obviously the monsters who can fly. The Fanged Wyverns are of the leaner, quicker variety. The Piscine Wyverns are ‘fish’, while the Bird Wyverns are usually the smallest of all the monsters. The 6th class? Nah, I won’t spoil that for you. If you make it to the second half of the game; you’ll see for yourself ;) [5] Palico… While I enjoyed multiplayer more than I did flying solo, I must say your little Palico sidekick is a good reason to play more often by yourself. Just to be clear, your Palico can join you in multiplayer as well, as long as your party does not exceed 2 players (including yourself). Palicos are adorable little feline companions that you can design, as well as give them a name. In my opinion, they can hold their own; especially since you can equip them with a weapon, a special device, and armor. Depending on which device you give them, you may be surprised at how often they’ll get you out of a jam. [6] Combat… I’ve read a lot of mixed opinions about the combat; but for me, it’s as simple as this: It’s fantastic. Look, combat will largely depend on your weapon type. Many people have said how ‘slow’ the combat felt, and I’m assuming they were using a slow weapon, such as the hammer. I don’t really like slow combat, so I chose to go with a quicker weapon (Longsword). You’ll be able to use any of the 14 weapons from the beginning of the game, and I think that’s a good thing. Heck, there’s even a way to practice using any of the weapons without any monsters bothering you (training area). If you like combat that revolves around mobility and blocking attacks, then maybe the sword and shield are for you. If you’re like me, and you enjoy swift combat that uses combos and evasion; you should try the Longsword or the Twin Daggers. Maybe think about using the Hammer or Great Sword if you like weapons that pack a MIGHTY punch! If you see yourself as a ‘support’ type of a player in multiplayer, then the Hunting Horn should be a viable option. If you’re easily bored with trivial combat, and would like to step up your game, then the Switch Axe or Charge Blade is for you!! Or, maybe melee combat isn’t your style? MHW still has you covered because there are a couple of long-ranged weapons to choose from. Anyone who says the combat is ‘bad’ is too lazy to try all of the weapons as there’s something for everyone. [7] DLC… I admittedly hate most DLCs because they’re charging us for content that should have been included for free. With that being said, MHW does it the right way, as the DLC will be FREE! So far, we’ve received one new Monster to hunt. For those keeping score at home, it’s another Brute Wyvern. I’m looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for us. [8] Difficulty… Ok, this will be a hard game that’ll often push you to your limits, but it’s not on the level of Bloodborne, Dark Souls, Nioh, etc. The biggest difference between MHW and the aforementioned games is how it starts off. Those other games are extremely hard from the very beginning, and they’re not easing you into anything. MHW starts off pretty mild. Remember that Great Jagras guy I mentioned earlier in the review? I’m 99% sure my non-gaming wife can beat him, lol. The monsters will get harder as you go along, and because of the way the missions are structured, you’ll never fight a monster ‘too early’ for your level (unless you just really, really want to). The one other thing I will say about the difficulty is once you make it to the second part of the game, it may be a good idea to start teaming up with others. Remember that 6th class I didn't name? They’ll be hard as heck to kill by yourself, and I’ll leave it at that… Based on some the previous games I’ve played and enjoyed; Monster Hunter: World doesn’t sound like a game I would like. Once I had a chance to sit down with it and give it a fair shake, it turned out to be one of the better games I’ve played. Don’t let the grinding and the big ‘scary’ monsters deter you from trying it out. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Have an open mind and give it a shot. God of War PS4; you’re up next!!

This game does not try to trick you. Here's how it works: you get quests (or you can go on your own expeditions) to, in general, hunt a monster and/or collect some kind of material. You then go back to camp and use those materials to make more powerful gear which then allows you to take on more powerful monsters. If you buy this game and then seem confused as to what Monster Hunter means, I guess I don't know what to tell you. I've dabbled in MH before, but previous installations are distinctly a "Japanese" experience and not necessarily for everyone if you aren't kawaii af. There is still that Japanese feeling, which personally I like. The little cat creatures are awesome and I always get a kick out of their cooking animations. You can do little kawaii poses as you stunt on monsters. The running animation is comical in a way in that you run with your back straight up and your arms dramatically swinging like you'd see in anime maybe. For some that may break some kind of immersion but it's just fine for me. I'm kind of getting bored writing this review so I'll skip to a pros/cons. Disclaimer, I have not tried out the multiplayer and am of the opinion that a game that is both single and multiplayer should split up the review. People that go in on day 1 and have a rough multiplayer experience (they are likely not programmers and have no idea the complexity of launching a triple-A title) with a rich single player game and then go on to give it a bad review are childish: Pros: - Graphics, Sound - Multiple weapon types each with their own style of fighting - Monsters are menacing and battles seem like epic struggles that could end in your death (faint) at any moment - Difficulty is what I would consider to be fair. Some people may loosely compare it to Dark Souls in that with many weapons you are a lumbering knight trying to take down an impossibly huge foe that can wreck you quickly, but unlike Dark Souls and Bloodbourne (each of which I've beaten), the difficulty is fair and even more importantly there is negligible penalty to death (something that Dark Souls and the like refuse to incorporate). Therefore it's a perfect mix: difficult, but not punishing. It encourages you to go out and try to take down a monster that may be too big for you, with the confidence that worse case scenario you waste a few easily-replaceable items Cons - You can't really pause from what I can see because the developers are trying to have seamless multiplayer which means no pausing. This is pretty inconvenient. It's not as pathetic as Bloodbourne which essentially has no excuse for disallowing pausing other than sadism, but it's still unfortunate - I haven't found a way to see a monster's health. This becomes a bit annoying because: - The fights are kind of drawn out, at least in the beginning. A monster may fight you and flee to a new location 4-5 times before a fight is over, and so far I haven't found a reliable method to catch up to a monster if he decides he's running away. I can only use tracking to find him in his new location. It would be great to know their approximate health just so I can decide if it's worth just going all out and finishing a monster before it runs away - Like in Horizon: Zero Dawn, for example, monsters tend to have weaker points than others, and those weak points are also associated with potential materials you might gather off a monster. However, in Horizon there were ways to take out a monster easily while preserving most of their resources, or you could detach the resources from the monster before dispatching it. So far, I have not found a similar tactic in MHW, which results in the best strategies for fighting a monster resulting in busting a lot of their precious resources. The huge hammer is my favorite weapon because other weapons don't have as much of an impact imo, but I am constantly swinging thru monsters and busting all their materials to sh**

I bought this as a birthday gift for my 15 year old brother, who really enjoys challenging, achievement based games. We played a little together, and I was really impressed by the graphics quality and amount of customizable features. The learning curve is a little steep at first, but my brother actually really enjoyed that because it makes for more interesting game play down the road. He's really enjoyed how difficult the monsters can be, and how many different quests he can do. I also like that, while it is a monster hunting game, it doesn't feel too violent and manages to stay fairly lighthearted. I think this is a good investment and a good game for both young and older gamers!

This is a true console monster hunter experience. I will do some breakdowns for this review. GAMEPLAY: It is true to form with new additions, like mantles that have various effects. You have 14 weapon classes to choose from and MANY weapons in each class that of course you create and upgrade from the monsters you slay. Some have different abilities and elemental damages. They all play differently, so if you don't like one kind, you can easily try another. Something for everyone basically. The character customization is spot on and has multiple ways to customize your character. The environments have more things than ever to interact with, such has healing bugs or vines that can trap monsters for a short while so you can pump out some serious damage. CONTROLS: They are simple but can be challenging to master between attacking, dodging, sheathing your weapon, using items, etc. This is NOT an over the top high octane action game where you are basically unstoppable. You have to plan and change to multiple situations. There is a learning curve here, but that adds to the fun. You earn that monster kill and don't just button mash it. Each weapon class also has it's own way of attacking that you can use, like Dual Blades being quicker, especially in demon mode or the Greatsword being slower but dealing massive damage with charged attacks. GRAPHICS: Gorgeous! The environments, monsters, people, backdrops, etc are all well done and look spectacular. They blend well together, especially the various effects that can be triggered in the field. MONSTERS: Alot of them and varied in how they act and attack. You will be exposed to decently strong monsters from the beginning and have to watch out for them to pop up while you are exploring and fighting other monsters. They will even fight each other, which you can use to your advantage. Each monster should be approached with caution until you can learn how they will attack, especially when they become enraged, which makes them hit harder and faster. Sometimes it can be best to just dodge at those times or try and trap them to get in some hits. ONLINE: Basically the whole game can be played with your friends. Up to 4 people can go on quests together. This time it's all tied together, not multiple hubs between single and multiplayer. So, you can go alone or in a group. So far, I have also not noticed any problems with the online play myself. PALICO: This is your felyne friend. You can customize them how you want along with your character. They have visible armor you can craft for them, as well as weapons. They definitely help out and can just be fun to watch, like when they pull out a little raft for the water in the middle of you fighting a monster. They will heal you, buff you, etc and also draw aggro from the monster for you. NOTES: Capcom has pointed out that future dlc will be free. That is how they have done all previous mh games, so here's to hoping it stays that way. Also, Poogie is here. Many said our pig companion was gone. They were wrong lol. OVERALL: If you enjoy customization, fighting big monsters, and being challenged and rewarded for stepping up to that challenge, then this is for you. They did a fantastic job bringing this series back to consoles. 5/5 for a quality game that surpassed this ones expectations.

As someone who has played the previous monster hunter games, I am satisfied with how Capcom decided to approach Monster Hunter World. When I heard about the release of this game I was excited that monster hunter would get a full graphic game that is on par with other graphically beautiful game. This game meets up to the expectation with a new modern look and stylish gameplay. If your looking to start into the monster hunter franchise this is it. Monster hunter world is a beautiful game with a beautiful environment and I got immediately immersed into the game. As I started I was unaware of what this new monster hunter game entail. Changes from the old Monster Hunter games: As I was playing there seemed to be a lot of quality of life changes. The map is not divided into areas/section like the previous game. (You can't just escape into a different area to potion etc.). You can drink potions while moving. You can pick up certain materials while moving and running making material farming a lot quicker. The monsters in the game interact with each other and responds to the environment they are in. When different monsters are met they will fight. Online matchmaking is a lot simpler as well. The hunters can now join a SOS and join the match mid battle. and gathering halls can now have up to 16 people. These are just a few changes. There are a lot of things that made the quality of life in the game a lot better than the previous ones. Performance: I have a playstation 4 pro and running the game in 4k is truly amazing. It runs perfectly fine and runs smoothly. I have not experienced lag at all during online or solo play and I have put in 200+ hours. There a bit of a load time compared to the previous games which is understandable due to the quality that monster hunter world brings. During online plays I have no problems with disconnecting except for just a hand full of times. This is most likely a feature that comes with having good internet. I play online through a wireless connection and it seems to run really smoothly. Overall: I am extremely satisfied with game overall. It is what I expected from a upgraded version of the previous monster hunter series. There are less monsters than Monster hunter XX, but its not the final or ultimate version of the series. The game seems to have gotten slightly simpler and the monster don't seem as hard, but its not a huge change. The creators themselves have mentioned that they "dumbed it down so that the new generation of monster hunter players can enjoy the game a bit more." I really suggest getting this game even if you have never played a monster hunter game. If you always wanted to start a Monster Hunter game/series this is a really good time to jump in

Monster Hunter World is great entry in a long running series, though new fans might have trouble going back to the previous games due to World’s faster speed when it comes to mobility, gathering, and general quality of life updates. There are lots of fantastic looking armor sets made from the parts carved off the monsters, though I wish the weapons looked more unique as in previous MH games. The maps being free of loading zones is also a wonderful improvement and makes the areas much more seamless. The best addition has to be the monster research logbook which adds more details about each monster’s physiology, what materials they drop, and its weaknesses as you continue to track and fight them. The research results mostly eliminates the need for an online wiki to get the same info about monster drops and what parts to break for better chances at a certain piece of crafting material. The large monster roster caps at 31 with additional smaller monsters filling out the ecosystem and acting as more material fodder. Since this game isn’t an “Ultimate” version, there is no “G-Rank” or third tier featuring exceptionally difficult monsters and additional armor sets, just a Low and High rank that make up two halves of the story mode. The end game consists of “tempered” monsters that are stronger but don’t have any new moves, tricks, or attributes like certain subspecies exclusive to G-Rank of previous games. New monsters are being added in later though I’m not sure if they will all free of charge. The first one, Deviljho, the infamous fan favorite intruder, launches this spring. I was disappointed with how the multiplayer was changed as it’s needlessly more complicated to join up with friends since the single and multiplayer quest hubs from before have merged into one. While that sounds better on paper, it means that certain story event cutscenes must play out for the leader of the quest before any of his friends can join. Most players will also reside in the single player lobby area since the multiplayer area where players can interact pre-hunt is lacking a few key facilities such as the armory and botanist. It’s also less clear on how to play offline which involves making an online lobby and simply setting it to “Private.” Players can typically set each quest whether to allow other members in their lobby to be able to join, though some Investigations (special hunting sidequests with extra rewards) may limit how many hunters can tackle the assignment to ramp up the challenge. If you played the series before but were turned off by the slower pace, MHW seeks to speed things along and get more people involved with the hunt. Hopefully it sparks that addictive desire to get stronger, fight bigger monsters, and make new armor and weapons from the parts of your conquered beasts.

I don't usually write reviews but the reviews here are so inexplicably salty that I had to get mine in. First a response to comments about monsters being too hard etc... That's kind what this game is. You're literally fighting a bunch of Dark Souls bosses, sometimes multiple at once. That's kinda the whole shtick here. If that doesn't sound fun to you then this won't be your jam. I digress. MH:W is a great game. The combat is intense and fun. The updates to the various weapon mechanics are phenomenal (the hammer especially). The quality of life changes from the old games make it so much more pleasant to play. Yes in some regards that makes it 'easier' but really that comes from it being less frustrating in stupid ways. Paintballs are gone, tracking now comes from finding signs of creatures and studying them. So you don't have to spend needless time roaming the map. Yes previously it was more 'difficult' and by difficult I mean 'boring and time consuming'. Now you still need to find them, and sometimes that means running across other things you need to deal with, but it's much more direct. Whetstones are infinite now. I kind of get the complaint here, there's less punishment if you're...bad at aiming I guess? Like you hit the hard shell you can't get through too much? and so you can't run out of whetstones and screw yourself out of being able to complete a mission. But...all that really did was punish new players learning how the game works, which is dumb. And as a mechanic you still have to find time to be able to use your whetstone. etc... etc... etc... If you're a new player looking at reviews be careful what you're reading as a lot of the negative reviews are just people being salty that they had to walk up hill both ways when they went to school. The game is still tough, just not as frustrating. The one major negative about the game, and I expect this is something that will get fixed, is the load times can be bad. Doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the game, but it can certainly be annoying. And hey, if you're an old MH gamer and really hate World for not being the same exact game we've gotten for a decade wait until next month and you'll have XX on Switch/3DS

This game can be fun to play, but there are several major flaws with it. First, the attack that you make seems to be largely random. You can't expect the same button press to always do the same attack. Next, once you finish a quest, there is a change to loot the monsters. Which is nice unless you are being attached by another monster. 60 seconds to drive off one monster to loot another. Good luck if that happens to you. The weapon stats really don't seem to mean much. 500 attack to deal 20 damage? I assume 20 damage a hit is good, but there is nothing which tells me anything about monster health or defense, so it could be horrible for all I know. The games biggest flaw is how it locks onto monster, or doesn't rather. You can tell it to lock onto a monster, but it won't stick. If you don't stay near the monster, or if the monster leaves the screen, the lock is lost. It won't follow the monster at all. As an added bonus, your attacks won't target a monster that you have locked onto. If you are attacking and the monster moves, you have to wait for your attack animation to stop so that you can move your character to face the new location of the monster. It gets even worse if you use a weapon which causes you to step passed the location of the monster. Good luck keeping your weapon out as well. I'm not even pressing the buttons to put the weapon away, but the weapon gets put away mid fight. Not all of the time, but often enough that it breaks the flow of combat. The game does look nice, but it plays like the developers rushed the game to production.

good game

Even though it was shipped and sold by Amazon, I received a European version of the game.... Although the game plays fine, it won't work with the US version of the upcoming expansion, Iceborne.

Es un excelente juego, a un buen precio, han incluido mecánicas nuevas a las sagas anteriores, esto facilita mucho para quien no conoce la saga monster hunter, sin embargo igual de emocionante y con mejores gráficos

Absolutely waste of money. Gameplay sucks, story sucks, graphics quality is just above ps2.

Such a fun game. The trophies are a grind so if you get the platinum trophy on psn then I really admire you. But my ps4 and even xbox one start to get very loud after only a few minutes of playing. That made me nervous. Other than that, you should really buy this game and add it to the collection!