When you think of Yakuza, you don't really think of samurai, but it's something that the series has tried its hand at- twice. Yakuza Kenzan and Yakuza Ishin were both spinoff entries in the series that completely tore up the rulebook and went for samurai-infused historical action, but neither game, unfortunately, has ever been released outside of Japan, in spite of praise for both from series fans.
However, if we are to believe Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato, that could change some time in the future. Speaking in an interview with Game Blog, when asked about the two games, Sako said that thanks to Ghost of Tsushima's massive successive from both critical and commercial viewpoints, western audiences seem much more open to samurai stories and games, which means there's a chance that Yakuza Kenzan and Ishin end up releasing in the west sooner or later.
"Even long before Ghost of Tsushima, I did want to release samurai games like Kenzan and Ishin in the West," Sato said. "Unfortunately, after Yakuza 0, we were very busy with remastering the numbering Yakuza titles for the PS4, so we missed the opportunity to work on some of these other games. However, if anything, Ghost of Tsushima has helped Western gamers become more interested in samurai, so I should think of it as now is a more opportune time to release these titles."
The Yakuza series has enjoyed incredible success in the West in the last few years, especially once it broke out into the mainstream following the launch of Yakuza 0, so the hope is that the more offbeat titles like Kenzan and Ishin will eventually come westward as well. Fingers crossed.
Oddworld: Soulstorm Receives New Gameplay Video With Developer Commentary
Oddworld: Soulstorm has been a long time coming, and developer Oddworld Inhabitants has been at work on the next chapter in the retelling and reimagining of the series' story for some time now. It's finally almost upon us though, and ahead of its imminent release, we've been seeing more and more of the game. Recently, we got to see a lot more.
A 12 minute long gameplay video of the upcoming platformer was recently uploaded by IGN, complete with commentary from series creator and the game's director Lorne Lanning. A brand new level from the game is also shown off, as Abe makes his way through a industrial environment and makes use of the game's platforming, combat, and crafting mechanics, among other things. Take a look below.
Oddworld: Soulstorm launches for the PS5, PS4, and PC on April 6. PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to download the game for free throughout all of April.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends Trailer Details the Graveyard Map
Sumo Digital and Focus Home Interactive's medieval PvPvE title Hood: Outlaws and Legends is releasing in less than a couple months from now, and the more we learn about it, the more our curiosity rises. Of late, the game's been receiving a number of new trailers, detailing the four playable classes that will be available at launch- Ranger, Hunter, Brawler, and Mystic. Now that the classes are done, publisher Focus Home is ready to move on to talking about the maps.
The newest trailer puts the spotlight on the Graveyard map, a multilayered arena with indoor and outdoor environments, that has everything from labyrinthine catacombs, heavily guarded docks, and broken walls to hidden entrances, a fortified castle, and more. Check it out in the trailer below.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends is out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on May 10. You can get more details on the game in our interview with director Andrew Willans through here.
XCOM: Chimera Squad Seems to be Headed to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch
It's been nearly a year since XCOM: Chimera Squad launched for PC, and though it was a fairly experimental title that deviated from established series conventions in some key ways, it was a great strategy game in its own right. Given the series' popularity, there's been no shortage of questions about when Chimera Squad will release for more platforms, especially since the series does have a pretty successful presence on consoles as well- and it seems the turn based tactics title could be headed to more platforms soon.
XCOM: Chimera Squad has been handed an age rating for the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch by Pan European Game Information (or PEGI), the European ratings board. There has been no official word on Chimera Squad releasing for additional platforms from developers Firaxis or publisher 2K Games, but hopefully, the PEGI rating will mean that an announcement is imminent, as if so often the case in similar situations.
Currently, XCOM: Chimera Squad is available exclusively on PC. In our review of the game, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, "XCOM: Chimera Squad isn't the next big step for the franchise but it is a fun detour into an alternate scenario, one with its own hooks and idiosyncrasies." You can read our full review through here.
Final Fantasy 16, Resident Evil Village Rank High in Famitsu Most Wanted Charts
Famitsu's weekly charts for the most highly anticipated upcoming games, as decided by votes from their readers, have been routinely seeing a specific selection of games dominating the top positions every week, and this week's charts, too, see a lot of those familiar names in familiar positions. Monster Hunter Rise, which hadn't yet launched when voting for these charts took place, occupies the top spot, which is where it has been for a number of weeks running now.
Final Fantasy 16 takes second place, trailing Monster Hunter by more than a couple hundred votes, and maintains a narrow lead over the game placed third, Bandai Namco's upcoming action RPG Tales of Arise. The highly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is placed fourth, while Resident Evil Village comes in at No. 5.
A number of Switch exclusives dominate the bottom five, including Bayonetta 3 at No. 6, Shin Megami Tensei 5 at No. 7, Rune Factory 5 at No. 8, and New Pokemon Snap at No. 9. Meanwhile, the upcoming NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is in tenth place.
You can check out the full top 10 below. All votes were cast by Famitsu readers between March 4 and March 10.
1. [NSW] Monster Hunter Rise – 880 votes
2. [PS5] Final Fantasy 16 – 607 votes
3. [PS4] Tales of Arise – 591 votes
4. [NSW] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 – 463 votes
5. [PS5] Resident Evil Village – 400 votes
6. [NSW] Bayonetta 3 – 345 votes
7. [NSW] Shin Megami Tensei 5 – 341 votes
8. [NSW] Rune Factory 5 – 304 votes
9. [NSW] New Pokemon Snap – 225 votes
10. [PS4] NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… – 201 votes
[Via Nintendo Everything]
Call of Duty WW2: Vanguard Will Use Modern Warfare 2019's IW8 Engine – Rumour
Recent rumours and leaks have lifted the lid on several potential details on this year's Call of Duty game. Reportedly being developed by Sledgehammer, it will take players back to a World War 2 setting, and will be called Call of Duty WW2: Vanguard. Those are details that have been shared by multiple sources, and a recent report by VGC corroborates that as well.
In addition, however, VGC's report also claims that WW2: Vanguard is being built on the IW8 engine, the new and overhauled engine that was introduced with 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Last year's Black Ops Cold War, however, switched back to the engine that Treyarch had previously used for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 back in 2018, albeit an upgraded version of it.
As per VGC, the switch to IW8 is likely due to potential integration with free-to-play battle royale shooter Call of Duty: Warzone, which uses the same engine, and has been integrated with Modern Warfare, and then with Black Ops Cold War. That said, given the fact that WW2: Vanguard's Second World War setting is going to diverge from Warzone's setting significantly, it remains to be seen how that integration will be handled, or whether the two will even be integrated.
2021's Call of Duty game is confirmed to be releasing later in the year, so the official reveal should likely be coming a few months from now, at which point we'll know more about the validity of these details one way or another. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more updates.
Battlefield 6 – Leaked Survey Doubles Down on Rumours About Battle Pass, Free-to-Play Mode, and More
Battlefield 6 rumours have been coming in thick and fast over the last couple of months. The game is due out this Holiday, and development on the shooter is in full swing, but with its official reveal still to come, details on it have mostly been coming from leaks. These leaks have spoken about several details, with the latest, most significant one claiming that this year's Battlefield will include clans, battle passes, a free-to-play mode, and more. A recent survey for Battlefield sent out by EA seems to strongly hint that those leaks are accurate.
As reported by YouTube channel Lossy, the aforementioned survey asks how players would feel about a multiplayer free-to-play mode, weapon blueprints, a clan system with a cap of 100 players, a battle pass system, maps that are routinely updated over time, and more. As known Battlefield insider Tom Henderson points out on Twitter, the survey might possibly have been sent out to judge when to begin marketing for these features based on how fans respond to the questions.
Battlefield 6 is due out later this year, and as per leaks, will be a cross-gen game. Rumours suggest that the game will be revealed in May.
The Switch Pro Could Indicate Nintendo's First Tentative Steps Back Into The Power Game
Rumors about an impending revision of Nintendo's extremely successful hybrid console, the Switch, have seemingly existed for almost as long as the Switch itself has at this point. While the Switch itself was fairly high tech for a mass-market priced mobile device in 2017, it obviously made several hardware concessions owing to its form factor.
Hindsight has proven that to be the correct move, judging by the relentless success of the console, which continues to break records at an unprecedented pace more than four years into its lifespan. However, especially with the onset of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it is clear that the Switch finds itself outmatched on the hardware front to an exacerbated degree. As mentioned already, the Switch has always been outmatched by the other consoles on the market. This makes sense – it's essentially a tablet, and portable devices powered by battery can never match the power of their high powered full scale cousins contemporaneously. Until recently, this hasn't proven to be a lot of trouble.
Thanks to Nintendo's early efforts, and their smart utilization of industry standard Nvidia hardware and development APIs, the Switch has seen a lot of third party support, including some games that were inconceivable on the platform, such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and DOOM Eternal, having made their way over. Nevertheless, there were very clear limitations and concessions that had to be contended with by third parties for the Switch even when the other consoles on the market "only" outmatched it as much as the PS4 and Xbox One did.
Now that those consoles' successors are out, the difference is even bigger, and the Switch could risk losing a lot of the third party support it has accrued. While third party support will never be as paramount to Nintendo's success as it is to PlayStation or Xbox, it has still obviously been important for the Switch – from indie breakout hits such as Hollow Knight, Celeste, or Hades, to games published by the top publishers in the industry, including Octopath Traveler, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, and the just released Monster Hunter Rise.
And while the Switch's third party situation for this year seems secure, the system could face a sudden contraction of output next year, leaving it high and dry – not unlike the drought of games that killed the Wii prematurely, and caused Nintendo so much trouble with their consoles for the better part of the next decade.
Suffice it to say, then, that the Switch would benefit greatly from updated hardware. Given that it's only four years old, a full fledged successor right now seems early – especially given just how successful the console has been, and how many users would feel burned if a successor did come out right now. An upgraded mid-life revision, however, keeping in line not as much with PS4 Pro or Xbox One X as with previous Nintendo mid-life revisions for their handhelds, such as the Gameboy Color, the DSi, or the New 3DS, seems like the appropriate solution to the problem. And sure enough, we have started getting increasingly well sourced and concrete rumors on what this so called Switch Pro may entail when it launches, allegedly later this year.
These early indications are actually shocking – because they seem to imply a system that is putting some emphasis on raw hardware power and performance, something Nintendo hasn't strictly speaking focused on in almost two decades, not since the GameCube. As I mentioned, the original Switch was actually fairly impressive mobile hardware for the time (there was no other similarly priced mobile device at the time that had better hardware – no, your $1,000 smartphone doing better than the Switch doesn't count any more than a $1,600 PC doing better than the PS5 does).
However, it was very clearly, even then, making some concessions in terms of hardware. The upcoming Switch Pro (which is what we'll call it here for now), though? While obviously still underpowered compared to the Xbox Series or PS5, owing to the limitations imposed by the form factor, it seems to be gunning for higher end hardware for its class than any Nintendo system has in 20 years.
While specifics are still thin – we know it has "a newer, improved CPU and more RAM" but we don't know exact numbers, for example – there are other particulars that seem to back up this notion. For instance, it has been repeatedly established that the console will be capable of 4K output in docked mode. This, of course, means that Nintendo is unwilling to be late to the 4K party as it was to the HD party (where the company had a similar chance of outputting an HD enabled revision for the SD Wii, but chose to resist the demands, to its own ultimate detriment). The Switch, of course, lacks raw processing grunt to be able to render 4K graphics, and therefore, the new system's SOC will enable 4K output via DLSS 2.0.
DLSS is a total game changer. This Nvidia-exclusive technology involves the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to automatically clean up an image and render it at much higher resolutions with very little in the way of performance cost. Put simply, it's the kind of thing that allows even a 720p rendered image to look like it is rendering well above 1440p resolutions (and it can be even more effective, and work on even lower resolution output images). The difference in image quality can be startling, and even for a low resolution image, can end up with a result that looks on par with something that a lower-end next gen console, such as the Xbox Series S, would put out. In other words, it's the kind of thing that can allow Nintendo to have their cake and eat it too – they can stick with the (by necessity) lower powered mobile chips, but get higher quality image output consistent with the expectations from current gen, and therefore continue to retain at least the same amount of third party support as they have been getting so far (if not actually expand on that).
However, other than the salivating "free lunch" style considerations, DLSS' presence on this new system actually indicates Nintendo is using among the highest end chips available for this Switch. You see, DLSS requires the presence of specific hardware cores on the SoC, called Tensor Cores, which are present on only a select few high end Nvidia architectures by definition – which means that if the Switch has DLSS, it has to have an SOC based on those high end architectures.
This narrows down the list significantly, and indicates the Switch Pro may be going for, if not the very latest and absolute cutting edge Turing and Ampere architectures, then at the very least Volta – which by itself is a near generation leap over the Maxwell architecture used in the base Switch model, and, coupled with DLSS, could deliver a stark difference in graphics on the new model.
There are other indications the Switch is going for higher-end hardware too. It appears that rather than sticking with an LCD screen like the base model did, the Switch Pro is going for a bigger OLED screen (smartly sticking to the 720p resolution in what I can only imagine is a concession to battery life, which would otherwise suffer from the already fairly low battery longevity the current models deliver). Again, an OLED screen is an "unnecessarily" high end component, the kind that's probably the first to go when costs are being cut.
It is certainly something you couldn't imagine in a Nintendo product – remember, Nintendo didn't even fully commit to IPS panels for the 3DS line (and right until discontinuation, 3DS buyers were subject to a lottery of their systems having either lower quality TN panels for the screens, or the IPS ones). Even Sony, who do typically deliver higher end hardware, did not stick with OLED for their handheld PS Vita after the first version, with the revision ditching it in favor of an LCD. So Nintendo going for that OLED here, in combination with the implication of much newer and cutting edge SOC tech, and the requisite CPU and RAM boosts that a mid-gen revision would otherwise have, definitely indicates that they are willing to deliver a more powerful for its class product than they have for 20 years now.
Obviously, all of this is rooted in speculation born out of (admittedly well sourced) reports of what the Switch Pro will be. If the Switch Pro ends up being a more modest bump, then all of this speculation is pointless, and we can conclude that Nintendo is still sticking with its strategy of getting the most out of older and proven tech rather than being willing to play the power game.
And I guess that's fine for them, it's a strategy that has worked for them, and it has definitely worked for the Switch, which will probably end its run as one of Nintendo's best systems when all is said and done. However, the prospect of Nintendo finally being ready to dip its toes back into the hardware pool – even if on its own terms, in the hybrid console field – is tantalizing for many, we imagine, and I can only hope that the Switch Pro ends up living up to the expectations generated by these reports – assuming that it, obviously, exists in the first place.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
It Takes Two Review – All Together Now
In the last few years, games have started to use complex issues – depression, loss, examinations of violence, the nature of choice, grief, and so on – as major mechanics and ideas in their gameplay systems. But I think It Takes Two might be the first game to try its hand at turning a broken marriage into a co-op-only action-adventure game.
The story follows Cody and May, who have decided that it's easier to split up than solve whatever problems they're having. Naturally, this upsets their daughter Rose, who has bought a book about love in the hopes of helping her parents. When she cries onto the homemade dolls representing her parents while wishing they would stay together, she inadvertently transfers her parents' consciousness into the bodies of the dolls. The game chronicles their journey to escape the spell that binds them. Cody and May aren't alone, though: they have the (unwanted) help of The Book of Love/Dr. Hakim, an anthropomorphic book with an extremely questionable Spanish/French/Italian/who knows really accent who is determined to get Cody and May back together.
"The game's tone is all over the place. One minute a very distressed Rose is trying to talk to the empty bodies of her parents and the next a talking book with a bad accent is lecturing the two dolls containing the consciousness of said parents about the importance of collaboration while hip-thrusting"
While the game is often very charming, It Takes Two's story is utterly bonkers, and honestly one of the game's biggest problems. The game's tone is all over the place. One minute a very distressed Rose is trying to talk to the empty bodies of her parents and the next a talking book with a bad accent is lecturing the two dolls containing the consciousness of said parents about the importance of collaboration while hip-thrusting. Dr. Hakim is meant to be funny, but his appearances are mostly very awkward and uncomfortable.
The larger problem, however, is the game's portrayal of marriage. It Takes Two never takes the time to really get into May and Cody's issues. Cody complains that May is never home, and it seems like May resents Cody for not providing for the family the way she does, but the things that break their marriage are never explored. Instead of being a marriage that collapses under the weight of serious problems, their relationship seems like one that shouldn't have ended in a marriage in the first place. Almost all they do is argue, and while they may complement each other when things in the game are going well, they're quick to blame each other for any new issues that arise. Meanwhile, the game continues to push the idea that all of this is solvable if they just learn to like each other again without ever digging into the more complex realities that arise in a long-term relationship. On the surface, It Takes Two seems to want to explore complex ideas, but it pivots away from them almost as soon as they arise.
It also doesn't help that Cody and May are genuinely terrible people. Not only do they seem incapable of parenting their daughter, knowing how each other thinks, feels, or spends their time, or working out problems without immediately resorting to blaming one another, they also do some genuinely terrible things. At one point, the couple becomes convinced that to break the spell they're under, Rose needs to cry on them. They decide that the best way to make this happen is to murder Rose's favorite toy elephant, Cutie, who, like everything else in the world around them, seems to have been brought to life by the spell animating the dolls Cody and May inhabit. When Cutie learns Cody and May plan to murder her, she begs for her life, but they're determined. By the time they throw her to her death, she's lost an arm and an ear. Cody and May claim they feel bad about the whole thing, but that doesn't stop them from mutilating and murdering a living thing because they think it will help them. The scene is incredibly uncomfortable to play and highlights the inconsistency in It Takes Two's writing, which alternates between hopelessly naive and incredibly dark.
"The traditional platforming is great, but what makes the gameplay in It Takes Two special are the unique abilities that each character gets in certain situations."
Fortunately, the gameplay fares much better. As I said before, the game is co-op only, requiring another person to join in via local vertical split-screen or online. I teamed up with my wife and we played the game on our couch, but whatever you choose, the game is split-screen so you can see what your partner is doing. The game starts off as a platformer, with both characters having access to a spring, jump, double-jump, and air dash ability. The platforming is both responsive and precise, so you'll feel confident as you take on everything from the easiest jumps to the most stressful gauntlets. As with Hazelight's previous game, A Way Out, you'll have to help one another out to progress. Sometimes that means flipping switches to open doors for your partner, moving navigating splitting paths, or moving around parts of the environment.
The traditional platforming is great, but what makes the gameplay in It Takes Two special are the unique abilities that each character gets in certain situations. Early on, Cody has nails that he can throw into wooden walls to hold things in place or create paths for May to swing across with the head of a hammer. Later, May gains access to a pair of anti-gravity boots that let her walk up walls, while Cody acquires a special belt that allows him to grow or shrink at will. At another point, Cody gets a gun that can fire sap that sticks to environments and enemy wasps, while May gets a matchstick gun that can detonate the sap.
As the game's mechanics change, so does the type of game that It Takes Two becomes. In the space-themed level, it's a puzzle-platformer that evokes bits of Super Mario Galaxy. In the section with the sap and matchstick guns, it's a third-person shooter. Later, in a medieval section where Cody becomes a wizard and May takes the role of a knight, it plays like Diablo. Sometimes, the two players end up playing completely different games, like the section in which Cody flies a plane through a nearby tree while May stares down the leader of the local squirrel militia in a Street Fighter-style piece of one-on-one combat.
"It Takes Two often feels like the best Nintendo games, consistently introducing new mechanics and evolving their use in creative ways before testing the player's mastery of them, generally in a boss fight. After that, they are discarded and never appear again."
Just when you think the game is running out of ideas, something else comes around the corner, each with its own unique set of mechanics that is never repeated at any point in the game, and all of it executed very well. It Takes Two often feels like the best Nintendo games, consistently introducing new mechanics and evolving their use in creative ways before testing the player's mastery of them, generally in a boss fight. After that, they are discarded and never appear again. It Takes Two shows repeated mastery of several genres and game mechanics, and nothing ever overstays its welcome. None of the games are exceptionally deep, but the sheer breadth of them means you'll never be bored, and It Takes Two always finds creative ways to make sure you're communicating with your partner and working together.
The game's environments are similarly creative. Players spend time in space, on a pirate ship, riding dinosaurs, navigating a warzone, climbing a tree, and everything in-between. While each environment is clearly designed with a specific gameplay goal in mind, there's plenty of other pieces of the environment to interact with. There are also mini-games to find and play against your partner that include tug-of-war, a Guitar Hero-esque rhythm game, a shooting range, a pair of battle tanks, and more. Like every other bit of It Takes Two's gameplay, they're a lot of fun, and the game keeps score of who wins a loses so you can claim bragging rights.
The only problem with It Takes Two's gameplay is that sometimes one character gets a more interesting ability or plays a more interesting segment than the other, though these are generally few and far between. Generally, both players have something interesting to do, and most of the time, the differences made me want to replay the game as the other character to see how it felt. Combine the game's unbridled creativity and sheer variety with its excellent art design and wonderful music, and It Takes Two is a joy to play.
" Most games of this kind falter because they can't tell when something is or isn't fun, and the poor sections overstay their welcome. Here, the characters and story are what could have used both more attention and an editor."
It Takes Two isn't a long game; most players will finish it in 10-12 hours, and it's not particularly difficult, either. Players have an unlimited number of lives and checkpoints are very generous. About the only you have to restart a section is if you and your partner both die at the same time. Even then, most of the progress you've made will be preserved. It's probably a good decision, given how much of the game's appeal is that something new is always around the corner, but don't come to It Takes Two looking for a challenge; it mostly isn't there, though that doesn't stop it from being a blast to play, especially with the right partner.
It really is a shame, then, that its story is so shallow and its characters so unlikeable. I know I was supposed to be rooting for Cody and May to make up, get back together, and regain their original bodies, but I often found myself thinking that they deserved what was happening to them – which, admittedly, is kind of the point. They're both intensely unlikeable people and objectively awful parents, and it's a shame that you have to deal with them to enjoy the rest of what It Takes Two has to offer. Most games of this kind falter because they can't tell when something is or isn't fun, and the poor sections overstay their welcome. Here, the characters and story are what could have used both more attention and an editor.
As poor as some of the storytelling choices are, however, it doesn't stop It Takes Two from being an excellent co-op game, whether you're playing it on a couch or online. I just wish that I'd cared more about its characters and thought they might actually benefit from getting back together – and that Rose had left Dr. Hakim on the shelf where he belonged.
This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.
Monster Hunter Rise Guide – 15 Beginners Tips and Tricks to Keep in Mind
Like Monster Hunter World before it, though Monster Hunter Rise retains the core complexities that have defined the series for so long, it also makes a concerted effort to be more accessible and welcoming to newcomers. Even so, this is still Monster Hunter, which means there's a lot the game's going to throw at you, and if you're new to the series, you might feel a little lost, especially in your first few hours with the game. To help smooth out that transition, here, we've compiled a few beginners tips and tricks that you should keep in mind as you jump into Monster Hunter Rise.
DON'T BUTTON MASH
This might seem like the most obvious thing to anyone who's played Monster Hunter before, but it cannot be stressed how important it is to remember this. In spite of being an action RPG in which you take on massive monsters, Monster Hunter requires thought and observation. Button mashing and wailing on enemies is a straight ticket to failure. Observing your enemies, learning their movement and attack patterns, figuring out their weak spots, deciphering their tells for the bigger attacks- you need to be doing all of it, and this stands true for pretty much every single hunt in the game.
LOOK OUT FOR VISUAL CUES
Visual cues are how monsters in Monster Hunter Rise will tell you when they're about to attack, and what attack they're about to unleash, which means it's always crucial that you pay attention and keep an eye on them. On top of that, Monster Hunter also doesn't give its monsters health bars, which means you also need to watch out for visual cues that will let you know when a monster is getting weaker and getting close to the point where it can finally be taken out for good.
FOCUS ON MASTERING ONE OR TWO WEAPON TYPES
With over a dozen different weapons, each differing from the other radically in so many ways, Monster Hunter Rise is, like its predecessors, brimming with variety. And while learning and using various different kinds of weapons is crucial, when you're starting off, it's best to limit yourself to just one or two. Rather than experimenting with all different kinds of weapons and spreading yourself too thin, focus on mastering a couple that you're comfortable with the most first, and only once you're confident in your use of those should you move on to new ones.
USE THE TRAINING AREA
When you do try out new weapons, rather than heading straight out on a hunt or a quest with that in your arsenal, it's best to take it for a test drive or two in Kamura Village's training area. Years of playing games may have compelled you to ignore the very existence of a training area, but it's actually a very useful tool in Monster Hunter games. Learn the basics of a new weapon type first, understand how fast it is or what its range is or what the best combos are, and once you have a good grasp of the fundamental, that's when you should take it out for a spin out in the wild.
BEST WEAPONS FOR BEGINNERS
All of that's well and good, but exactly what are the best weapons for a newcomer in Monster Hunter Rise? The answer may vary depending on who you ask (and when you ask it), but generally, it's agreed upon that the dual blades, the sword and shield, and the greatsword are the best weapons for someone who's new to the series. Obviously, they each differ from each other quite a bit- for instance, while the dual blades have great speed, they don't do too much damage with each attack, while the greatsword sacrifices speed for DPS. You should, of course, be picking a weapon based on what suits your playstyle best, but those aforementioned weapons should ideally be the ones you go with in your initial hours.
BE READY TO KEEP ADAPT
As important as it is to not spread yourself too thin with multiple different weapon types in the early goings, as you get deeper into the game, it's crucial that you don't limit yourself too much either. The more difficult hunts, especially in the late game and the postgame, can be a little tricky, and you might find it particularly hard to brute force your way through them with the weapon that you're fond of the most. Figure out what the monster you're hunting will be the weakest to and be ready to had into the fight with a different weapon suited to that situation.
DON'T STRESS OVER THE TIME LIMIT
Monster Hunter Rise, like other games in the series, enforces a time limit on you its hunts, and while that can easly be a recipe for disastrous stress, it's actually not that big a deal. Most hunts in the game – even the more difficult ones later on – can easily be finished within the given time limit. While the timer is something you should keep an eye on to make sure you're not wasting too much time, don't let it force you to rush into things either. It's best to take your time with hunts and do a little bit of exploring before major fights.
EAT PROPER MEALS
Again, this might seem too obvious to anyone who's played a Monster Hunter game, but it cannot be overstated how important this is. Eating meals to prepare yourself for a hunt is a crucial part of series' core loop, and that's as true as ever in Rise. Make sure you're eating the right meals that give you the right kinds of buffs, because heading out on a hunt without that boost can make a lot of difference.
LEVERAGE THE TURF WARS MECHANIC WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Monster Hunter World introduced the incredible turf wars mechanic, which would often see two or more monsters out in the wild dynamically chancing upon each other and taking each other on in fights. That mechanic returns in Rise, and it's best to leverage it as much as possible. Of course, owing to its very nature, it might not be something that you can always control, but whenever possible, if you can get two monsters to have a go at each other, and if that helps you out on your hunt, you should definitely grab that opportunity.
DON'T IGNORE THE ENDEMIC LIFE
If you're heading into Rise with dozens (or hundreds, or thousands) of hours of World gameplay in your belt, you might be tempted to ignore the endemic life forms you find out in the wild. But while they were mostly meaningless in World, they're actually quite useful in Rise. From providing various different kinds of buffs to inflicting status effects on monsters to being used as consumables in combat and more, endemic life can be very useful in a pinch in Monster Hunter Rise. Be on the lookout for these while you're exploring.
DON'T SPAM WIREBUG ATTACKS
The Wirebug is one of the most crucial new elements Monster Hunter Rise has introduced, and it's as useful in combat as it is for traversal. Wirebug attacks in particular are a game-changer, especially for something like Wyvern riding- but as useful as they are, make sure you're not spamming them every chance you get. You only have a limited number of uses for these before you run out, which means you should unleash them only at the best of times. A couple of well-timed Wirebug attacks can really make a difference in a fight.
WIREBUG AND DEBUFFS
The Wirebug is useful for more than just out and out offence during combat. It can also help with removing certain stat debuffs and status ailments. For instance, swinging around a couple of times using your Wirebugs is a great way to remove the Waterblight status effect, which can greatly reduce your stamina recovery.
RIDING AND SHARPENING
Sharpening weapons is something that has always been a bit of a headache for Monster Hunter fans, but with the introduction of Palamute riding in Monster Hunter Rise, it can be done in a much more convenient manner. When you're in the middle of fights with raging monsters and you need to sharpen your weapons, make sure you get to that only once you're riding on top of your Palamute. This keeps you mobile and makes it harder for you to get hit, which means you can sharpen your weapons in relative peace.
RUN WITH YOUR WEAPONS SHEATHED
Sheathing your weapons isn't always practical, especially when you're taking on a monster, but it can be incredibly useful at times. For instance, you'll find that you're able to run much faster with your weapons sheathed than you would have otherwise, which is something that can be particularly useful in certain situations. It's worth keeping in mind, however, that that also means your stamina drain faster, and stamina is something that you always need to keep an eye on in Monster Hunter games.
EVERYTHING CAN BE USEFUL FOR CRAFTING
Crafting is, of course, one of the most crucial parts of any Monster Hunter game, which means that gathering resources, too, is just as important. While defeating monsters and farming for parts is the primary way to get your hands on new and useful crafting components, a lot of stuff can be found while exploring as well- and pretty much everything you can get your hands on can be useful in some form or another. Even seemingly useless items like dung can be important crafting components. So don't discard anything you see based on its apparent usefulness, or the lack thereof. You never know when something might come in handy.
Adamant Charged Slash
