A year ago I played Monster Hunter Rise on Nintendo Switch and said that it comes “Highly Recommended” both for newcomers and seasoned veterans of the franchise. If you want to check out what the game is all about, I suggest reading through that review as it deals with the core gameplay aspects more. Monster Hunter Rise has now finally made its way to PC and has the additional benefit of running both at a higher resolution and framerate. So ultimately, is the PC version worth diving into?
Monster Hunter Rise on Nintendo Switch ran at a solid 30 frames per second in both handheld and docked mode. Now that it’s on PC, the game can run at much higher framerates. This has some slight gameplay implications with regards to attacks and animations, and overall what was already a fast paced, extremely fluid action game is now even more buttery smooth.
The premise of the game is unchanged from the Nintendo Switch version. Monster Hunter Rise on PC is the same game as its Nintendo Switch counterpart but with graphical enhancements and all the additional event quest content that was drip fed into the title over the past year. If you haven’t picked up the Nintendo Switch version of this game yet, this is the perfect opportunity to play the game in its best form provided you have a gaming capable PC.
The system requirements to run Monster Hunter Rise on PC aren’t that hefty either and most mid-range PCs or gaming laptops should be able to run this title at a solid 60 FPS or more. The boost to the frame rate makes all the difference in the PC version with the gaming feeling ridiculously good to play. There’s a fluidity to your character’s movements and attacks that feels as if they’ve been upgraded – No longer shackled by the sluggish graphics processing of the ageing Nintendo Switch. In a game like Monster Hunter, where attacks, attack timings, dodges and other precision moves are incredibly important to the game’s overall mechanics, the PC version helps Monster Hunter Rise, rise above (pun intended) its Nintendo Switch counterpart in every mechanical way.
Going back to the Nintendo Switch version after playing the PC version will immediately feel like a downgrade and players will notice this immediately. Monster Hunter Rise on PC is the definitive way the game should be played and gamers who haven’t picked up the Nintendo Switch version should ideally opt for the PC version instead if they can. There is an argument to be made that the Nintendo Switch version allows for portable gameplay and is more accessible to those that don’t have a gaming PC and that’s perfectly fine to consider. If you can run Monster Hunter Rise on PC though based on the recommended specs stated by Capcom, then this is the version to purchase.
Unfortunately, if you already own the Nintendo Switch version of Monster Hunter Rise, the PC version does not support cross-save or cross-play. The PC version is an entirely separate game and it’s immensely disappointing that Capcom have not allowed save transfers or cross-progression to be a thing in this title. Fans who have sunk hundreds of hours into the Nintendo Switch version of the game might feel as if they’ve wasted their time, especially if they try out the PC version and see for themselves just how fantastic it is with all the notable graphical improvements.
Speaking of graphical improvements, the graphics of the PC version have received an upgrade but not one that is insanely massive. There are higher resolution 4K textures on offer here as well numerous changes to shadows, lighting and more but the game essentially still looks very similar to the Nintendo Switch version. The differences are noticeable but the Nintendo Switch version still manages to hold up against the PC version despite the visual fidelity increase.
The PC version of Monster Hunter Rise includes a feature that isn’t present on Nintendo Switch and this is the ability to apply filters to the game. There are 6 options available which are Black and White, Sepia, Warring Lands, Japanese Style and two “Cinema” style filters which are applied to both Black and White and Sepia. These filters change the colour of the game and while they don’t really affect gameplay much, it’s a nice additional touch from Capcom which leads to some gorgeous screenshots and video content. The PC version of the game also includes support for Ultrawide displays and this clearly shows that Capcom have learned their lesson from Monster Hunter World which did not at first.
Monster Hunter Rise on PC also features a revamped control scheme for mouse and keyboard. This is a step up over Monster Hunter World and the game is actually playable with a mouse and keyboard just fine though I would suggest still using a controller. This does however come down to personal preference and I’m sure that some people might prefer the mouse and keyboard setup now.
Overall, if you haven’t already played Monster Hunter Rise on Nintendo Switch, or even if you have already, Monster Hunter Rise on PC is a great game that’s been upgraded over its console counterpart. The graphical fidelity hike isn’t as pronounced as it could be but it does still look great with higher resolution textures and better shadows. It’s a shame that Capcom didn’t implement Ray Tracing here using the RE Engine to really push its graphical fidelity up but it’s still ok even without it. If you’ve sunk hundreds of hours into the Nintendo Switch version of the game, the PC version’s lack of cross-save might upset you but the quality-of-life improvement that comes from the higher framerates, voice chat support and multiplayer via Steam is incredibly enticing. Monster Hunter Rise on PC therefore is highly recommended and with Monster Hunter Rise’s expansion, Sunbreak due for a simultaneous console and PC release later this year, now is the best time to dive into the base game on PC.
Enjoy the review? want to read more of our reviews? then click right here to be whisked away to the realm of our opinions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.