I’m very excited for Wilds, like most of the fanbase, but Monster Hunter Rise is my favorite game in the series. The faster-paced combat, smaller hunting grounds, and larger-than-life monsters make for a captivating experience – I still have a soft spot for World, but Rise is where I truly fell in love with the franchise. If you missed out on the latest entry, you can get Monster Hunter Rise, and the Sunbreak expansion, at the lowest price it’s ever been.
The Monster Hunter series makes for some of the best action games, regardless of the platform you’re on. But Rise’s humble beginnings on the Nintendo Switch make it a perfect fit for the best handheld consoles, such as Valve’s glorious Steam Deck. As far as RPGs go, Monster Hunter games are some of the easiest to get into, but hardest to truly master.
If you’ve played or seen any other Monster Hunter games, the basic gist is the same. You pick your favorite weapon, fight huge monsters who aren’t keen to be killed, and (hopefully) survive with some resources to further upgrade your armory. There’s usually a good story alongside it, but the meat of the series revolves around the difficult beasts you’ll have to take down.
However, where Monster Hunter Rise cements itself as the best Monster Hunter game for me – and especially takes the spot away from World and the upcoming Wilds – is that the Wirebug makes for a different layer to the already heart-pounding gameplay of the franchise. The Wirebug allows you to perform maneuvers and attack your prey with skill, and the tricks you can perform make it a much faster, more action-based game.
Don’t mistake this change for an easy game though. While the narrative element of Monster Hunter Rise may make you feel like the ultimate hunter by the time you see the conclusion, that’s actually where the game truly starts. You’ll go on progressively harder hunts, slowly building up your armor and gaining knowledge of which monsters have certain weaknesses and strengths.
If you’re looking to play the full game, as well as the brilliant Sunbreak DLC that will certainly add plenty of hours to your playtime, then you can grab Monster Hunter Rise and Sunbreak for just $12.89 / £10.74 on Fanatical, which is a massive saving from the $59.99 / £49.99 the collection typically costs.
So, if you’re looking to wait until Wilds drops in price, this Monster Hunter Rise sale isn’t one to miss out on for Steam Deck – or the best Steam Deck alternatives, too. However, if you do have Valve’s handheld, I suggest grabbing the best Steam Deck docks and getting a great Monster Hunter experience on a bigger screen.