We bring you all the info on the PC version of Monster Hunter Rise and clarify what you can expect in comparison to Monster Hunter World in terms of graphics, system requirements and more.
Saddle up your Rathalos, feed your trusty Palico, and clean your hunting boots, because Monster Hunter Rise, the next spin-off, will be released for PC in 2022. However, not as a successor in the form of Monster Hunter World 2, but as a PC port of the current Switch offshoot. It has to make compromises in terms of graphics, but integrates some clever innovations in terms of gameplay.
We played the demo via Steam for a few hours and also talked to the developers – specifically producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, who answered our questions about Monster Hunter’s PC future. Here’s everything you need to know about how MH Rise compares to World and what the PC version has to offer in terms of graphics and technology.
Table of Contents
All info on the PC version of Monster Hunter Rise
Release: When will MH Rise be released for PC?
The PC version of Rise finally has a release date and even comes out not even a full year after the Switch version. You can start playing via Steam on January 12, 2022. A release for PS4/PS5 or Xbox One/Xbox Series has not been announced at the moment, by the way.
Price: How much does MH Rise cost and what about pre-order bonuses?
The Standard Edition of MH Rise costs 60 euros and includes the main game. If you buy the Deluxe Edition, you pay 75 Euro and get cosmetic looks for hunters and companion animals as well as some emotes:
- Hunter Decorative Armor “Kamurai “
- Palamute decorative armor “Shuriken collar “
- Palico decorative armor part “Fish collar “
- Gesture set “4 jumps “
- Pose set “Samurai “
- Face paint “Kabuki “
- Hairdo “Izuchi ponytail “
You won’t get any tangible game content, so consider spending 15 Euros on it. If you pre-order, you will also get these bonuses with the normal edition:
- Palamute Decorative Armor “Golden Retriever “
- Palico decorative armor “Forest cat “
- Novice talisman for “a little help at the beginning “
If you try the current demo, you’ll also get the “Demo Player Bonus” item pack with a few potions and traps on top.
System requirements: How demanding is it?
Surprisingly close to MH World: Although MH Rise was originally released for the Nintendo Switch, a GTX 1060 is recommended as the graphics card, just like in Monster Hunter World. Of course, the PC version is still rather frugal by today’s standards.
The difference is a bit more obvious when it comes to the processor. MH World recommends the Core i7-3770 or a comparable model. However, both games require 8 GB of RAM and about 20 GB of free storage space.
Minimum system requirements
- Processor: Core i3-4130/Core i5-3470/FX-6100
- Graphics card: Geforce GT 1030/Radeon RX 550
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Hard disk: 23 GB
Recommended system requirements
- Processor: Core i5-4460/FX-8300
- Graphics card: Geforce GTX 1060/Radeon RX 570
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Hard disk: 23 GB
Graphics: Can it hold its own next to MH World
The direct comparison isn’t entirely fair, of course. Monster Hunter Rise has to run on the Switch, after all, and was primarily developed for the portable console, while World uses PS4 and Xbox One as its base. That said, Rise also offers a wide range of graphics settings, which include unlimited framerate, high-res textures, 4K resolution, and Ultrawide support (21:9):
In terms of level design, Monster Hunter Rise is in no way inferior to MH World. Here, too, you’ll roam through extremely vertical areas, which are sometimes covered by red sand, sometimes by snow and ice, and sometimes provide variety via Japanese temple ruins and bamboo forests – this also fits the scenario, since the Asian village of Kamura serves as the quest hub this time. Armor, weapons, monsters, soundtrack and the general style of the action role-playing game is clearly more Far Eastern.
You can even use the new rope beetles to catapult yourself to mountain peaks and far above the treetops at certain points, run along rock walls, climb ledges or attack monsters from above. The general look seems coherent and the areas reward your urge to explore with useful resources or atmospheric views.
The textures on tree bark, rock walls, buildings or clothing also look crisp and sharp. The models of hunters and monsters are also very detailed and especially the latter score points with elegant and smooth animations. Here, the developers get everything out of the Switch version. Rise is less impressive when it comes to the vegetation and the hustle and bustle of monsters and animals that we know from World. The areas simply look much more barren and empty, which is also detrimental to the atmosphere.
Technology: How smoothly does Monster Hunter Rise run on the PC?
We were able to play most of the demo in 4K at 60fps with our Geforce RTX 2070 and an i7-8700K processor without any issues. However, the screenshot button froze the game briefly every now and then. In addition, there were a few annoying micro-stutters in between. We did not experience any crashes or major bugs apart from small glitches. Overall, the PC version makes a solid first impression.
It remains to be seen how the performance performs with multiple players and monsters on the map. We have only been able to try out the first area in the demo, with one enemy monster and only one player, because we did not find a larger group.
The mouse and keyboard controls are freely customizable. Similar to World, it still feels more cumbersome and a bit more difficult to get used to than the fluid controller controls. Especially with the rope beetles, your fingers can get knotted on the input devices during combat. However, once you get used to it and change a few buttons to your own preferences, you can manage well.
The fact that the Switch version can be ported so easily for the PC is due to the RE engine, which Rise uses for the first time in the series. It was already used in Resident Evil 7 and Village.
Features: How do World and Rise differ gameplay-wise?
We couldn’t wait for the PC release, of course, so we’ve already played the Switch version up and down.
Of course, we couldn’t wait until the PC release, so we’ve already put the Switch version through its paces. You can see the gameplay comparison between Monster Hunter World and Rise in detail in the video below:
But at a glance, you can also find the main differences and innovations that Rise introduces:
- New monsters, characters and areas: You don’t need to have played World, or any other Monster Hunter to come along.
- Rope Beetle: Similar to the Brace Claw in Iceborne, the Beetle turns combat and locomotion on its head. You can use it to climb, attack monsters, tie them up, or even ride a horse.
- Wyvern Ride: You can briefly mount monsters weakened by the rope beetles (like mounting in World) and hurl them against other creatures or walls. They will then briefly lie on the ground and drop material.
- RandalsQuests: Monster waves attack the village and are repelled with weapons or defensive machines. In the success you dust off many rewards
- Palamutes: Alone on quests, you can take along a dog companion in addition to your Palico cat. He fights and serves as a mount that you can always summon. In multiplayer, you’ll have to choose a companion.
- Endemic Creatures: If you collect the small creatures that are in the hunting grounds, you can increase your stats along the way. Potions and eating in advance are not the only way to do this.
How the gameplay of Rise works
The gameplay of Rise is rather reminiscent of older series spin-offs – no wonder, after all, the action role-playing game does not come from the World developer, but from the team behind Generations. You set out on solo missions from the village of Kamura, where you’ll also find blacksmiths, merchants, cooks and so on. You can start multiplayer quests independently of this via the meeting place. This way, you’ll rise in the hunter rank and gradually unlock more challenging missions. Side missions can be done on the way, for example by collecting mushrooms.
The 14 weapons and the basic gameplay, however, are the same as in World: you accept a quest and then have up to 50 minutes to find and kill or capture the monster. This gives you materials that you can invest in even better weapons and armor to hunt stronger monsters. Each creature has certain strengths and weaknesses, as well as unique abilities and attack patterns.
Multiplayer: How to play MH Rise in co-op?
Multiplayer missions with co-op for up to four players you accept in the meeting place – or you join yourself by accepting the mission at the quest board. You can also complete them alone, but you’ll have to expect more resistance than with solo missions. A new feature is that Monster Hunter Rise comes with an integrated voice chat. Instead of using pre-made chat inputs or outside of the game, you can now communicate directly in it – or disable the feature.
Will there be cross saves or cross play with the Switch?
Whoever wants to continue playing Rise on the PC or switch seamlessly between Switch and Steam in between, will be left out in the cold. Save and progress cannot be transferred, and PC and console players cannot play together. Capcom is currently not able to implement the feature. That doesn’t rule out that this will change at some point, but you shouldn’t count on it at the moment.
Roadmap: What’s next for Monster Hunter Rise on PC?
According to Capcom, the PC version of Monster Hunter Rise should catch up with the Switch variant in terms of free DLCs by November 2022. So not all add-on content will be available in one fell swoop at release.
Big addon: release and content of Sunbreak on PC?
Similar to World with the highly acclaimed Iceborne, Monster Hunter Rise is getting a big expansion: Sunbreak. It will be released in the summer of 2022 – and at the same time for PC and console. The addon is set after the main story and introduces a new master rank for experienced players.
As in Iceborne, you’ll be transported to a new base and at least one additional hunting ground, where Malzeno, a bad-tempered dragon, lurks in a ruined castle as the new Dragon Elder. In addition to this impressive beast, other new monsters await you, such as the Shogun Ceanataur, which you know from older games.
Monster Hunter for PC: What does the future look like after World and Rise?
Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto tells us that the success of Monster Hunter World in the West has changed the way they look at the series. He says that even with Rise, they had in mind that the game should appeal to hunters around the globe. That’s why they integrated many features introduced with World, such as seamless areas, and made them the new standard for the series. The PC version of Rise was developed because many demanded it when the game was announced – especially in the West.
This move also changes how Monster Hunter will fare in the future:
Because the series is winning over more and more players and is getting more attention worldwide, our strategy has changed. I can’t go into too much detail, but we always want to challenge ourselves with creating games that reach more and more players and continue to grow the Monster Hunter audience.
This also makes further spin-offs in the style of the turn-based role-playing game Monster Hunter Stories 2 conceivable, although Tsujimoto also only answers this question by saying that they always want to reach more players. More PC spin-offs are thus very likelyh.
