FpsFailure
1 review liked by FpsFailure
Edit 1/17/24: Don't like this writeup anymore, still have tons of problems but didn't get at them well here
THIS IS FOR THE BASE GAME ONLY
I've written too many positive things lately, let's change that. Here's an unhinged rant, written in a paroxysm of rage. If that doesn't sound appealing then click off; otherwise, read on.
---
Finally, Monster Hunter has reached the AAA market! The series's core systems have been massively improved in a few important ways: graphical fidelity has been increased, the game is on home platforms, and the marketing budget is much bigger. Unprecedented sales numbers, especially in the West, are a natural consequence of fans noticing how these changes make the game fundamentally better to play.
Ostensibly this is a return to the grounded aesthetic of Gen 1 and 2, of being in touch with nature and your place in the ecosystem. And of course, what better way to do that than with loads of unskippable cutscenes and NPCs chattering at you in the field? If we have characters constantly say "Wow, isn't nature beautiful?" then it should be clear how much deep resonance the plot has. Games like Super Metroid, Dark Souls 1, or Monster Hunter 2 are far too subtle in their execution of themes. But that method is perfect for addressing important combat mechanics like sharpness damage modifier, staggers, and true raw!
With Ancient Forest, by taking inspiration from the iconic area 9 of Forest and Hills, Capcom has truly managed to capture the essence of a hostile environment, clearly shown by player comments like "Why the fuck is Anjanath camping in the hallway?", "Why do I keep doing sliding attacks?", and the repeated "Where the fuck do I even go?". The other maps are disappointingly playable, but luckily still have readability issues and their own obtrusive environmental gimmicks to keep flow state at bay.
In a break from past games, monsters will fight each other when they get close. This is impresively scripted and repetitive, but unfortunately falls flat by keeping the focus on the 1v1s that the combat is built for. Luckily, non-target monsters can still disrupt players by entering, roaring, inciting the target to roar, roaring in response, then leaving, wasting 10+ seconds and possibly causing the player to take damage. Phew, dodged a bullet there!
Don't think Capcom has forgotten their roots though. In a brilliant reprise of one of the most beloved elements of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Lao-Shan Lung key quests, the new titanic monster Zorah Magdaros appears twice in the story of the game. Hammer users will be delighted to hear that underneath the bombast, the same thrilling Triangle-Triangle-Triangle gameplay is alive and well. Wisely, Capcom dedicated a large amount of dev staff and time to this, more than any other monster, to make sure that the 2 hours players spent in their 100+ hour playtime would be memorable and thrilling.
One of the most disappointing aspects of Doom 2016 is how it presented a flawed-but-promising base to build upon that was distinct from the classic Doom games. It's clear the team working on World was aware of this pitfall, as they adopted a decidedly different mindset: haphazardly change core mechanics and let the other teams sort it out. By removing commitment in potion drinking and weapon sharpening, and allowing gunners to both shoot and reload while moving, they've managed to deftly replace decision points dependent on monster knowledge and situational awareness with flowcharted reaction tests. Add restocking items from camp, which completely breaks the gunner ammo system and enables potion spam indefinitely, and the picture is complete. It's obvious that this approach has worked wonders when you look at the janky, fight-specific mechanisms like DPS checks, strict time limits, and Farcaster bans that Iceborne's Alatreon and Fatalis designers were forced to resort to when creating difficult endgame fights.
The logical counterpart to making the players more powerful is to make the monsters weaker. Fights in World are satisfyingly lethargic, exemplified by new monsters Pukei-Pukei and Paolumu as well as returning favorites like Barroth and Diablos. Monsters stagger extremely often, which wisely rewards unskilled aggression and hit trades. Flagship monster Nergigante is a perfect example: breaking his spikes before they harden will trip him, giving you an opportunity to damage the other spikes. Skilled players will be rewarded with an unengaging fight where the monster is completely locked down and unable to fight back!
Reactive combat, a concept lurking in the background for the series for several years now, also makes its triumphant entrance into the starring role. Past hunters leveraged positioning and prediction to commit themselves to risky decisions, but this is antiquated, clunky gameplay that belongs on the NES. NES games are old and terrible, so to advance the series, monsters now move randomly, erratically, and often. Small positioning differences thankfully aren't very relevant anymore, and those disgusting-looking head turns are long gone.
Many weapons have been changed to align with this new focus. Greatsword now has most of its damage in the very last hit of a set of 3 charge moves, which pairs beautifully with the new highly random monster AI. Longsword takes some much-needed inspiration from other action games by adding an overcentralizing, generous iframe move that bypasses meter management. Disappointingly, Switch Axe's forms are well-integrated with each other, but some missteps are understandable.
Overall, I'm glad Capcom has finally modernized this old, clunky series. Modern gaming has come a long way, and a lot of the classics, while great for nostalgia, simply don't live up to modern AAA standards. Hopefully the new Silent Hill 2 remake can recognize how flawed a PS2-era game must be, and follow in Monster Hunter World's footsteps!
THIS IS FOR THE BASE GAME ONLY
I've written too many positive things lately, let's change that. Here's an unhinged rant, written in a paroxysm of rage. If that doesn't sound appealing then click off; otherwise, read on.
---
Finally, Monster Hunter has reached the AAA market! The series's core systems have been massively improved in a few important ways: graphical fidelity has been increased, the game is on home platforms, and the marketing budget is much bigger. Unprecedented sales numbers, especially in the West, are a natural consequence of fans noticing how these changes make the game fundamentally better to play.
Ostensibly this is a return to the grounded aesthetic of Gen 1 and 2, of being in touch with nature and your place in the ecosystem. And of course, what better way to do that than with loads of unskippable cutscenes and NPCs chattering at you in the field? If we have characters constantly say "Wow, isn't nature beautiful?" then it should be clear how much deep resonance the plot has. Games like Super Metroid, Dark Souls 1, or Monster Hunter 2 are far too subtle in their execution of themes. But that method is perfect for addressing important combat mechanics like sharpness damage modifier, staggers, and true raw!
With Ancient Forest, by taking inspiration from the iconic area 9 of Forest and Hills, Capcom has truly managed to capture the essence of a hostile environment, clearly shown by player comments like "Why the fuck is Anjanath camping in the hallway?", "Why do I keep doing sliding attacks?", and the repeated "Where the fuck do I even go?". The other maps are disappointingly playable, but luckily still have readability issues and their own obtrusive environmental gimmicks to keep flow state at bay.
In a break from past games, monsters will fight each other when they get close. This is impresively scripted and repetitive, but unfortunately falls flat by keeping the focus on the 1v1s that the combat is built for. Luckily, non-target monsters can still disrupt players by entering, roaring, inciting the target to roar, roaring in response, then leaving, wasting 10+ seconds and possibly causing the player to take damage. Phew, dodged a bullet there!
Don't think Capcom has forgotten their roots though. In a brilliant reprise of one of the most beloved elements of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Lao-Shan Lung key quests, the new titanic monster Zorah Magdaros appears twice in the story of the game. Hammer users will be delighted to hear that underneath the bombast, the same thrilling Triangle-Triangle-Triangle gameplay is alive and well. Wisely, Capcom dedicated a large amount of dev staff and time to this, more than any other monster, to make sure that the 2 hours players spent in their 100+ hour playtime would be memorable and thrilling.
One of the most disappointing aspects of Doom 2016 is how it presented a flawed-but-promising base to build upon that was distinct from the classic Doom games. It's clear the team working on World was aware of this pitfall, as they adopted a decidedly different mindset: haphazardly change core mechanics and let the other teams sort it out. By removing commitment in potion drinking and weapon sharpening, and allowing gunners to both shoot and reload while moving, they've managed to deftly replace decision points dependent on monster knowledge and situational awareness with flowcharted reaction tests. Add restocking items from camp, which completely breaks the gunner ammo system and enables potion spam indefinitely, and the picture is complete. It's obvious that this approach has worked wonders when you look at the janky, fight-specific mechanisms like DPS checks, strict time limits, and Farcaster bans that Iceborne's Alatreon and Fatalis designers were forced to resort to when creating difficult endgame fights.
The logical counterpart to making the players more powerful is to make the monsters weaker. Fights in World are satisfyingly lethargic, exemplified by new monsters Pukei-Pukei and Paolumu as well as returning favorites like Barroth and Diablos. Monsters stagger extremely often, which wisely rewards unskilled aggression and hit trades. Flagship monster Nergigante is a perfect example: breaking his spikes before they harden will trip him, giving you an opportunity to damage the other spikes. Skilled players will be rewarded with an unengaging fight where the monster is completely locked down and unable to fight back!
Reactive combat, a concept lurking in the background for the series for several years now, also makes its triumphant entrance into the starring role. Past hunters leveraged positioning and prediction to commit themselves to risky decisions, but this is antiquated, clunky gameplay that belongs on the NES. NES games are old and terrible, so to advance the series, monsters now move randomly, erratically, and often. Small positioning differences thankfully aren't very relevant anymore, and those disgusting-looking head turns are long gone.
Many weapons have been changed to align with this new focus. Greatsword now has most of its damage in the very last hit of a set of 3 charge moves, which pairs beautifully with the new highly random monster AI. Longsword takes some much-needed inspiration from other action games by adding an overcentralizing, generous iframe move that bypasses meter management. Disappointingly, Switch Axe's forms are well-integrated with each other, but some missteps are understandable.
Overall, I'm glad Capcom has finally modernized this old, clunky series. Modern gaming has come a long way, and a lot of the classics, while great for nostalgia, simply don't live up to modern AAA standards. Hopefully the new Silent Hill 2 remake can recognize how flawed a PS2-era game must be, and follow in Monster Hunter World's footsteps!