New generation of Monster Hunter games vs old

[Tanooki | 4,952]

I've tried through Sony to enjoy this franchise for years off and on, and well the staples of some of the design just kept driving me away after some hours of play.  The farming was beyond overkill for the basic of basics, but what wrecked it was the out of date capcom style control and rank camera.

 

With MH Rise coming, and with a recent buy I did that (not tried it yet) netted me the 3DS (also on Android/IOS) Monster Hunter Stories I've been curious about them.  I've seen some comments in reviews or passing about how they're like the best of what the franchise can offer, but without some baggage.

I'm curious if anyone here has played, finished, or know someone with experience behind Stories or has some good info about Rise that makes the stuff I hated most nullified or minimized to finally make this franchise enjoyable.  I'd like to try something new and even if the franchise isn't, if this level of break is big it might as well should be, but don't want to be wasting time and coin on fan service reviews covering up some warts.

[Gloves | 11,840]

I've tried every mainline MH game and while I love the look of them (intense combat vs giant dragons/dinos/etc.), they really don't advertise that it's hours and hours of laborious grinding. I've not played any offshoots and maybe Rise will be different, but I'm not holding my breath. 

[Tanooki | 4,952]

1 hour ago, Gloves said:

I've tried every mainline MH game and while I love the look of them (intense combat vs giant dragons/dinos/etc.), they really don't advertise that it's hours and hours of laborious grinding. I've not played any offshoots and maybe Rise will be different, but I'm not holding my breath. 

See that's my concern.  I tried 2 of the PSP releases and another, the controls were like Resident Evil tanky terrible, a camera that never would behave fighting it as much as a beast, and as you said, hours upon hours just to make basic gear or supplies.  It just was fun and life sucking chore time when using it so it didn't last.

I read that Stories dumped it entirely as some kind of an RPG with monsters you can get like DQ Monsters, and Rise supposedly kills off the overkill harvesting of goods, and you can go right in with finally modern controls and camera and enjoy the hunt and story without the harassing shortcomings of the past.  I was hoping someone had some basic experience on the earlier game, and some info slipped on the other as it's about time to come out.

[Red | 439]

I've been playing Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate recently and thought there was less gathering/grinding than the other ones I've played (Tri and G on Wii).  There's a whole bunch of free downloadable item packs that give you more than enough supplies you need to get started.  I only downloaded two before I was able to easily get everything I needed through trading and meownster hunting (which is where you send felines to hunt and gather for you).  There's also some way to hire other hunters to hunt for you, but I haven't tried that yet.

That said, there are still some required gathering quests and you will have to repeat certain quests if you have your heart set on specific weapons and armor.  There are also quite a few quest that feel mostly the same as earlier ones.  You can always look up online to see which gathering are optional.  It doesn't look like there are too many you need to do.

I've tried playing Dos (PS2) and a couple of the PSP ones, but didn't not like the controls at all.  Using the D pad to control the camera while having to use the left analog to move your character really doesn't make sense to me.  Tri, G, and Generations Ultimate all let you use the right analog for the camera.  I wouldn't say the camera is necessarily better in these games, just the placement of the camera controls is better.

Can't comment much on Rise since I've only played the demo and yeah, Stories is really more of a standard RPG than a Monster Hunter game.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Red

[Tanooki | 4,952]

I put good time in on Friday night with Stories, kind of surprised how good it seems to be.  A lot of my gripes are out, though it is a turn based JRPG in this case and not live, that's one way to avoid the camera/control problems.  Getting goods seems helpful, but not required, as there are shops to buy the weapons and armor, but if you do find stuff lying about plus from kills you can perk the gear up too.  Writing seems fine, not sure how long or widely open the game is as of yet, but I did get my 2nd monstie and there is this job board on top of the actual story.

[AstralSoul | 503]

Monster Hunter is one of those franchises that, on paper, I should love. But I don't. I've tried 3, 4, Generations, Stories and World and the only one that I kind of liked was Stories. Maybe because it was targeted at a younger audience and I liked the more cartoons style. I kept trying new games in the series because people tell me they keep getting better and more beginner friendly, and I always like them at first, but then like Gloves mentioned, it gets to a point where you realize all you're doing is grinding and that is the point where I'm turned off. I always hoped there would be a game in the series that grabbed me and kept my attention but so far there hasn't and I figured if World didn't capture me, then none would since it's supposed to be the least grindy, most beginner friendly of all, so I think I'm done trying.

[Tanooki | 4,952]

Supposedly Rise has been entirely retooled so that you don't go out as a paper target to die, don't have to harvest stuff like mad or really much at all to succeed, the controls and camera not being broken either.  I read it is a total refresh so those who had hated the others due to the very problems, they've been supposedly fixed.  It's partly why I made this topic on top of Stories.

[AstralSoul | 503]

13 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Supposedly Rise has been entirely retooled so that you don't go out as a paper target to die, don't have to harvest stuff like mad or really much at all to succeed, the controls and camera not being broken either.  I read it is a total refresh so those who had hated the others due to the very problems, they've been supposedly fixed.  It's partly why I made this topic on top of Stories.

I will have to check out that demo then.

[SailorScoutMandy | 782]

I played MHG on switch before Rise and so far in rise I am noticing it's not as grind heavy. Like I'm already being offered equipment and armor builds without needing to spend hundred hours getting mats. 

 

Also fair to mention I haven't does yet, I did that a lot in MHG lol.