Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise is an action role-playing game from Capcom, released on the Nintendo Switch in March 2021. A Windows version followed in January 2022, and ports for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S arrived in January 2023. The Sunbreak expansion launched in June 2022. The game builds on the foundation of Monster Hunter: World, adding a dog-like companion called a Palamute that can be ridden across the map and into battle, as well as Wirebugs for grappling, climbing, and temporarily controlling certain monsters. Critics praised the gameplay and how it expanded on World’s mechanics. As of its launch, Rise has sold over 15 million copies, making it the second best-selling game in the series, while Sunbreak has sold over 8 million copies. Players take the role of a Hunter, tasked with slaying or capturing large monsters using weapons, tools, and the environment while avoiding attacks. Completing quests yields monster parts used to forge stronger armor and weapons, forming the series’ core loop. All fourteen weapon types from Monster Hunter Generations and World—including swords, shields, staves, bows, and guns—return. Rise uses seamless maps like World, but emphasizes vertical movement. The Wirebug lets players grapple across gaps and reach high places, and each weapon type has unique Wirebug moves and combos. It also enables Wyvern Riding, allowing hunters to mount and briefly control a monster, either leading it to a better combat area or attacking another monster. Palamutes are new dog-like companions that can be ridden to quickly traverse maps without losing stamina, scale cliffs, and fight alongside the player. They join the returning cat-like Palicoes as companion options. The game supports single-player and local or online multiplayer for up to four hunters. In single-player, players can bring up to two companions (any mix of Palico or Palamute); in multiplayer, each player brings one. Rise introduces Rampage, a tower defense mode where players defend the village from waves of monsters by setting up siege weapons and directing non-player characters to attack while fighting directly. The Sunbreak expansion adds Switch Skills Swap, letting hunters switch between two skill sets mid-hunt without returning to camp. Non-player characters in hunting hubs can be befriended and then join hunts as companions.