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Monster Hunter Rise is a strong choice if you want a fast, mobile take on the series, with satisfying hunts and combat built around the Wirebug and Switch Skills. Its main trade-offs are less elaborate environments than Monster Hunter: World and a platform choice that matters: Switch offers handheld play, while PC reviews highlighted higher resolution and performance. Sunbreak is a separate expansion, so a recommendation for the base game does not automatically cover the expanded package.
What do reviews say about Monster Hunter Rise?
Critics responded strongly to the Nintendo Switch version. Metacritic’s Switch critic page showed an 88 Metascore, labeled “Generally Favorable,” from 130 reviews when accessed October 8, 2026: 118 positive, four mixed, and none negative. That is a snapshot of critic reviews, not a permanent score or a rating for every platform.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Monster Hunter Rise - Nintendo Switch Standard Edition | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe Edition - Nintendo Switch Deluxe Edition | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Monster Hunter Rise - Nintendo Switch (Renewed) | $29.77 | Buy on Amazon |
Steam offers a separate measure from players. On October 8, 2026, its PC listing showed 87% positive English-language user reviews out of 34,823 total, and 87% positive among 1,022 recent reviews. These are changing user-review figures, not critic scores.
Metacritic’s Monster Hunter Rise critic reviews and the Steam store listing provide the respective snapshots.
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- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village.
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
What makes Rise stand out?
Combat built around mobility
The Wirebug gives hunters new ways to move vertically and reposition, while Switch Skills add flexibility to combat. IGN Japan’s review, reproduced on Metacritic, praised how “the action elements have been refined with the introduction of the Wirebug and Switch Skill systems.” That is a critic’s assessment of the design, but it captures the systems most central to Rise’s identity.
A quicker route into the hunt
Rise places a strong emphasis on traversal and getting into the action. Its maps and Japanese-inspired visual identity support a distinct feel from Monster Hunter: World, rather than simply reproducing that game’s presentation. Reviewers praised the action, while some found Rise’s environments less detailed and elaborate than World’s.
Rampage adds a different kind of encounter
Rampage is a larger-scale mode that breaks up the standard hunt format. IGN Japan’s Metacritic excerpt also praised its balance of difficulty and variety. Whether that mode is a highlight will depend on whether you enjoy a change of pace from tracking and fighting individual monsters.
Rank #2
- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
How does Rise compare with World?
Choose based on the experience you value, not an assumed series-wide ranking. Rise’s mobility and brisker flow are its defining strengths; World is the more compelling comparison if intricate environments and visual spectacle are high priorities. The PC review roundup recorded reviewers who preferred World’s environment detail, but that is a matter of taste, not a universal verdict.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Neither the critic aggregate nor the roundup establishes one game as objectively the “best” Monster Hunter. If you are undecided, compare gameplay footage from both and focus on hunt pacing, map design, and how much you value traversal versus environmental detail.
Should you get Rise on Switch or PC?
| Consideration | Nintendo Switch | PC |
|---|---|---|
| How you play | Supports handheld play. | Suited to players who prefer a PC display and its performance options. |
| Visuals and performance | PC-port reviewers described higher resolution and performance on PC than on Switch; this is a launch-era comparison, not a current benchmark. | Reviewers responding to the 2022 PC port highlighted improved resolution and performance compared with Switch. |
| Moving between platforms | The January 2022 comparison reported no cross-save or cross-play between Switch and PC. | The same launch-era comparison reported no cross-save or cross-play between Switch and PC; it is not a full, current compatibility guide. |
The PC-port roundup was published by Nintendo Life on January 11, 2022, so treat its cross-platform details as specific to that comparison rather than a complete present-day multiplayer matrix. Check current platform information and which system your friends use before deciding. Nintendo Life also quoted Polygon’s assessment: “Monster Hunter Rise on PC is just a different way to play a fantastic game.”
Rank #3
- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village.
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
Nintendo Life’s PC-port review roundup summarizes those launch-era comparisons.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Sunbreak worth including?
Sunbreak is a premium expansion, not part of the base game by default. Steam lists a Rise + Sunbreak bundle, giving PC buyers a digital route to both. Keep the scope clear when comparing recommendations: a positive review of Rise alone is not a review of the combined package, and the bundle’s existence does not establish a physical bundle for other platforms.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteCapcom announced on June 4, 2025, that Sunbreak had exceeded 10 million units sold. That figure concerns the expansion, not the base game; it indicates broad uptake but does not by itself determine whether the add-on is right for you.
See the Capcom Sunbreak sales announcement for that dated figure and official platform information.
Quick Recap
Who should buy Monster Hunter Rise?
- Choose Rise if you want an action-focused Monster Hunter with distinctive mobility systems and a faster-feeling route into hunts.
- Choose Switch if handheld play is a priority.
- Consider PC if you prefer playing on a computer and value the resolution and performance improvements described by PC-port reviewers.
- Compare with World first if intricate environments and visual spectacle matter more to you than Rise’s mobility and pace.
- Decide separately about Sunbreak by checking whether you want the expansion as well as the base game, and confirm the exact edition and platform before purchasing.
