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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Kinsects are companion equipment for the Insect Glaive in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. You buy one at the Smithy, equip it to an Insect Glaive through Change Equipment, then use its actions during hunts. The glaive’s Kinsect level affects the Kinsect’s effects and power, so the two pieces of equipment work as a pair.
What a Kinsect does
The Insect Glaive is your weapon; its Kinsect is an insect companion you send out and recall during combat. Capcom’s Sunbreak manual identifies Kinsects as equipment used with Insect Glaives and explains that the equipped glaive’s Kinsect level affects the Kinsect’s effects. A higher Kinsect level powers it up.
That means choosing a Kinsect is not separate from choosing a glaive: check the glaive’s Kinsect level as you progress, since it influences the companion’s performance.
How to buy and equip a Kinsect
- Visit the Smithy and purchase a Kinsect.
- Open Change Equipment and select your equipped Insect Glaive.
- Choose and equip the Kinsect you want to pair with that glaive.
These steps follow the equipment instructions in Capcom’s Sunbreak manual. The Kinsect is selected through the equipment interface, rather than being a separate weapon you carry independently.
#1 Best Overall
- Journey to the West - In addition to the plethora of new hunts to complete, the immersive story will task Kamura’s valiant hunters with researching the secrets behind the puzzling anomalies plaguing the distant Kingdom. This pursuit will take players on a journey across the sea to a new base of operations called Elgado Outpost, where they will investigate powerful creatures known as the Three Lords, each inspired by staples of Western horror.
- New and Returning Monsters - The game will introduce Malzeno, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the lupine Fanged Wyvern Lunagaron, the towering Garangolm, and new subspecies such as Blood Orange Bishaten. Hunters will also encounter numerous fan-favorite and returning species from previous Monster Hunter games including the voltaic Astalos.
- Combat Evolved - The “Wirebug” mechanic that allows for unparalleled freedom of movement and mobility returns! Hunters using the new facilities at Elgado Outpost will also be able to master all-new combat options and Wirebug techniques for all weapon types. More information on these new abilities will be shared in the future.
- New Locales - Featuring all-new maps with no loading times such as the newly revealed Citadel locale, the continuous gameplay ensures that players will remain on their quests as soon as the hunt begins, without transitions between areas.
- Hunting Options - Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in online co-op play on Nintendo Switch or PC. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone via a local connection!
How to use a Kinsect during a hunt
Capcom’s Insect Glaive controls reference lists four Kinsect-related actions: Harvest Extract, Recall, Fire, and Mark Target. Together, they let you direct the Kinsect toward a target, retrieve it, and perform the weapon’s extract-harvesting action. The exact button mapping depends on platform and control scheme; consult the in-game controls or the manual’s platform-specific layout rather than relying on a universal button combination.
What to know about extracts and Kinsect types
Extract gathering is part of the Insect Glaive’s combat loop, but the official Sunbreak material cited here does not provide a complete, current table of extract colors and effects, Kinsect species, or their bonuses. It also does not establish one Kinsect as the best choice for every player or build.
Rank #2
Capcom’s older Monster Hunter Generations manual describes Kinsects harvesting extracts from monster parts, with effects that vary by part and include Red, White, Orange, and Green extracts. That is useful series background, not a verified guide to the Sunbreak system: do not assume the older game’s full effect list applies unchanged in Rise.
Guides may discuss options such as Assist and Powder Kinsects or Powder Vortex, but exact performance, rankings, and build advice depend on the game version and should be checked against current in-game information. For a practical choice, compare the Kinsect’s role and upkeep with your glaive’s Kinsect level and the way you prefer to mark, direct, and recall it.
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Best Value
- Journey to the West – In addition to the plethora of new hunts to complete, the immersive story will task Kamura’s valiant hunters with researching the secrets behind the puzzling anomalies plaguing the distant Kingdom. This pursuit will take players on a journey across the sea to a new base of operations called Elgado Outpost, where they will investigate powerful creatures known as the Three Lords, each inspired by staples of Western horror.
- New and Returning Monsters – The game will introduce Malzeno, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the lupine Fanged Wyvern Lunagaron, the towering Garangolm, and new subspecies such as Blood Orange Bishaten. Hunters will also encounter numerous fan-favorite and returning species from previous Monster Hunter games including the voltaic Astalos.
- Combat Evolved – The “Wirebug” mechanic that allows for unparalleled freedom of movement and mobility returns! Hunters using the new facilities at Elgado Outpost will also be able to master all-new combat options and Wirebug techniques for all weapon types. More information on these new abilities will be shared in the future.
- New Locales – Featuring all-new maps with no loading times such as the newly revealed Citadel locale, the continuous gameplay ensures that players will remain on their quests as soon as the hunt begins, without transitions between areas.
- Hunting Options – Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in online co-op play on Nintendo Switch or PC. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone via a local connection!
Rank #4
- Colossal roster - Take on the series' largest roster of monsters to date including all-new monsters, Deviant variants, and the mysterious new Elder Dragon Valstrax.
- Co-op multiplayer - join up and hunt online with up to three other hunters, or meet-up and play together via local play.
- Play anywhere! - with Nintendo Switch, for the first time gamers have the flexibility to either play online with friends on a TV in tabletop mode or play on-the-go in handheld mode.
- New level of challenge - “g” rank is introduced to test experienced hunters' battle tactics. Formidable versions of familiar foes enter the fields with different moves and abilities never before.
- Highly customizable gameplay - Expanding on the four Styles and supermoves called Hunter Arts introduced in Generations, two Styles are introduced for even further refined personalization options
Rank #3
- Rise to New Heights: 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.
- New and Returning Monsters: 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. Hunters can also expect to encounter numerous fan favourite and returning species from previous Monster Hunter games.
- Canine Companions: New hunting partners called Palamutes can be personalised and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all new traveling and attack options. On solo hunts, players can select both a Palamute and Palico to assist them, while multiplayer hunters can bring one or the other into the field.
- The Rampage: 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.
- Hunting Options: 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.
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