Monster Hunter Rise PS5 Review

Breaking free from the shackles of handheld devices, Monster Hunter World was a massive hit for Capcom, introducing the hit series to a much wider audience than ever before. It was quite a surprise, then, that the next installment launched as a Nintendo Switch exclusive.

While it performed admirably thanks to the massive install base of the Switch, many wished for Monster Hunter Rise to someday make its way back to the PlayStation and Xbox. Almost 2 years after it was first released, the hunt is now back and better than ever.

For this particular review, we’ll be looking at the improvements that the jump to more powerful consoles holds for the game. For our full review of Monster Hunter Rise for the Nintendo Switch, you can check out THIS LINK.

The Hunt is on… Again

Within mere minutes of booting up the game, it is quite obvious that Monster Hunter Rise, especially for the current-gen consoles, would sport some shiny new upgrades. Playing on the PS5, the game certainly looks and plays very well, and while the visuals do not quite take a massive leap due to it being a Switch port, the main difference lies in its performance.

As is usual with a lot of PS5 titles, players can choose to prioritize graphics or frame rate. Prioritizing graphics will bump you up to 4K 60fps, while prioritizing framerate will, as the name suggests, boosts you to 120fps at the expense of bringing you back to 1080p if your display supports it. Most likely, 60fps should be enough, allowing players to enjoy the game at 4K as well.

Surprisingly, Monster Hunter Rise also offers players the ability to tinker around with a number of advanced graphics settings. Things like ambient occlusion, shadow quality, motion blur, film grain, and others will be available, so that’s something very welcome.

Monster Hunter Rise also benefits from the upgraded hardware in a number of ways, one of which is the use of the SSD to bring the hunt to players faster than ever before. While I didn’t concretely time it with a stopwatch, loading screens are hardly an inconvenience.

Another upgrade the PS5 brings is its use of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, both of which certainly add a new dimension to the hunt. Both are not as punchy, but noticeable enough to elevate the experience without feeling like a nuisance.

Sadly, this release of Monster Hunter Rise, both for the PS and Xbox, does not support crossplay with any of the other platforms. There’ll be enough players to play with, for sure, but not being able to team up with your friends who may be playing on other platforms is surely a sore point. Consequently, cross-progression is also not available.

One more ding against this release is the fact that the massive Sunbreak expansion is not included in the package and will launch at a later time. Granter, Monster Hunter Rise for the PS and Xbox isn’t a fully priced launch, including Sunbreak would have made this deal that much sweeter, especially since the game is nearly a couple of years old. Still, it does include all of the updates since it was first released, so that’s appreciated.

What we liked:

• Upgraded performance and visuals
• PS5 version has haptic feedback and adaptive triggers
• Loading times are super fast
• Not a full-priced release…

What we didn’t like:

• because the Sunbreak expansion is not included
• No crossplay and cross-progression

Verdict: Buy it!

Overall, Monster Hunter Rise is another entry in the long-running series that does not disappoint. The core loop is as addictive as ever, and you’ll find yourself grinding your way toward victory with improved visuals, buttery smooth frame rates, and the bells and whistles that come with the current-gen consoles.

The only real fault with this release is that the Sunbreak expansion is not included. Add to the fact that crossplay and cross-progression are also not available, it does get the necessary minus points. Still, Monster Hunter Rise is a fantastic title that’s made even better thanks to the improved hardware.

*Monster Hunter Rise was reviewed on a PS5 with a review code provided by the Publisher.