This new extension of monster hunter rise was expected of hunters. New areas, new monsters, new gameplay… All the paraphernalia to make the adventure within Elgado even more thrilling. Successful bet or broken promise?
A year after its release, the game published by Capcom is reinventing itself to satisfy its (very) large community of players. Sunbreak wants to be at monster hunter rise what Iceborne is up to Monster Hunter World, a compelling extension. And although it is always so pleasant to smash the monster, this new extension is nevertheless food for thought.
Sunbreak’s mission is to immerse us in a new biome: the Citadel. Divided into three areas (a snowy mountain, a poisoned swamp and of course the Citadel), this new area is full of surprises. If the bosses of each territory want to be impressive and really difficult to face, the rest of the bestiary seems shy, and in the end does not have more novelties than Iceborne. Yet the result is there, the fifteen new beasts give a hard time, and the alternative versions of the bestiary known to the players are intended to be invigorating, with new attacks and impressive statistics. Unfortunately, to access these revivifying monsters of difficulty, it will be necessary to wrestle with many hours of warming up, especially at the level of the other creatures that we meet constantly in Rise. A mistake Iceborne hadn’t made.
However, in the midst of this impression of new made from old, as in many expansions of other licenses, glimmers of hope appear. Especially in terms of the depth of gameplay. Whether it’s the much more intuitive change of special moves, new talents, or the ability to walk on walls, Sunbreak innovates. And if sometimes the feeling of patching plaster of an aging game appears, Capcom tries and dares on many points, which you will find in more detail in the complete Gamekult test.
A mirage difficulty
Each expansion aims to extend the gaming experience for familiar players by offering fresh content. Based on this principle, Capcom has set the bar for difficulty very high, so high that some neophytes risk reducing their life expectancy. Moreover, the eternal dilemma that monster hunter offers, between multiplayer and solo play, does not simplify the task. Thus, to accompany and help solitary players in their quests, Capcom has set up an NPC who will assist you in the missions. Not every mission, sure, but the AI is convincing enough to get caught up in the game. A real plus for those who haven’t been lucky enough to have a monster-slaying friend for decades.
Finalizing in about thirty hours, Sunbreak tips the scales towards balance. The expansion stays true to the DNA of the game and its gameplay, but sins on points that are hardly negligible. Discover in more detail the why and how with the complete test of Gamekult (paid paper).