Topic: Monster Hunter Rise

@JaxonH I'm not deeply possessed of knowledge about the architecture and construction of the Deck, but is there even room to shrink the Deck down significantly to a smaller form factor? Moreover, hasn't Valve said they're taking a hit with the $400 model? And the battery life, too. It's probably not where Nintendo would like it for their next major console, and battery life limitations are another factor constraining Nintendo's ability to turn the success into a beast.

I feel like the Deck has approached the limits of where current technology can go with the handheld form factor without just turning it into a laptop, and even that is still pretty big.

All that is to say that I'd be surprised if the next Nintendo console is similar in power to the Deck. I understand there are advances in technologies that can be used to help bridge the gap a bit, but the Deck is pretty modern technologically as is, right?

Valve doesn't need to consider everything Nintendo does, since they're selling a niche luxury item to enthusiasts, so they can afford to create an obnoxiously large device. But Nintendo won't want something that's much larger and heavier than the current Switch is, I imagine.

That, of course, doesn't sound amazing for the potential of expanded third-party support, but that's only if you factor in modern AAA stuff. Switch 2, I expect, will enjoy a number of eighth-gen ports of games it was far too weak to run at the time in addition to the usual AA support the current one enjoys. Ultimately, though, it's the exclusives and especially first-party games that push Nintendo hardware. Nobody will buy a Switch 2 expecting to be able to play GTA VI, Dead Space, or the like.

@Ralizah
That's because they're using x86 PC architecture and brute forcing it into a handheld form factor for Steam compatibility. Nintendo Switch is using ARM, which is designed for mobile with cheaper cost, less heat, etc.

The Orin chip is capable of base PS4 level performance in a handheld the size of Switch. And that is the chip Koppite (the most renowned and trusted Nvidia leaker) revealed was being taped out for Nintendo.

And that's really where all the difference comes from. It's why GPD Win 2 was roughly on par with Switch in terms of power, but cost 2-3X as much and got so hot you could scramble eggs on the back plate.

Mobile chips allow for low cost, high efficiency handhelds designed with bespoke architecture. PC gaming requires compatibility with desktop PCs which means it's going to cost way more, generate way more heat and take up more space.

It's why PC based handhelds haven't really started catching on until now. Otherwise, if you could make PC based handhelds in the same form factor with the same heat output with the same cost, we would have seen them start taking off a long time ago.

Not to mention, utilizing Nvidia tensor cores for DLSS could even mean a handheld in Switch form factor that notably exceeds the performance of Deck, which isn't pushing more than 720p - 1080p when docked. Yet the next Switch could do the same, then leverage DLSS to output at 4k. I would be absolutely shocked if the next Switch didn't match Deck in performance and exceed it when docked. At least in terms of resolution. And, technology keeps marching forward. By the time Switch 2 releases, Deck will be at least 2 yrs old, maybe 3. That's half a generation of tech improving and cost coming down.

@Ralizah
GTA VI, Dead Space

People don't have to expect it, but that doesn't mean it won't inevitably happen anyways.

Can someone please explain to me how to use the Marionette Spider properly?

I throw it on the monster, it makes a web line. But then... nothing. Can't yank them into any walls. The line just breaks. I don't get it.

@Ulysses
Right there with ya. The game is incredible!

Elgado is every bit as good as Kamura, but it feels even better after spending 600 hrs in a JP themed village. I love the mini train, and the baby owl you can pet... and it's once again small enough to get around easily unlike Astera.

Just finishing my final MR1 quest, and then it's off to MR2. I have to go to Indiana again on Tue (work emergency) but thank goodness I have MH Rise Sunbreak and Portal 1/2 to accompany me this time.

@JaxonH After the web line is attached to the monster, press the Y button again to pull the monster towards you. You can also hold ZL and use the right stick to aim where you pull.

Switched back to Great Sword now that I crafted a giant crab pincer great sword. I'd committed to using and learning a new weapon for Sunbreak but thus far had still been using SwitchAxe.

I'm actually surprised how well I'm doing with GS. All that practice in Rise with it this past month really paid off. Still not as efficient with it, but that'll come in time. It's super satisfying nailing those charge attacks and a well timed True Charge Slash.

Though I did disable damage numbers for Sunbreak. They were nice for a change but, I was craving that old school experience.

@TrueFantasia
Thank you.

I actually just figured it out after posting. It's easy once you know what to do. I had been misled hearing some article mentioning how you "roll away" or "wiredash away" to yank them. Which wasn't correct.

I love this spider.

Yeah the new spider confused me too at first, I thought I heard somewhere that you had to dodge roll to yank it. It's Y, lol. I also think you have to attach it to the front of the monster, if you do it from the side you just cause the monster to topple over instead. (it happened to me anyways)

I am up to MR4 now. The difficulty really remains a mixed bag for me. I spent over 20 minutes doing the MR4 Rathalos Follower quest, carted once, felt like I had done a battle for the ages and got a "Smallest Size Updated" notification at the end. Absolutely spat in my face lol.

It is weird, but it just feels like the balance is absolutely all over the place. I have to imagine if you are using a weapon with a shield, or a ranged weapon or a weapon with a heavy counter focus you're probably going to have a very different experience to other people who don't have those things.

To ramp up the difficulty in MR3/4 it just very much feels like they just put the monsters on fast forwards, so they squeeze extra combos, for an all out spam fest. And as they are faster/more aggressive, almost every status effect is just a delayed cart.

Most of my carts are greed, but it is a greed of weird necessity. I feel like I am taking so much damage just trying to find windows to attack. Often by the time a window opens, I have already taken so much damage getting to that point, I have to make a choice between using that window to heal or to do any actual damage at all.

I personally don't like this pace at all, I guess this makes it more in line with previous games, but I just think the monsters set such a tedious pace. There feels like there is so much downtime in every fight, which just wasn't present in base Rise. I feel like I spend so much of Sunbreak just standing there as I wait for the monster to finish it's spam and it becomes my turn to attack. It is the slow, eggshell, gameplay of a Souls game.

It also creates weird rubber banding in the opposite direction, though, too. Nargacuga was one of my roadblocks in Rise, but in MR he feels way easier than almost anything else at MR3 because they just hit hard and move fast. There are no status effects you need to deal with, or some kind of anti-melee aura they can activate, it is just a straight fight. It is still really challenging, but it's the fun kind of challenging for me that base Rise delivered. It is an all out battle, with no downtime. You never need to run away to put out some sort of ailment or whatever, and you never need to facetank huge amounts of damage just do damage, in the way you need to do with many others.

This also made the second Lord almost feel like an anti-climax too, because while they do have the ice ailment, in the grand scheme of them all, this is one I can happily take and so since it was a fight just of straight damage for the most part, this went down way easier than a lot of the stuff that I had to fight on the way to it. I shouldn't feel like I'd rather fight a new flagship rather than say a Rathalos because it'll be a more fun challenge, that seems all kind of busted to me.

....Ugh, normally I would complete all of the quests in a rank before moving on to the next set. But I keep skipping everything, mainly just so I can upgrade stuff. >.<

I'll do all of this stuff eventually, lol

Holy *****, that Luna horn is kinda nuts. That sharpness regeneration song basically means I remain in purple sharpness forever, even when I get in enough hits to take it to white, I only need to stop for a split second and I am fully back in the purple again. And since it is boosting my element too, it is a lot of damage. Looks and sounds amazing, too.

Just beat lunagaron. What an awesome fight. Been having a blast so far. Staying hyper aggressive on the monster with my dual blades just feels amazing.

I'd been using dual blades exclusively all the way to MR4 but now I think I'm gonna take a minute and try and craft some usable weapons and gear for the other weapons I use. I already got the narga Switchaxe up and running again, just gotta make the Glaive and Charge Blade. Oh and Gunlance too. I actually haven't even tried the new wirebug skills for any of them except Switchaxe. Really gotta get on that.

Also that Luna armor set has a REALLY interesting skill. Can't wait to get that all crafted and try it out.

Got far enough to unlock more switch skills, including the Sonic Bloom which I don't think was in the demo?

I can't tell you how much fun/how much it has opened up my gameplay now with these two extra skills, as I can finally make use of the new swap mechanic.

I am using the same load out on both, bar one with Slide Beat and the bloom for in the moment to moment fighting (Bloom does a lot of damage and the stun/fatigue value on it is nuts, so just pop it down, play some songs and topple the mofo) and then once they are down, swapping to use the grenade move (can't remember proper name) and Earthshaker for some massive damage.

It is extremely satisfying. And the fact you get an Iframe evade using the swap is cool too. Also if you didn't notice, the swap is on the hotbar too and it is way easier for me to flick over with the dpad.

Just crafted Blood Orange Bishaten armor, and got my Palico/Palamute normal Bishaten, though my Palamute still uses the Bloodborne looking layered armor from the Deluxe set.

There's no Orangaten Great Sword though, so I made the Switch Axe. Figure I'll be OK bouncing back and forth between the weapons.

Feels so good building new skill sets around the armor. It came with Latent Power 5 which I've never used before. It seems really good though. Not sure what activates it.

Now, I'm ready to tackle the MR2 Quests. I've done 2 of them so far, and every MR1 quest and every Follower/Survey quest. Which btw, those Quests are 🔥 🔥 🔥 They're so good! Hunting with Luchika and Fioraynne is like online multiplayer but even better. They chit chat with cool dialog, come riding in on monsters, react if you pull out the camera... I can't believe it took this long to get proper AI hunting partners.

I said Wirebugs and Palamutes were amazing additions for Rise... Switch Skill Swap and Follower Quests are amazing additions for Sunbreak. I hope they carry forward into future games.

@JaxonH In this game, Latent Power is on a timer to activate starting when a large monster engages you, which gets reduced as you deal and take damage. In the previous games it was either taking a lot of damage or waiting long enough in a fight, whichever came first. Wasn't very popular back then since either could take a while to kick in.

I just fought Lunagaron...I just assumed it was Odogaron but with ice...he's nothing like Odo, lol

I made it all the way to Malzeno by the end of my Sunday. Managed to beat him three times to make the armour with his unique perk on it (one of the coolest perks ever, mind you, and a really great solution to the difficulty problem I have had with the game so far).

I think I carted twice the first time I faced them? But then when I faced them the following two times, I was actually surprised by how generally easy the fight is, given they are the flagship. Their status effect they apply is weirdly more beneficial to the player than it is negative, they do have some pretty crazy attacks, but you're only going to die to them once before you see the telegraphs a mile away.

I will say they quickly humbled me though, as I unlocked a new tier and monsters such as Rajang and Bazelgeuse, with the carts being used up by me and my friends so quickly, it had to be some kind of record.

Honestly, was pretty surprised by how generally easy and ceremonious a lot of the new/returning monsters turned out to be, on the road to Malzeno. There are probably some I am missing, but out of the big three newbies so far:

I faced the new Gore Magala, they just get jumbled in with a bunch of quests - they aren't used to level up an MR or whatever. I thought the whole Frenzy Mechanic would be more punishing, but it wasn't really - much like Malzeno, the benefits seem to outway the negatives and this ended up being a pretty easy fight. I think a friend used up one cart, but we still had enough bits by the end to make some new cool weapons, which would go on to be helpful in the battle against Malzeno.

I carted to Seregios almost instantly. I dunno what happened to be honest, sometimes if the damage is small enough, your character doesn't react to getting hit, so you can sometimes not even realise you are almost dead, until you cart. I have to assume it chipped enough health and then turned around and just finished me off.

Overall though, once I was paying attention to that, this was another pretty easy fight. The bleed seemed to only be applied by it's projectiles which are generally fairly easy to avoid and otherwise was just a fairly straight fight. Like with everything in Sunbreak, if it is just damage you need to deal with, with no additional statuses or combos or after effects and other such things, there is often not much challenge there. They do do this like big sweeping kick straight out of Kamen Rider, it is crazy fast and the FOV/camera in this game is fairly annoying, but you can deffo manage it. I think Shogun is a far greater challenge when taking the bleed into account.

The Seregios set has an interesting bonus and the horn is really great, but didn't get enough parts to make anything. Oh and they were also just tossed into the middle of a bunch of quests too.

Then finally, Espinas. Was honestly dreading this with the triple combo balls of death, but Rise has made this super forgiving, with the damaging effects of the fire and the poison lasting way less than they do in regular fights. They also seem to deagro whenever they paralyse you, so just a really weird, super easy, fight. I'd rather fight this than Rathian, to be honest. It has a more niche unique set bonus, but the horn is pretty cool and combined together I am sure they will have some interesting effects. I dunno how meta it might be, but I hope I will eventually be able to go on and find out. I think this one was at least used as an MR gate?

I'm still over here fighting lunagaron. Just finally got my mantle to compete the armor set so now I can move on with continuing MR4.

The lunagaron dual blades are CLAWS btw. They look sick.

So I booked off a long weekend to do nothing but play, rolled credits last night and wow...I really REALLY enjoyed Sunbreak! Can't wait to jump back on & do some more side quests, get new gear etc I hope everyone's been having fun, happy hunting!

Everyone is so far ahead of me. It happens every time a MH game comes out, since I do all the Quests.

I just did the mid-MR2 urgent quest, and about 2 more after. Got a couple new Follower/Survey Quests to do also. But tons of new MR2 Quests unlocked. I like the Yukamo armor I just saw at the smithy. Nice callback, and actually has solid skills. Just need 5 more Twisted Stiffbone from bone piles to craft the armor. Not sure if I will yet though. We'll see how it goes.

I like the cutscenes in this game. More humor, more personality. That was one thing World did better than Rise. So it's good to see that approach returning in Sunbreak.

I went ahead and took off that crazy talisman that gave me +3 Evade Extender, and also took off the Evade Window skills. At least until I get to Apex Emergency-tier monsters again. They trivialize everything else.

Think I'm gonna try to maintain current MR sets for both Long Sword and HH, for all of my severing and part breaking needs. Although HH desperately needs better skills.

Switch Skill swapping has been a godsend for Long Sword, though, since I regularly jump back and forth between Sakura Slash for quick spirit gauge increases and Soaring Kick for max damage output.