Monster Hunter Rise has proven to be one the best entry point for newcomers to the MH franchise and Sunbreak seeks to improve upon the main game’s success.
Since its launch, Sunbreak has sold 2 million copies already.
Read Now: Monster Hunter: Rise – Sunbreak: What we know so far
If you have not played a Monster Huner game before this, Rise and its Sunbreak DLC is easily one of the best places to start.
If you have played older Monster Hunter games and were not happy with the traversal or load zones, Rise improves upon all of the major issues in previous titles and delivers several hours of engaging content with the new Sunbreak DLC.
Performance is As Solid As Ever
One of the biggest issues that I faced on the PC version of the game was inconsistent performance. Some players with NVIDIA graphics cards faced driver issues on day one, but Capcom was quick to address the issue, and updating the game solved all problems for me.
There is no input lag whatsoever and performance has been top-notch so far. While Sunbreak and Monster Hunter Rise in general do not have graphical fidelity that matches MH: World, it is great to see PC-exclusive options.
I play on a 3440×1440 monitor and the game natively supports ultrawide monitors with solid optimization. Everything in the Sunbreak DLC is as snappy as you would expect it to be and if you have an SSD, you can say goodbye to load times.
The game has FidelityFX supports and it also takes advantage of Nvidia’s RTX GPUs for enhanced graphics. Between Rise and Sunbreak, I saw no difference in performance and the game runs without any stutters or frame rate drops.
Sunbreak is Just “More Monster Hunter” and It’s Not a Bad Thing
If you have played previous major DLCs in the Monster Hunter franchise, you already know what to expect from Sunbreak. It is a tried-and-true formula that has not failed once and the gameplay is essentially more of what we love about Monster Hunter Rise.
After working hard to restore peace to Kamura Village, the place is thrown into chaos once again by Lunagaron, a wolf-life monster who we must beat. Players are aided by Fiorane, a knight of the Royale Order who joins our cause.
Monsters from the kingdom are going out of control and are encroaching on other territories and they need to be stopped. The game takes you to an outpost in Elgado and the new locations are beautiful to look at.
Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Has an Interesting Narrative
The goal of Monster Hunter Rise felt like it wanted to cater to new hunters as well as veterans. It is one of the most accessible Monster Hunter titles in the franchise’s history. You need to complete the Serpent Goddess of Thunder seven-star hub quest, and you will be taken to Elgado which is a fortress located between the Kingdom and Kamura Village.
You make your way through the three lords Lunagaron, Garangolm, and Malzeno gear up for the endgame. We will not spoil what the story bosses and endgame monsters are like, and players should experience them blind to get the true experience.
Sunbreak’s campaign offered a much better narrative experience compared to most other Monster Hunter titles and it is a step in the right direction. Most Monster Hunter games tend to focus on the loot and gameplay and the campaigns are often forgettable. But that is not the case with Sunbreak.
While the story is nothing to write home about, it feels engaging and keeps you engrossed thanks to a perfect mix of storytelling and combat to keep things fresh.
Become a True Master
One of the things that make me revisit the franchise is the skill factor. Monster Hunter is by no means a competitive game where you need to have perfect mechanical skills to beat the game. But it offers a distinct challenge through its difficulty and the Master rank content elevates that greatly.
You have to be aware of your surroundings and truly master your weapon as one wrong move could end a fight in an instant. Hunts in Sunbreak are far more exciting than what I had experienced in Rise and I am glad Capcom decided to offer more challenging content for veterans.
As important it is for Rise to be an approachable experience for players new to the franchise, it is just as important to offer a solid endgame experience for players who want a challenge.
From mastering your gear to laying traps in the right locations, taking on Master Rank content has the perfect mix of fun and challenge.
Sunbreak is Deserving of Your Time
Sunbreak is a roaring success and I don’t need to reiterate that. The game has sold 2 million copies during its launch week alone and it might be one of the biggest successes of this year. Yes, people are going to talk about Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarok, but the Sunbreak DLC is right up there with the best in terms of the content it offers.
Learning fights, going on adventures, and simply riding wyverns around the map is just too much fun. I completed the storyline and some Master Rank hunts and I feel that my journey is just getting started. There is plenty of loot to chase and monsters to discover and I cannot wait to see what’s the next surprise I run into in the wonderful world of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
