I was not completely sold on the look of this game. I’ve never played a Monster Hunter game, so I had my reservations. I expected it to be a challenging game to learn and one that would have me opt out early on. However, I checked my gameplay time, and I had played for over eighty hours. I love this game. I think a lot of new western gamers experienced this franchise for the first time just like me.

Monster Hunter World is set on a new land where hunters have come to tackle new monsters and series favorites. The story is rather minimal and entices you to tackle a new monster, usually bigger than the one before with each mission. There are also these large monsters almost the size of an island that you can traverse as you battle them. These fights are quite epic and open your eyes to the scope Monster Hunter World aims for. Even after the story is finished you are still given more and more challenging bosses in the post-game. The continuous challenges make the gameplay loop rewarding.

The gameplay involves you tracking a monster in a large open area with multiple paths. You fight the monster before they flee. You then rinse and repeat until the monster is finally slain and you can reap the rewards from the monster’s carcass. The gameplay is a bit repetitive after a while, but then something new is thrown at you. Maybe that’s a new monster or a new weapon you’re working towards. They always fill the game with constant content throughout the year too. I have an Alloy character skin and a Dante armor set, and I know there have been a ton of others available.

The new expansion is coming out next month and with it a new area. The expansion sounds like it could be as big as the main game, and it even includes its own platinum trophy set for PlayStation players out there. So if you haven’t given Monster Hunter World a try now would be a good time to before all of us return for more monster-slaying when the Iceborne expansion is released. Otherwise, it should be bundled together when the expansion releases.

Sink your teeth into Monster Hunter World. I think I would even say it was my favorite game of 2018.

Available now on PS4, XboxOne, and PC.

Robert Ring