Yes, this is related again to Monster Hunter: World since I'm starting a third character, maining lance.
I was watching quite a few Youtube videos of the new DLC introduction of the Deviljho (Pickle) since I didn't know how to access him. While doing so, I was taken aback because they all mentioned how they hated the Handler, even though she was created specifically to be "likeable", because I felt the same way, and in fact, I hate almost all the other NPCs as well!
However, in past Monster Hunters, I quite liked the NPC characters such as Junior from MH3U and the Guild Marm from Generations. After thinking about this, it all boils down to the monsters, of which almost everyone recognizes that humans are the real monsters in this game. Except for Kirin whom I hate with a passion.
For one thing, none of the monsters ever attack you, and only do so in self-defense. This is a complete reversal from the past series, where you only have to step in an area, and ALL the monsters go after you, even the trifling ones like the Bullfangos. Although ideally, even though it's better to avoid dangerous situations in the first place (but if in danger, to run away and hide), it's completely understandable if you end up hurting a perpetrator in self-defense.
The best example I could think of regarding how crucial it is to make your enemies despicable is Alex and the sincere Ma-nons from Xenoblade Chronicles X. The Ma-nons are aliens who come to live with humans. Upon seeing Alex's "Cultural Assimilation" flyers, and talking to him, the absolute sincerity and willingness to adopt human culture was heartfelt. They really do want to fit in, get along with others, and do their very best.
Therefore, they join one of Alex's "meetings" where he ends up killing, if I recall, half of them as his intent is to kill all aliens. It's unclear to me as the hero, why we just sat there and watched, because at this point I was in a murderous rage and I wanted to kill him so badly! When you do, you feel absolutely justified and no guilt. I couldn't wait for the opportunity to do so, and really rushed through that side quest just so I can end him, which was so satisfying.
To reiterate, in World the so-called monsters are quite the pacifists until you threaten their lives, which is understandable. I wanted to slap the Chief Ecologist when he asked me if we value living beings and he said "of course you do". The other NPCs are also presented as "good people" but they're all contributing to killing innocent animals. The only NPC that I sort of like, aside from our Palicoes (cats are after all, natural hunters), is the Huntsman, because at least he's not hypocritical and is really, really into hunting, egging us on during our fight against one of the elder dragons.
I feel that some Gamers might be turned off by the prospect of killing animals that don't do any harm (except for Pickle and screw Kirin), so I hope that future Monster Hunters will make the monsters vicious and violent like past series. However, they did a great job making Kirin so despicable that I relish seeing him getting nuked by Pros (even though he too doesn't attack unless you do so).
Of course, this is in the context of playing a true hero, and not an anti-hero as in the God Of War or Grand Theft Auto series. There are quite a few games where the enemies are more 3-dimensional where they have good intentions, but their intentions are leading to mass suffering.
However, this is a Monster Hunter game so I can't foresee them having talking monsters in the future. Further, I don't expect a Monster Hunter game to have the emotional resonance of a James Baldwin novel, but at least make the monsters truly horrific like in the past series so the NPCs can be more sympathetic!
Do you feel the same way about the NPCs in this game? Are there any other reasons why we hate the Handler? And, do you feel bad about killing these poor monsters (except for Kirin and Pickle)?
Infinite Replayability I'm clearly obsessed with MH: World and started a new playthrough focusing on the lance. Since every single video showed how destructive and lethal the Charge Blade's Guard Points (GP) are, I really want to get down GP, but failed miserably except in the controlled training room setting, which never quite translates in real hunts. Who doesn't want to be able to GP
Kirin's lightning moves
which lead to stunning AND damaging him at the same time, as well as even charging phials?
So, fed up with not getting down GPs, I've decided to dabble with the lance. My thinking was that if I pursue a Guard Lance playstyle, I'll spend more time guarding (and at times evading when the situation calls for it), as opposed to dodging. By focusing on timing guards using the Lance, this will help me transition smoothly into CB's guard points.
Indeed, I was using the defensive part of Charge Blade like the Switch Axe (SA). Since the SA doesn't have a shield, the defensive maneuvers consist of dodging. The rationale of the CB, having a powerful shield component, is to use the shield to guard, but even then it doesn't have the destructive power of GP's parry and riposte type system. But still, the shield is there to block so it's reasonable to just guard as a CB wielder.
However, to really master CB, you need to get down GPs, but again, you don't need to even use CB's shield at all to get through the game. In fact, a lot of the time, I whiff on the most powerful attack (Super-Amped Elemental Discharge), and yet I was able to beat all missions (except the very last) with unoptimized armor (Fashion Hunter).
But, MH: World is the type of game where you really want to get better and master your weapon of choice, even though not necessary, which is one of the reasons why this game is a masterpice.
At any rate, this is a roundabout way of saying that MH:World has Infinite Replayability. For one thing, anyone can always get better at their weapon of choice, but once you get bored, you can go to another weapon, and the game really feels like a totally different one! Improvements: Character Creation, Weapon/Armor Design, and Tutorials The major improvement is inclusion of more monsters, which I covered in last Monday Musing's post, but here are some additional enhancements that I'd like to see: Character Creation If you want to switch to a different weapon, there's NO need
to start all over again like I did. Initially for my main CB character, Niki after my orange tabby, when I decided to try out the lance, I wore the starting leather set and
wield the starting lance, fighting low-rank Jagras and then Kulu-Yaku, the first
two major monsters in the game, so I can work my way up by learning the basics like you do at the start of the game. I had to leave behind my trusty Palico Ninja, since a level 30 kitty is quite OP in low-rank.
However, in the end, I decided to switch roles so my main character is Ninja (ironic since the hunter is fearless, and Ninja's scared of her own shadow) and my trusty Palico, Niki so I can make an orange tabby. But in order to make these various changes,
I had to make a whole new file. I
was upset that this game is following the bad MMO tradition of charging
you real money just to change your character's appearance. They gave us a
one-time free voucher, but you can only change your character, but not names, and
you certainly can't change your Palico. If you make a mistake with this free
voucher and want to change yet again, you have to purchase, with REAL
money (not in-game dollars), more vouchers. So
a huge improvement would be the ability to change your character and Palico's appearances and genders, as well as their names. I really don't see the issue of being able to change them anytime you want, as this is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect gameplay.
At this point, I'm upset in the sense that Capcom is going down this route as it appears like a cash grab. However, I'm really not upset about starting a new character, as it's fun to relive the story and start from scratch as a newbie Lance user, that is for me. That's the key point, it's not a problem for me, but it's certainly not fair to others who really want to change names and appearances, but don't want to start all over again.
Weapon and Armor Design I'm hoping the next MH will have more weapon variety, as well as changing designs as you upgrade. The past Monster Hunters, there were multiple weapons of the same element, but in World, there may be 1 or 2 of each element. Further, in past series, whenever you upgrade a mere 3 times, the weapon drastically changes in appearance, getting larger, more intricate and more "bad-ass". However, in World, the low-rank weapon upgrade goes through at least 6 upgrades, the name of weapon even changing, but still looks exactly the same as the starting weapon, which is a bit of a let-down. Some of the ultimate weapons look amazing, such as the CB's Nergigante final weapon but others look underwhelming such as CB's Diablos and Kadachi final weapons, so hopefully they'll improve the design. From memory, I believe the armor only changes in appearance when you go from low rank to high rank in past MHs, which I hope will be the case in the next game. To motivate the player, I wonder if all the low rank armor look good, but the high rank markedly improved?
Fashion Disparity between male and female armor sets
They also need to rethink Fashion Hunter, as some of the armor for women look horrendous. Here, for the Brigade Armor, he looks like a dashing swashbuckler, and yet she looks like one of the hub attendants, which is very uninspiring. Further almost all the helmets look bad. Yes there's a "hide helmet" feature which should be included, but at the same time, why not make more flattering helmets? I was able to beat the game and all the missions (except the last) using Fashion Hunter, so my armor was not optimized. I'm seeing if I can keep this up for the very last test when you reach HR Level 100 (I'm in the 80s).
However, it's annoying not having optimized armor just because of fashion issues, so I'm hoping that this game or the next will include a feature where you can equip the armor you're using, but then set different pieces of armor for appearance, as in Xenoblade Chronicles X and from what I hear, a lot of MMOs do this as well.
Tutorials Lastly, I'm hoping the next Monster Hunter will have better tutorials. My friends who are newcomers didn't even realize that you're supposed to cook steaks as a primary way of recouping stamina, which is so basic, and in fact, I believe that was the first thing we did in Monster Hunter 3U, which was a title that Capcom specifically wanted to appeal to newcomers.
Further, the training room is lacking. When I was practicing lance, there's a list of combos on your screen, but, I didn't see the inputs for the running move where you can chase after monsters, which has been a classic feature of all lances. Further combinations of this running move were shown but only when you figure out how to run. Those who never lanced, how are we supposed to figure this out on our own? In the end, we resort to Youtube to get down all the moves and special attacks, but that really kills immersion and off-putting to potential new players, to say the least. I'm not sure how difficult this is to code, but perhaps have a trainer. It can be even better if there's a trainer for each weapon, but at the very least, a melee and ranged trainer. Each trainer will go through all the basic and advanced moves, as well as special attacks. He or she would say, press triangle for basic attack, which you then follow and once you get that move down, the trainer will then show you the most important 3-move combinations, and so on.
What other changes would you like to see in this and future Monster Hunters?
Although the very first Monster Hunter I played was Monster Hunter 3U for the Wii U, the very first one I experienced was Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PS Vita, which I promptly died to Tigrex when he showed up out of nowhere. As a result, I thought the game was too hard and quit. Aside from Tigrex popping out of the blue, the other striking memory of this short-lived experience was how you must drink hot drinks to go through this cold area, which I neglected to do, stamina bar draining throughout this first inauspicious run.
Indeed, hot drinks are such a staple item, almost as necessary as well-done steaks that upon completing my solo Fashion Hunter "challenge" run maining the Charge Blade, I noticed how there's absolutely no cold zones, and as a result, no hot drinks! The trope of a lot of RPGs is to feature volcanic and snowy areas. World has the volcanic Elder Recess area where you can finally make cold drinks. So yeah, there are cold drinks, but where are the hot drinks?
That being said, World is a complete and finished game with a solid, fleshed out story and lore, so I'm hoping that Capcom will come out with a DLC of a snowy area, to feature our beloved classic monsters. No hunter would be upset if it's paid content, as I'd gladly pay for a completely new section of the map (the left hand side of the general world map looks conspicuously open) featuring a cold, snowy region and our trusty hot drinks.
In this new cold region DLC, I'm hoping for our favorite monsters such as snow-variants of Arzuros, Nargacuga, Zinogre, and my personal favorite Yian Kut-Ku, and include snowy mammals such as Barioth and Lagombi. I know Khezu was not well-liked, however, the uniqueness of the monster would be a hopeful addition and add variety to World. I recall vividly my friend remarking, with total revulsion, how disgusting he is in this ecology cutscene from Monster Hunter Freedom Unite:
I'm also happy to hear that it's not just me, but in Japan, Yian Kut-Ku is one of the top 5 favorite monsters and there's even a stuffed animal of him! So how can World not include this staple? And how can you not have Hot Drinks? So I predict as well as hope for a snowy map. Indeed, I would have to say that World is the best Monster Hunter and is better than all its predecessors in every aspect I can think of, except for not having as many and as diverse monsters. I wished the game were as goofy and zany as past series with the "So Tasty" after cooking a well-done steak, and the utter chaos of Palico chefs, but that's subjective:
Although it's rather tiring to have yet another quest of a Rathalos/Rathian variant, and indeed, in World it got old to fight yet another reskin of not just Rathalos, but Monoblos/Diablos and so forth. Yet, the past Monster Hunters had all kinds and types of monsters including crustaceans, insects, snakes, you name it.
Again, no one would see this as a cash-grab DLC, because the main-game is complete and polished, just as no one saw Horizon: Zero Dawn DLC, The Frozen Wilds as a cash-grab. In fact, fans were demanding new HZD content, which Guerilla Games delivered. Indeed, their forum became even more positive and loving after this release, if that's even possible.
Lastly, I wish we can chose past theme songs from past Monster Hunters, as I must say, the music was a bit repetitive in Astera. This is my favorite Monster Hunter song which I hope they'd let us chose among many others:
What are your thoughts? Would you be open to buying a DLC of a new cold, snowy region featuring classic monsters?Would you like to be able to chose past Monster Hunter theme songs for Astera? The How of Happiness Review
Since the Charge Blade (CB) was first introduced in Monster Hunter 4, I wanted to main the weapon because it was considered overpowered along with the new Insect Glaive.
The other appealing aspect of CB is related to my playstyle. I'm the type of person who always wants a build that can "do everything" such as in Dark Souls where I level up all the important stats to 50 (soft cap), and then I work on getting 80s down the road. So I'd like to use a weapon that can do everything.
Although the first weapon I mained, the hammer, is extremely fun, and so satisfying when you slide down a gentle hill and you spin like this, not to mention knocking out monsters. The problem is that you can't cut off tails, and sometimes that's the only way to get certain materials for your upgrades.
So you need to resort to another weapon that can cut off tails. I used the Switch Axe as it felt the best to me. Note: ALL the weapons are excellent at cutting off tails that are not named Hammer or Hunting Horn.
However, the issue with even the Switch Axe is that I needed to face Diablos and worse Black Diablos, and often, when they go underground, it's often hard to roll out of the way. I thought, it would be helpful if I can just shield myself instead. Further, I'm a turtler, and always have my shield up in the Dark Souls series, often prizing defense over attack power.
Enter the Charge Blade. It can do all these things, plus it's very powerful. It can knock out monsters, cut tails, and shield you from attacks. Therefore, I felt that once and for all, I should really try to understand the CB.
But, you may ask, what about the Sword and Shield (SnS)? Indeed, the SnS could be even more powerful than the CB due to consistent damage, cut parts, and you can use your shield not just to guard, but also to knock out monsters.
The SnS also excels in applying status effects very quickly (along with the Dual Blades), all the while abusing health/attack boosting items, since you don't have to sheathe your weapon! You can imagine, whaling on the monster, then taking a quick break to throw down a life powder to help your teammates, and then resume attacking the monster.
However, to me, the CB feels better than the SnS because I like the heaviness of it, I quite like the mechanical aspects of transform and fidgeting with the phials, and it has better range than the SnS. Most importantly, to me, CB was more fun than the SnS.
I'm going to write down the MOST basic concept of Charge Blade,
but NOT the moves, because when the CB was introduced, no matter how
many times I read tutorials, it didn't make sense and made my eyes
cross.
For instance, does this make sense to
you: If you want to gauge the distance between you and the monster to
pull off a Super Amped Elemental Discharge (SAED or super) more
consistently and most efficiently, then making sure your shield is
charged with ideally full phials, triangle to hit, circle and push the
analog stick away from the monster to create the necessary distance,
then you can do your triangle + Circle x 2 combo to unleash the SAED.
When
you read the combination instructions of any weapon, it makes no sense,
which is why I was struggling with understanding the CB when it first
came out. Further, I don't believe I found out about Gaijin Hunter back
then, otherwise, I would've watched his tutorials, and probably would've
used the CB when it first came out.
STEP ONE: THE VERY BASICS Charge Blade is both a sword & shield and an axe. It transforms between those two forms.
This is very much like Bloodborne's trick weapons.
Because of these two modes, CB is very versatile. You can cut off tails in both modes, use shield to block, and KO monsters with the axe if your axe has impact phials.
Conceptually, the way the CB works is that every time you hit monsters with your sword, you produce energy and store them into phials. You can put these phials of energy into your shield, which will make your shield stronger, so it will block better.
Further, the head of your axe is actually your shield, so by powering up your shield with these phials of energy, you can be sure that all this energy will make your axe attacks stronger. You can also spend these phials of energy into special, powerful attacks.
Indeed, the complexity of CB lies in the manipulation of these phials of energy, and what to do with them. The videos will show you all the moves of both forms, and how to manipulate your phials. So, with that being said:
Go to Step Two.
Additional information here (NOT necessary to read):
In addition to your shield, you can also use Guard Points to block, which will be discussed in the videos. I can't pull off Guard Points on hunts, which is analogous to Dark Souls parry and riposte, because I can't get the timing down without spending hours.
Even so, ignore the internet because there may be CB snobs who say that you can NOT be good if you can't Guard Point. This is nonsense. I'm currently doing a Fashion Hunter solo run, so my armor isn't near optimized or overpowered, and I was able to defeat Nergigante using CB, without Guard Pointing. And, Nergigante was the one who made me think I couldn't finish the main campaign.
That being said, I feel that anyone CAN pull off GPs on a consistent basis if you practice hours upon hours. In fact, in the training room, I can consistently pull off one of the three ways to GP using the timed bomb barrels, using the guard point of sword to axe transform. However, this doesn't translate well in real world hunts, when you have Black Diablos barreling down at you.
So, I have a feeling that I CAN GP, but I need to practice probably another 30 hours or so?
STEP TWO: THE VIDEOS Now that you know the basic concept, and if you like the idea that the CB can do everything, go to the training room and watch the following videos instead of reading tutorials. A picture is worth a thousand words! Also, practice your moves in the training room along with the videos.
I would start with Rurikhan as on overview, as the World Charge Blade has a new feature where you can charge the sword, so Gaijin Hunter's 4U video wouldn't include how to charge sword.
I would then practice those moves until you feel you get the basic ideas down, including even the concept of the Guard Points. I found that Rurikhan did a superb job showing you how to pull off GPs, and indeed it's very tricky.
Once you know how to do all the attacks, combos, and guard points, to refine your approach, Gaijin Hunter's fantastic video is really helpful as he literally explains each single attack. Again, since this is based on Monster Hunter 4U, there was no charging of sword back then, and there's some minor differences that you''ll notice, but you won't be confused as you have already digested Rurikhan's video. I have a feeling he'll come out with a World Charge Blade tutorial, in which case, it'll be a must-view.
If you really have all these basics down after watching these two videos, it's time to go on real hunts! Once you get the hang of the CB, I would then watch Arekkz Gaming's superb CB tutorial.
I recommend watching his videos last because Arekkz talks so fast, that when I first watched his video, his instructions went over my head, so I had to find other CB tutorials.
However, after familiarizing myself with the CB in the training room and having real world experience, I still had to rewind a lot, but at least I understood what he was saying. Indeed, it was worth going through multiple times to get down all the nuances of the CB.
His second video shows a small correction (which you will know right away from Rurikhan's video and practicing CB), and how to gauge the distance for your Super Amped Elemental Discharge.
Finally, Arekkz Gaming's video on how to be a better monster hunter is very compelling. Even someone like Arekkz ,who mastered the series and all weapons, said that you should slow down and not over commit if you notice yourself getting carted frequently, as you have 50 minutes! So you must avoid the fetish of fast kill times.
I was heartened to hear a professional say that, because in MH circles, there's always the unfortunate thinking that "you suck" if you can't kill monsters fast, when the reality is to enjoy the game and avoid being carted (albeit in expeditions it doesn't matter if you're carted).
As Arekkz says, it's better to live another day then over commit, so be patient and take things slow.
I noticed that when I slowed down and attacked when there's a clear, safe opening, yes I might take 30 to 40 mins but it's more refreshing then being carted twice and barely completing the mission. Further, fighting the same monster over and over again using a more thoughtful approach, depending upon the monster, my time often gets shaved down to 20 mins or shorter with practice.
I also like how he didn't cherry pick one of his many flawless hunts, so there was a point where his hunt went south, advised not to be flustered, but to get yourself back under control and then resume.
Lastly, I would advise capturing the monster rather than killing since you get more rewards through capture. However, if you want the challenge of killing the monster, Arekkz gives excellent advice on how to deal with that scenario.
TL/DR: I feel that if you understand the basic concept of Charge Blade of being both sword & shield and an axe, and that you manipulate phials of energy for powerful attacks, watch the videos, go over your moves in training room and on real hunts, that you'll become a proficient CB practitioner. I hope you'll consider using the CB, as it's a truly satisfying and elegant weapon!
What weapons are you maining and/or recommend? What are your thoughts on the Charge Blade?
