Reviews for the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion suggest that the paid DLC dramatically builds upon Capcom’s action RPG. The latest entry in the series leans into open-world mechanics by giving players an animal companion to ride and a seamless map to explore. Capcom announced the massive Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion back in 2021, with the DLC adding even more monsters to hunt and regions to explore.
As an add-on to the already massive Monster Hunter Rise, Sunbreak promises to introduce a plethora of new content for fans to enjoy. The expansion takes players to a new area called Elgado Outpost, which finds itself threatened by powerful new monsters called the Three Lords. The vampiric dragon Malzeno, the floral simian Garangolm and the icy wolf Lunagaron all threaten Elgado’s citizens and must be hunted by the player. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak will enhance these hunts with new skills, like the ability to swap Silkbind attacks in the midst of battle. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak’s Malzeno will also introduce the unique Bloodblight status effect, which drains players’ health but lets them heal by dealing damage.
Early reviews for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak regard the upcoming expansion as a worthy add-on to the monster hunting epic. The DLC costs nearly $ 40, but it gives fans a new roster of enemies to face including Malzeno, Garangolm and Lunagaron. Sunbreak also brings back monsters from older series entries, like Seregios and Somnacanth. New Master Rank quests give players plenty to do after the expansion is complete, and the new Followers system lets them form a team of NPC hunters. Some early thoughts on Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak can be found below:
Scott Baird – 3.5 / 5 – Screen Rant
“Sunbreak is the ideal title for people who thought Monster Hunter Rise was too forgiving and that it gave the player too many options for evading the monsters. The Master Rank quests can be extremely punishing, but Sunbreak is intended for those who have beaten Monster Hunter Rise and are looking for that next level of difficulty. It takes time to hit its stride and the omission of Rampage quests is puzzling, but there is some great new content here that is worth exploring, especially for those who enjoyed the base version of the game. “
– Screen Rant
Dom Peppiatt – 5/5 – VG247
“Yes, it’s a pricey expansion. $ 39.99 or £ 32.99 is a hard number to swallow for an expansion. But there’s definitely a whole honest-to-God suite of content here – the fact it’s glued to the base game also means you get some new tricks and perks in Kamura, too (new Endemic Life in the maps, updates to Wyvern Riding, and that delicious new Switch Skill Swap ability). If you grit your teeth and pay out for the DLC, you won’t be disappointed: Sunbreak is an essential expansion for any Monster Hunter fan, and – paired with Rise – may well be the best entry point for anyone eager to learn more about this fascinating series, too. “
– VG247
Mikhail Madnani – 10/10 – The Mako Reactor
“Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak enhances and improves Monster Hunter Rise in every way. The monsters are more challenging, the music is a lot better, and the postgame is actually good for more than a few hunts. The new mechanics add even more depth for those looking to dig deeper into each weapon. Even if Capcom did not do a single title update, this would be absolutely essential for every Monster Hunter Rise owner. It is that good, and I can not wait to put hundreds of hours into it over the next year. “
– The Mako Reactor
Jason McMaster – 4.5 / 5 – GamesBeat
“After spending over 60 hours with the new expansion, I can say that it’s one of my favorite game expansions in recent history. If you are a fan of Monster Hunter Rise, then you should consider playing the new content. I have enjoyed my time. with Sunbreak and can not wait to continue my adventures with my friends, taking on new challenges, and reaping the rewards. All right, hunters; we’ll see you in the field. “
– GamesBeat
Lloyd Coombes – 9.5 / 10 – Dexerto
“Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a triumph. Combined with the base game, it offers an ideal onboarding for newcomers and plenty of challenge for veterans series. It’s tougher than a Barroth, but offers the most rewarding action-RPG experience of 2022 so far. . “
– Dexerto
James Galizio – 9/10 – RPG Site
“Whereas Rise left me wholly disappointed the more I looked back on the game, it feels like the few issues that I have with Sunbreak are likely to be improved upon as the expansion continues to receive updates – and it’s not like the current state of the game is bad by any stretch of the imagination. I could nitpick about how it adds less monsters to Rise than Iceborne did to World, but that feels unfair when you look at what else the expansion brings to the table, as well as what’s ahead. That’s not to say that I’m judging Sunbreak for what it can be, but rather as some reassurance for anyone that might be heading into the expansion feeling a bit underwhelmed by what’s been shown. Sunbreak is already one of the best expansions that the series. has had, and it’s only going to rise up that list from here. “
– RPG Site
Dominic L – 9/10 – The Sixth Axis
“Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a nigh on perfect expansion, bringing meaningful gameplay change, charming new cast members, and most importantly, more monsters to hunt. It is, for those in the know, absolutely unmissable.”
– The Sixth Axis
John Carson – 7.75 / 10 – Game Informer
“I’ve had a great time with Sunbreak overall. The lack of new monsters plagues the early hours, but there’s plenty to love if you keep at it. The added flexibility of the Switch Skill Swap system is a freeing and fun expansion to combat. For hardcore hunters and the new creatures in the Master Rank quests – when you get to them – breathe life into the experience. For someone already invested in Monster Hunter, there’s plenty to love in Sunbreak. Just do not expect to see a lot of new content in the opening hours. “
– Game Informer
Tom Marks – 7/10 – IGN
“Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a relatively simple expansion, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a whole lot of fun. The new and returning monsters and locales are all top notch and the renewed grind is one I’m excited to spend lots more time in. That said, Sunbreak isn’t nearly as substantial or surprising as Iceborne was for Monster Hunter World, lacking fresh ideas beyond clever AI followers that are restricted to single-player hunts, and even abandoning Rampage quests without really trying. To fill the gap their absence has left. Flying through the air on Rise’s wirebugs is still an absolute blast though and anyone who enjoyed the base game will definitely enjoy the shot in the arm Sunbreak’s creative monsters provide, even if you may eventually start to feel like you’re hunting through a familiar jungle in more ways than one. “
– IGN
Based on early reviews, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak manages to surpass the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne DLC in both quality and scale. While some reviewers lament that Sunbreak introduces fewer new monsters than Iceborne did, nearly all reviewers express that the expansion introduces engaging and impressive new content to flesh out the experience. New and returning monsters, combined with original locations and a robust endgame, help fix Monster Hunter Rise’s shortcomings and create a distinct experience.
By all accounts, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is one of the largest and most exciting game expansions in recent history. While the DLC does come at a steep price, the amount of content available in the Elgado region is apparently worth the cost of admission. The Sunbreak expansion will launch on June 30, allowing Monster Hunter fans to face off against new monsters like the dreaded Malzeno.
Monster Hunter Rise is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Sources: VG247, The Mako Reactor, GamesBeat, Dexerto, RPG Site, The Sixth Axis, Game Informer, IGN
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