Schlagwort: monster hunter world: iceborne

  • Macht euch bereit für Monster Hunter Wilds mit einem Rückblick auf die Entwicklung der Reihe auf PlayStation

    Macht euch bereit für Monster Hunter Wilds mit einem Rückblick auf die Entwicklung der Reihe auf PlayStation

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    Vor zwanzig Jahren präsentierte das ursprüngliche Monster Hunter den Spielern zum ersten Mal ein ständig wachsendes Arsenal an Waffen und denkwürdigen Monstern. Seitdem erfreut sich die Reihe weltweit wachsender Beliebtheit und hat sich zu einem der besten Multiplayer-Erlebnisse entwickelt, die die Gamingwelt zu bieten hat. Es ist immer noch ein besonderes Vergnügen, eine unfassbar große Kreatur erlegen zu können, wenn man sich mit anderen Jägern abstimmt und die Waffen und Fähigkeiten jedes Einzelnen gekonnt einsetzt. So lassen sich auch die furchterregendsten Gegner da draußen zu Fall bringen.

    Zur Feier des 20-jährigen Bestehens der Reihe – und der bevorstehenden Veröffentlichung von Monster Hunter Wilds am 28. Februar – werfen wir einen Blick darauf, wie sich die Reihe seit ihrem Debüt 2004 zusammen mit PlayStation entwickelt hat.

    Monster Hunter | PS2

    Die größten Bestien haben oft bescheidene Anfänge. Das Spiel, mit dem alles begann, wurde im März 2004 in Japan veröffentlicht, einige Monate später im September in Nordamerika und im März 2005 in Europa. Es führte das zentrale Gameplay ein, das die Monster-Hunter-Reihe in den darauffolgenden Jahrzehnten prägen sollte: questgetriebener Fortschritt, das Sammeln und Verwalten von Ressourcen, das Herstellen von Waffen und Rüstungen sowie die Notwendigkeit, wilde Monster mit Strategie, Planung und Ausdauer anzugreifen und zu besiegen.

    Im Vergleich zu den heutigen Maßstäben der Reihe wirkt Monster Hunter mit nur sieben Waffentypen und dreißig Monstern (darunter viele inzwischen berühmte Kreaturen wie die Rathalos) etwas spärlich, aber das Spiel bot eine ziemliche Vielfalt an Questtypen und Schwierigkeitsgraden. Außerdem wurde das Spiel für den Online-Multiplayer-Modus entwickelt, als das noch etwas Neues war. Es gab sogar spezielle Event-Quests, die nur online gespielt werden konnten.

    Monster Hunter war in Japan sehr erfolgreich und während Capcom am Nachfolger arbeitete, veröffentlichten sie Monster Hunter G, ein Upgrade mit Verbesserungen, neuen Funktionen, mehr Monstern und Quests mit höherem Schwierigkeitsgrad.

    Monster Hunter Dos | PS2

    Die wahre Fortsetzung von Monster Hunter erschien spät in der PS2-Ära – und nur in Japan. Monster Hunter Dos wurde im Februar 2006 für PlayStation 2 veröffentlicht und bot neue Waffen, zusätzliche Nebenquests, ein einzigartiges Tag-Nacht- und Jahreszeitensystem, neue Rüstungs-Upgrades und zahlreiche andere kleine Anpassungen und Verbesserungen. Monster Hunter Dos wurde in Japan sehr gut aufgenommen und war das letzte Monster-Hunter-Spiel auf PS2. Für den weltweiten Markt – und die Zukunft von Monster Hunter – konzentrierte sich Capcom dann auf PlayStation Portable.

    Monster Hunter Freedom | PSP

    Noch bevor Monster Hunter Dos veröffentlicht wurde, wollte Capcom den Spielern die Möglichkeit geben, auch unterwegs auf Monsterjagd zu gehen. Monster Hunter Freedom, in Japan als Monster Hunter Portable bekannt, wurde im Dezember 2005 in Japan und im Mai 2006 für den Rest der Welt veröffentlicht. Es basierte stark auf dem bereits erwähnten Monster Hunter G und bot den Spielern sowohl neue Monster (darunter das Debüt von Yian Garuga) als auch hochrangige Rang-G-Quests.

    Im Nachhinein ist leicht zu erkennen, warum sich das PSP-System wie ein echtes „Zuhause“ für Monster Hunter angefühlt hat: Die Fähigkeit des PSP-Systems, spontan über das lokale Netzwerk zu spielen, zusammen mit der fortschrittlichen Grafik und der analogen Steuerung passten perfekt zum Gameplay von Monster Hunter. Darauf folgte Monster Hunter Freedom 2, das sich von Monster Hunter Dos inspirieren ließ, indem es das Waffenrepertoire erweiterte (durch das Hinzufügen von Klassikern wie das Jagdhorn und die Gewehrlanze) und die verschiedenen Schauplätze von Dos überarbeitete.

    Monster Hunter Freedom Unite | PSP

    „Phänomen“ ist genau das richtige Wort, um zu beschreiben, wie groß der Erfolg von Monster Hunter Freedom in Japan geworden ist. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite wurde 2008 in Japan unter dem Namen Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G veröffentlicht und baute damit auf dem Erfolg des vorherigen Spiels auf. Monster Hunter wurde zu einem bekannten Namen. Freedom Unite verkaufte sich weltweit unglaubliche 3,8 Millionen Mal, wobei ein Großteil der Verkäufe auf Japan entfiel.

    Freedom Unite baute auf Freedom 2 auf und bot eine Vielzahl von Verbesserungen des Spielerlebnisses. Es wurden mehr Umgebungen, mehr Monster, zusätzliche Monsterverhaltensweisen und eine Vielzahl neuer Quests mit hohem Schwierigkeitsgrad hinzugefügt. Es führte das Konzept der CPU-gesteuerten Helfer-Charaktere ein, indem es Solospielern einen Felyne-Begleiter zur Seite stellte, der sie im Kampf unterstützte – eine Funktion, auf der spätere Teile der Reihe aufbauen sollten.

    Monster Hunter Portable 3rd | PSP

    Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, das Ende 2010 für PSP erscheint, ist ein weiterer Monster-Hunter-Titel, der nur in Japan erhältlich ist – was es aber nicht daran hinderte eines der am schnellsten verkauften Spiele aller Zeiten von Capcom zu werden. Portable 3rd holte das Maximum aus dem PSP-System heraus, präsentierte einige der schönsten Grafiken auf dem System und setzte einen Standard für hochwertiges visuelles Design, den die Reihe in späteren Teilen fortsetzen sollte. In Portable 3rd tauchte auch zum ersten Mal Zinogre auf, ein bis heute beliebtes Monster der Fans.

    Monster Hunter World | PS4

    Wenn es einen Wendepunkt gibt, an dem die Begeisterung für Monster Hunter global wurde, dann wahrscheinlich mit Erscheinen von Monster Hunter World im Jahr 2018. Angeführt vom furchterregenden Drachenältesten Nergigante war Monster Hunter World sowohl grafisch als auch in Bezug auf das Gameplay eine enorme Weiterentwicklung der Reihe und nutzte das PS4-System, um ein nahtloses Jagderlebnis zu erschaffen – und das in mehr als einer Hinsicht.

    Nicht nur die Tutorials und das frühe Spielerlebnis wurden für Neulinge der Reihe verbessert, auch die verschiedenen „Zonen“, die die großen Jagdumgebungen bilden (und die Übergangsladezeiten erfordern), wurden zu einem großen, offenen Bereich für epische Monsterjagden zusammengeführt. Und zum allerersten Mal überhaupt wurde ein Monster-Hunter-Spiel weltweit gleichzeitig veröffentlicht, sodass sich Spieler aus der ganzen Welt zusammenschließen und gemeinsam neue Jagdstrategien entwickeln konnten. Getreu dem Namen des Spiels – Monster Hunter World – fühlte es sich an, als hätte sich für die Monster-Hunter-Reihe eine neue Welt aufgetan.

    Das Spiel erwies sich weltweit als so erfolgreich, dass im darauffolgenden Jahr die Erweiterung Iceborne erschien, die einige der Kältemechaniken aus früheren Monster-Hunter-Titeln wieder einführte. Monster Hunter World hat bis heute eine aktive Spielergemeinde.

    Monster Hunter Rise | PS5, PS4

    Monster Hunter Rise landete zusammen mit seinem Hauptmonster Magnamalo Anfang 2023 auf PS5 und PS4. Es brachte eine Vielzahl einzigartiger Gameplay-Neuerungen mit sich: die sich schnell durch die Luft bewegenden Seilkäfer, eine neue Art von Canyne-Begleiter namens Palamute und Randale-Kämpfe, bei denen die Jäger die Aufgabe haben, das Dorf Kamura vor einem Ansturm mehrerer Monster gleichzeitig zu beschützen – darunter auch besonders gefährliche Spitzenprädatoren. Neben dem Jagen und Fangen von Monstern könnt ihr die riesigen Bestien auch für kurze Zeit beim Wyvern-Reiten steuern.

    Das ohnehin schon umfangreiche Abenteuer wurde mit der Sunbreak-Erweiterung sogar noch größer, brachte die Jäger in das weit entfernte Königreich und fügte mehrere neue Monster (einschließlich des neuen Bestienanführers Malzeno), zusätzliche Jagdgebiete und zahlreiche neue Fähigkeiten für alle Waffen hinzu.

    Monster Hunter Wilds | PS5

    Die Entwicklung von Monster Hunter vom Kultfavoriten über die japanische Sensation bis hin zu weltweiter Popularität war ein ziemlicher Ritt und die Vorfreude auf das bald erscheinende Monster Hunter Wilds ist bereits immens. Von beeindruckenden neuen Wettereffekten bis hin zu neuen Fähigkeiten, die durch ein vogelähnliches Reittier namens Saikrii ermöglicht werden, gibt es für die Spieler haufenweise neue Features.

    Die geschlossene Beta im letzten Jahr stieß bei alten und neuen Spielern auf großes Interesse. Zum Glück müssen diejenigen unter euch, die das Jagdhorn für einen Ausflug ins Verbotene Land wieder mitnehmen wollen, nicht mehr lange warten – Monster Hunter Wilds erscheint am 28. Februar.

    Website: LINK

  • Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Das Jahr 1994 läutete eine neue Ära ein, denn hier erschien in Japan die allererste PlayStation-Konsole. Nicht einmal ein Jahr später, konnten auch europäische Gamer ab September 1995 das gute Stück in den Ladenregalen ausfindig machen. Unzählige einzigartige Spiele, zahllose epische Abenteuer und natürlich endlose Multiplayer-Gefechte auf der Couch und im Internet waren die Folge. Doch all diese Momente wären noch halb so effektiv gewesen, wenn hier nicht auch einzigartige  Charaktere für emotionale und mitreißende Momente gesorgt hätten, von denen uns einige bis in die heutige Zeit begleiten. Ratchet & Clank, Nathan Drake und Kratos sind nur einige dieser allseits bekannten Figuren, doch abseits des Einzelspieler-Bereichs gibt es auch im Multiplayer einige Persönlichkeiten, die für tolle Erinnerungen gesorgt haben. Wir möchten euch heute zehn dieser Charaktere vorstellen, die besondere Aufmerksamkeit verdient haben und ihr höchstwahrscheinlich alle bereits kennt.

    Sackboy: Little Big Planet

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Mit der bereits einige Jahre alten Spieleserie Little Big Planet, die 2008 ihr Debüt feiern durfte, wurden ganz besondere kleine Spieler-Avatare vorgestellt: Die Sackboys und Sackgirls. Das Aushängeschild der Reihe ist der aus brauner Wolle gehäkelte Standard-Sackboy, der uns auch auf PlayStation 5 in „Sackboy A Big Adventure“ weiterhin begleiten wird und vor allem durch seine zahllosen Individualisierungsmöglichkeiten die Fantasie anregt.

    Crash Bandicoot: Crash Bandicoot Racing

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Zu den ältesten und ikonischsten Charakteren auf der PlayStation gehört natürlich niemand anderes als Crash Bandicoot, in dessen Haut wir 1996 erstmals im gleichnamigen 3D-Jump’n-Run schlüpfen konnten. 2019 gesellte sich mit Crash Team Racing sogar ein Arcade-Racer hinzu, der seither zu kurzweiligen Sessions in geselliger Runde einlädt. Doch mitnichten ist dies der erste Racer der Reihe. Mit Crash Team Racing, Crash Nitro Kart und Crash Tag Team Racing konnten schon auf früheren Sony Konsolen und Handhelds irrsinnige Rennen abgehalten werden.

    Kazuya Mishima – Tekken

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Tekken ist etwas ganz besonderes, denn seit dem Geburtsjahr der PSX ist das Beat‘em Up fester Bestandteil des PlayStation-Erlebnisses. Mit vielen einzigartigen Charakteren fällt es natürlich nicht einfach einen ikonischen Charakter auszuwählen, doch wer könnte markanter sein als der ultimative Fiesling Kazuya Mishima? Nicht nur ist er einer der Hauptcharaktere der Reihe, auch besticht er durch seine allzu korrupte und fiese Art – und das obwohl er mehr als nur einmal die Chance hatte ein strahlender Held zu werden. Doch dies liegt ihm einfach nicht im Blut.

    Palico – Monster-Hunter-Reihe

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Zugegeben, die Palicos zählen zwar nicht zu den spielbaren Charakteren in Monster Hunter, doch fehlen dürfen diese auf keinen Fall. Ein Palico ist ein Felyne, der einen Pakt mit unseren Jäger eingeht und uns auf unserer Reise unterstützend zur Seite steht. Ein toller Verbündeter und niedlich obendrein!

    Traveler – Journey

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Kaum ein Spiel hat in den vergangenen zehn Jahren so sehr die Spieler berührt wie Journey. Das Besondere waren hier vor allem die Traveler-Charaktere mit deren mysteriösen roten Stoff-Roben. Nicht nur schlüpften wir hier selbst in die Rolle eines solchen, auch konnten wir auf unserer Reise andere Spieler treffen, die selbst als Traveler daherkamen. Das Besondere: wir konnten nur mit Emotes interagieren. Eine Sprach- oder Chatfunktion blieb aus, was diese Begegnungen um ein vielfaches interessanter machten.

    Rayman – Rayman Legends

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Wer Jump’n Runs mag, dem ist sicher auch Rayman ein Begriff. Entwickelt von Michel Ancel, der auch schon für Beyond Good & Evil verantwortlich gewesen ist und aktuell an dessen Fortsetzung arbeitet, konnte dieser ikonische Charakter zuletzt in Rayman Legends für brillante Ein- und Mehrspieler-Erfahrungen sorgen. Übrigens wusstet ihr schon warum Rayman keine Arme und Beine hat? In den 90ern machte dieser Umstand die Animationsarbeiten des Helden deutlich einfacher.

    ATLAS und P-Body – Portal 2

    Portal 2 zählt zu den Lieblingsspielen zahlloser Gamer. Innovative Rätsel, grandioser Humor und tolle Charaktere bilden eine einzigartige Spielerfahrung. Aber auch der Mehrspieler-Modus ist nicht zu verachten. Im kooperativen Teil des Spiels schlüpfen wir hier zu zweit in die Rollen der ungleichen Roboter ATLAS und P-Body und müssen zusammen anspruchsvolle Rätsel lösen.

    Tracer – Overwatch

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Aus Blizzards Team-Shooter Overwatch den beliebtesten Helden auszuwählen ist ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit. Zu viele einzigartige und ikonische Charaktere hat der Entwickler hier erschaffen. Doch nur wenige standen derart im Rampenlicht wie Tracer. Die energiegeladene Britin mit ihrer quirlig-freundlichen Art und den außergewöhnlichen Teleportationsfähigkeiten bleibt einfach im Gedächtnis und ist obendrein anspruchsvoll zu spielen.

    Sergeant Cortez – TimeSplitters

    Von Ego-Shooter-Fans geliebt, sorgte TimeSplitters auf der PlayStation 2 für zahllose Stunden bester Multiplayer-Action. Im Fokus der Spiele steht insbesondere der Hauptcharakter Sergeant Cortez, mit dem es entweder allein oder im 2-Spieler-Koop darum ging die sogenannten TimeSplitters aufzuhalten. Neben dem Story-Modus sorgte natürlich auch der kompetitive Mehrspieler-Modus für viel Action, in dem sowohl Cortez aber auch zahlreiche weitere Figuren gespielt werden konnten.

    Ryu und Ken – Street Fighter-Serie

    Diese 10 Multiplayer-Charaktere sollte jeder kennen

    Hinter dem Beat’em Up Street Fighter steckt ein Ensemble aus zahllosen ikonischen Charakteren. Einige der bekanntesten sind hier ohne Zweifel die beiden Martial Artists Ryu und Ken. Die beiden sind nicht nur Freunde sondern zugleich sogar Rivalen und kommen Fans insbesondere durch deren besonderen Spezialattacken in den Sinn – die bekannteste ist natürlich die „Hadouken“.

    Website: LINK

  • Alatreon brings a storm of elements to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne July 9

    Alatreon brings a storm of elements to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne July 9

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    The legendary “Blazing Black Dragon” Alatreon is looming over the New World, wielding the unstoppable power of all known elements. Hunters, gear up and get ready for one of the most intense and dynamic hunts in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

    Before we get into the details of this meaty update, we want to thank you for your patience and support our development team adapted to developing, testing and launching a game update during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. Our free Title Update #4 was originally slated to launch this May, but now we’ve finally set its release date to July 9 at 00:00 UTC (that’s July 8 at 5:00pm PDT / 1:00am BST).

    Alatreon’s arrival is just a few days away, so to help you prepare for this epic hunt, here’s all the information the Guild has disclosed on the Iceborne iteration of this Elder Dragon.

    NOTE: Before you can face the Special Assignment to hunt Alatreon, you must be MR 24 or higher and have completed at least the Safi’jiiva Recon Assignment.

    Braving the Elements

    Elder Dragons are known to wield the power of nature’s elements to extreme degrees — Velkhana can freeze the moisture in the air in the blink of an eye, Teostra can spit out hellish flames, Kirin can summon lightning with pinpoint accuracy, just to name a few examples. Alatreon sits a higher echelon of Elder Dragons with the unique ability to switch its elemental attributes at will. When confronting this legendary being, be sure to come equipped with elemental resistances, blight resistances and be ready to think on your feet and adapt to the ever-changing pace of the battle.

    Escaton Judgement

    Changing one’s elemental powers is a monumental feat, so when Alatreon pulls off this elemental shift, the power stored within gets blasted out in a destructive shockwave that will take out any nearby living creature (that includes Hunters with maxed out armor sets… i.e. you). This immense shockwave is known as “Escaton Judgement.”

    If you want any hope of surviving this powerful new attack, you’ll want to weaken it by attacking Alatreon, matching its current elemental weakness. So make sure to coordinate with your teammates on this one.

    Harnessing the Elements

    With natural power of this magnitude, you can expect powerful gear as well. The Smithy is already gearing up to take in Alatreon materials to craft unique weapons (one for each of the 14 types) and armor sets, unlocking a new Set Bonus: Alatreon Divinity.

    Following the elemental focused theme of the Elder Dragon itself, this new Set Bonus will take into account your elemental resistance and translate it to elemental damage for your weapon! I’m very eager to see all the kinds of powerful builds you will put together with this set.

    Summer Event & New Variant Monster

    While Alatreon is the primary focus of Title Update #4, we’re also preparing a few extra special events, coming in the next few weeks.

    The first one to look out for is the Sizzling Spice Fest, our Summer Seasonal Event, which will take place in the Seliana Gathering Hub. This lively event will feature lots of feathers, meat dishes and various monster-themed gear for you to craft. And as usual, you’ll be able to craft a new Armor Set, Layered Armor, Palico Gear, Weapon Pendants, and more! Sizzling Spice Fest will run from July 21 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST) through August 6 at 4:59pm PDT (12:59am BST).

    The second event coming up is a limited time Event Quest to hunt a new Variant monster, recently discovered by the Guild: Frostfang Barioth. This frigid fiend will challenge you in the Hoarfrost Reach with enhanced ice-based breath attacks and even the ability to freeze the ground below you, applying the Frostbind status. Be sure to pack Hot Drinks, Nullberries and strong ice resistance armor when facing this formidable foe. This Event Quest is called “The Last White Knight” and will be available from August 6 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST) through August 19 at 4:59pm PDT (12:59am BST).

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Title Update #4 will be available for free starting July 8 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST). Stay safe, stay cool (or warm), and happy hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Alatreon bringt einen Sturm der Elemente ab 09. Juli zu Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Alatreon bringt einen Sturm der Elemente ab 09. Juli zu Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Der legendäre „Blazing Black Dragon“ Alatreon zieht seine Kreise über New World und zeigt seine unaufhaltsame Macht über alle Elemente. Jäger, macht euch bereit für die intensivste und dynamische Jagd in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

    Bevor wir tief in das Update eintauchen, möchten wir euch für eure Geduld und den Support unterstützen, den das Entwicklungsteam erhalten hat möchten wir uns bei euch für eure Geduld bedanken und den Support für unser Entwicklungsteam, das während der globalen Pandemie von Coronavirus (COVID-19) ein Spiel-Update entwickelt, getestet und gestartet hat. Unser kostenloses Update #4 sollte eigentlich im Mai diesen Jahres erscheinen, das finale Release-Datum ist nun der 09. Juli um 02:00 Uhr.

    Alatreon’s Ankunft ist bereits in wenigen Tagen! Um euch bei der Vorbereitung für diese epische Jagd zu helfen, gibt es hier alle Informationen, die die Gilde zu diesem Elder Dragon gesammelt hat.

    Wichtig: Bevor ihr auf diese Spezialmission gehen könnt, müsst ihr Jägerrang 24 oder höher sein und die Safi’jiiva Recon Herausforderung bewältigt haben.

    Trotzt den Elementen

    Elder Dragons sind für ihre große Kraft über die Elemente bekannt und dazu, sie bis auf das Äußerste zu maximieren – Velkhana kann die Feuchtigkeit in der Luft mit einem Zwinkern zum gefrieren bringen, Teostra spuckt höllische Flammen und Kirin kann Blitzer mit einer hohen Genauigkeit beschwören. Und das sind nur ein paar der vielen Fähigkeiten! Alatreon hat eine höhere Stufe von Elder Dragons mit der einzigartigen Fähigkeit, seine Elementattribute nach Belieben zu verändern. Wenn ihr diesem legendären Wesen gegenüber steht, solltet ihr mit elementaren Widerständen und Resistenzen ausgestattet sowie bereit sein, in Sekunden umdenken können und euch an das sich ständig ändernde Tempo des Kampfes anpassen.

    Escaton Judgement

    Das Verändern der eigenen Elementarkräfte ist eine monumentale Leistung. Wenn Alatreon sein Element wechselt, wird die darin gespeicherte Kraft in einer zerstörerischen Schockwelle gesprengt, die alle in der Nähe befindlichen Lebewesen ausschaltet (einschließlich Jäger mit maximaler Rüstung … z.B. euch). Diese immense Schockwelle ist wird „Escaton Judgement“ genannt.

    Wenn ihr eine Chance auf Überleben wollt, müsst ihr Alatreon währenddessen attackieren, um die Schockwelle abzumildern. Natürlich immer passend zu einer aktuellen (!) Elementarschwäche. Dafür sprecht ihr euch am Besten mit euren Mitspielern ab.

    Nutzt die Elemente

    Bei einer Kraft dieser Größenordnung könnt ihr auch entsprechende Ausrüstung erwarten.. Die Schmiede nimmt bereits Alatreon-Materialien, um für jeden der 14 Typen einzigartige Waffen und Ausrüstungssets herzustellen und schaltet den neuen Set-Bonus Alatreon Divinity frei. Dieser neue Set-Bonus nimmt sich eurer Elementarresistenz an und verwandelt es in elementarschaden für eure Waffe. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, alle Varianten von euch zu sehen.

    Sommer-Event & Neues Variant Monster

    Während Alatreon im Fokus des Title Update #4 steht, arbeiten wir an ein paar anderen Spezial-Events, die in den nächsten Wochen starten.

    Das erste ist das Sizzling Spice Fest, unser Sommer-Event, das im HUB von Seliana stattfindet. Beim Event gibt es viele Federn, Fleischgerichte und jede Menge Ausrüstung zum Craften. Und wie immer gibt es neue Armor Set, Layered Armor, Palico Gear, Weapon Pendants und mehr! Das Sizzling Spice Fest startet am 22. Juli, 02:00 Uhr und geht bis 07. August, 01:59 Uhr. 

    Das zweite Event ist eine zeitexklusive Event Quest, bei der ihr ein Variant Monster jagen werdet, das kürzlich von der Gilde entdeckt wurde: Frostfang Barioth. Dieser kalte Unhold fordert euch in Hoarfrost Reach mit verbesserten eisbasierten Atemangriffen und sogar der Fähigkeit heraus, den Boden unter euch komplett einzufrieren. Dadurch erhaltet ihr auch den Frostbind-Status. Stellt sicher, dass ihr ausreichend heiße Getränke, Nullbeeren und eine starke Eisresistenz-Rüstung im Gepäck habt, wenn ihr diese Herausforderung annehmt. Die Event Quest nennt sich „The Last White Knight“ und ist vom 07. August 02:00 Uhr bis 20. August 19 um 01:59 Uhr verfügbar. 

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Title Update #4 ist kostenlos ab 09. July um 02:00 Uhr verfügbar. Bleibt gesund, bleibt cool (oder heiß) und viel Spaß bei der Jagd!

    Website: LINK

  • Alatreon Soars to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne This May

    Alatreon Soars to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne This May

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    The Guiding Lands have undergone lots of change lately. First it was Rajang opening up the Volcanic Region, Stygian Zinogre paving the way to the Tundra Region and the discovery of Safi’jiiva. Raging Brachydios and Furious Rajang are upon us… and on the horizon we see the embodiment of calamity: Alatreon!

    The Brilliant Darkness

    Headed our way this May is one of the mythical “Black Dragons” of Monster Hunter. Alatreon is also known as the “Blazing Black Dragon” but that moniker only tells a fraction of what to expect from this Elder Dragon. Alatreon brings to the table dynamic new elements to the hunt, so you’ll always have to be ready to adapt to the situation if you want to survive. This battle will be a monumental test of your abilities as Hunters of the Fifth Fleet.

    Alatreon’s arrival is still distant and details on its behavior in the New World are still scarce; but stay tuned for more details as the Guild discovers more info on this awe-inspiring Elder Dragon. Part of what makes Alatreon special is the category of monster it belongs to: “Black Dragon.” The existence of these “Black Dragons” has been treated more like a taboo in Monster Hunter series; so much so that there hasn’t even been much official information disclosed about these monsters. However, this May we’ll finally be pulling the curtain a bit and talking about one of these mythical beings in an official capacity. We’re very excited for this occasion and hope you stick around to find out more and face this mythical “Black Dragon” in Iceborne.

    Title Update 3

    In the meantime, we have a couple of new challengers at our doorstep, and the Research Commission needs your help. Starting from March 22 at 5pm PDT / 8pm EDT, both Raging Brachydios and Furious Rajang will blast their way into Iceborne. Reports say their move sets have been revamped and they punch harder than ever before.

    But those who survive these grueling brawls… will be able to craft some of the most powerful gear in the game! Good luck, hunters!

    Full Bloom Fest

    Hunters seeking respite and more light-hearted challenges, can look forward to the Full Bloom Fest, our next Seasonal Event for Iceborne. As usual, the Gathering Hub will be fully decorated — this time with beautiful flower arrangements — and new quests and bounties will be posted up so you can craft seasonal Layered Armor, weapon pendants and more. Full Bloom Fest will be starting on April 9 at 5pm PDT / 8pm EDT.

    Path to Iceborne

    If any of this sounds like fun to you (maybe it’s the ruthless challenge… maybe the fashion hunting… maybe both), the perfect time to jump into Iceborne would be now. And to sweeten the pot a bit, the base game and expansion are currently on sale until March 31 for 50% off and 25% off respectively; and the Iceborne Master Edition is going for 33% off. And for the new hunters-to-be out there, you can start your journey at no cost with our Free Trial covering most of the Low Rank portion of Monster Hunter: World. It will run from March 24 until March 31 and all progress made on the Free Trial transfers over to the full game!

    Happy Hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrate the Holiday Festivities in Monster Hunter World Through January 5

    Celebrate the Holiday Festivities in Monster Hunter World Through January 5

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    In the spirit of giving and holiday joy, Monster Hunter has something perfect for hunters looking for a light-hearted break from the super serious “save the New World” quest. We have a slew of seasonal activities for hunters in both Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, so grab a hot drink and listen to what we have in store!

    If you’re playing Monster Hunter: World (or thinking about getting started), now is the best time to join the hunt and partake in the Winter Star Fest up at the Astera Gathering Hub. And if you’re a Master Rank hunter on Iceborne (by the way, the expansion’s currently on sale for 25% off!), the Holiday Joy Fest also awaits you in the Seliana Gathering Hub!

    During both Winter Star Fest and Holiday Joy Fest, you’ll get to hunt for some pretty neat exclusive seasonal rewards. The big star of the show is a new Snowman item, only available for Iceborne players. We’ve taken our brand-new snow rendering technology — developed specifically to display the dangerous expanse of the Hoarfrost Reach — and decided to use it… for fun!

    Here’s how it works: as you log into and partake in the Holiday Joy festivities, you’ll get a Snowman. Take this item to any hunting locale and “build” a fully-fledged snowman complete with a face, hat, some holiday lights and even a scarf! Now the real fun begins when you and other players in the quest go up to the snowman to gather some snow and… well, I think you know what to do from there.

    Hint: aim with L2, throw with Square.

    Land enough snowball hits on a fellow hunter and they’ll get a silly snowman head of their own. Try it out… but just make sure there are no monsters around — they don’t get the full concept of “fun” and don’t hold back their punches.

    And because the Holiday Joy fest is all about bringing joy with you wherever you go, you can actually place the Snowman in other environments too, even outside snowy areas… including the Volcanic region!

    Enough about snowballs though… we’ve got a couple more holiday items to talk about. If you’re looking for a warmer atmosphere, look no further than the Seliana Gathering Hub. For the entire duration of the festival, it will be fully decked out for the occasion. And as usual, you can craft unique event gear. The event armor this time is the Oolong set for hunters and the adorable Shishi-mai costume for Palicoes.

    In addition, we also have a few peculiar pieces of equipment debuting this seasonal event as well:

    • Mad Scavenger Pickaxe (Long Sword)
    • Duffel Penguin Mask (Headgear)
    • Sealed Dragon Cloth (Headgear)
    • Buff Body (Armor Set)

    On top of all that, the third and final round of the Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds collaboration is coming up on December 26 at 4:00pm PST. Complete the quest “Firebreak” to craft the Banuk armor set, upgrade Aloy’s Bow into the Master Rank Aloy’s Adept War Bow and craft the Master Rank Palico Watcher Set. The Banuk armor is actually broken apart into individual pieces so you can mix and match this with other armor in the game.

    So whether you’re in the mood for snowball fights with your fellow hunters or heated battles against fearsome monsters (by the way, the Safi’jiiva Siege is also live until Jan 5! Now is the perfect time to join the hunt.

    Stay warm, and happy hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrate the Holiday Festivities in Monster Hunter World Through January 5

    Celebrate the Holiday Festivities in Monster Hunter World Through January 5

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    In the spirit of giving and holiday joy, Monster Hunter has something perfect for hunters looking for a light-hearted break from the super serious “save the New World” quest. We have a slew of seasonal activities for hunters in both Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, so grab a hot drink and listen to what we have in store!

    If you’re playing Monster Hunter: World (or thinking about getting started), now is the best time to join the hunt and partake in the Winter Star Fest up at the Astera Gathering Hub. And if you’re a Master Rank hunter on Iceborne (by the way, the expansion’s currently on sale for 25% off!), the Holiday Joy Fest also awaits you in the Seliana Gathering Hub!

    During both Winter Star Fest and Holiday Joy Fest, you’ll get to hunt for some pretty neat exclusive seasonal rewards. The big star of the show is a new Snowman item, only available for Iceborne players. We’ve taken our brand-new snow rendering technology — developed specifically to display the dangerous expanse of the Hoarfrost Reach — and decided to use it… for fun!

    Here’s how it works: as you log into and partake in the Holiday Joy festivities, you’ll get a Snowman. Take this item to any hunting locale and “build” a fully-fledged snowman complete with a face, hat, some holiday lights and even a scarf! Now the real fun begins when you and other players in the quest go up to the snowman to gather some snow and… well, I think you know what to do from there.

    Hint: aim with L2, throw with Square.

    Land enough snowball hits on a fellow hunter and they’ll get a silly snowman head of their own. Try it out… but just make sure there are no monsters around — they don’t get the full concept of “fun” and don’t hold back their punches.

    And because the Holiday Joy fest is all about bringing joy with you wherever you go, you can actually place the Snowman in other environments too, even outside snowy areas… including the Volcanic region!

    Enough about snowballs though… we’ve got a couple more holiday items to talk about. If you’re looking for a warmer atmosphere, look no further than the Seliana Gathering Hub. For the entire duration of the festival, it will be fully decked out for the occasion. And as usual, you can craft unique event gear. The event armor this time is the Oolong set for hunters and the adorable Shishi-mai costume for Palicoes.

    In addition, we also have a few peculiar pieces of equipment debuting this seasonal event as well:

    • Mad Scavenger Pickaxe (Long Sword)
    • Duffel Penguin Mask (Headgear)
    • Sealed Dragon Cloth (Headgear)
    • Buff Body (Armor Set)

    On top of all that, the third and final round of the Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds collaboration is coming up on December 26 at 4:00pm PST. Complete the quest “Firebreak” to craft the Banuk armor set, upgrade Aloy’s Bow into the Master Rank Aloy’s Adept War Bow and craft the Master Rank Palico Watcher Set. The Banuk armor is actually broken apart into individual pieces so you can mix and match this with other armor in the game.

    So whether you’re in the mood for snowball fights with your fellow hunters or heated battles against fearsome monsters (by the way, the Safi’jiiva Siege is also live until Jan 5! Now is the perfect time to join the hunt.

    Stay warm, and happy hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Safi’jiiva Siege & Horizon Zero Dawn Quest Bring New Rewards to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Safi’jiiva Siege & Horizon Zero Dawn Quest Bring New Rewards to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    While we pursued the mythical Velkhana and sought to undo the ecosystem unbalances caused by the Old Everwyrm, something much more dangerous was brewing in the background… the exotic Xeno’jiiva has fully matured into the cataclysmic Safi’jiiva.

    Awaken the Dragon within

    Little is known about this mysterious red dragon, but we do have some amazing insight on the Siege style quest and the potential rewards that are set to shake up the way you hunt in Iceborne.

    Your special assignment is to group up in Seliana’s Gathering Hub and take on the Safi’jiiva Siege. Work together as a team to complete as many Siege objectives as possible. There are some unique gameplay mechanics in this quest and you’ll need to get acquainted with them to maximize the rewards. We highly recommend taking on the Recon Assignment to learn the ropes and practice a bit before the real hunt.

    Successfully completing this mission will result in Siege rewards that have phenomenal potential: the “awakened” Safi’jiiva weapons!

    Each weapon comes with a preset distribution of stats (Attack, Elemental, Affinity, etc.), but take it to the Smithy, along with some Dracolites, and you can upgrade it to awaken its true potential! What we have here is one of the most customizable weapon systems in the history of Monster Hunter.

    Every time you upgrade a Safi’jiiva weapon—and it can be upgraded a lot—you are presented with the option to assign it an “awakened ability.” And these abilities can be mixed, matched and stacked to generate truly powerful creations. You can even unlock Set Bonus skills from other monsters’ armor sets, opening up even more diverse armor build customization. For example, upgrade a Safi’jiiva Great Sword to include Barioth’s Set Bonus, Punishing Draw, then pair it with one single Barioth armor piece (instead of the standard requirement of two) to activate that set bonus. This leaves four additional armor pieces open for you to equip and unlock… say Velkhana’s armor Set Bonus, Frostcraft!


    And if that wasn’t enough, you can even use the standard augment system to further amplify your power.

    On the other side of this powerful equation is the Safi’jiiva armor set. This sleek defensive gear offers a simple silhouette design at first glance… but draw your weapon, and it unfurls into a majestic and imposing visage. The set bonus, Dragonvein Awakening brings a devastating, but highly dangerous way to hunt. When you unsheathe your weapon, all your main stats (Attack, Elemental and Affinity) will be raised, but your health gets drained with each attack you perform. Don’t worry too much, though; after landing some hits on your enemy, the second part of Dragonvein Awakening will activate, giving you a surge of health recovery.

    Warning! You won’t get your health back if you whiff attacks, so be extra careful when donning this armor set.

    Speaking of gambling your health for power… the 2nd Event Quest crossover with Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is now live for Iceborne players. By completing the quest “The Survivor,” you’ll be able to craft the new Aloy Shield-Weaver+ full armor set, the Frostclaw Palico gear and upgrade your Stormslinger Prototype into the Adept Stormslinger. If you recall our previous blog covering the first crossover quest, Roy Postma, Art Director of Horizon Zero Dawn, said this:

    For the feel, we wanted the Improved Stormslinger to behave temperamentally when using its charge-up mechanic. The ability to overcharge the weapon causes the capacitators to glow and spark, eventually resulting in blowback that can cause massive damage to its wielder.

    So… we actually implemented that gameplay mechanic in Iceborne! With the Adept Stormslinger, you can apply a mod called Power Source Mod that replicates the health recoil function in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds. However, if you use the Shield-Weaver+ armor alongside this Light Bowgun, you’ll take on reduced damage; a highly recommended pairing.

    If you’re on the hunt for some really powerful gear in Iceborne, now’s the time to jump in. The Safi’jiiva Siege and the Horizon Zero Dawn crossover quests will be live until January 4, 2020. Happy hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Gets New Tundra Region, Stygian Zinogre

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Gets New Tundra Region, Stygian Zinogre

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Not long ago, we covered the triumphant return of the mighty Zinogre in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and I hope many of you had the chance to face this fearsome beast already. Once you do, and have gotten comfortable with hunting our beloved Thunder Wolf Wyvern, make sure to craft some of those electrifying weapons and armor sets. Then, prepare for a harder variation of that hunt… with some pretty deadly twists!

    For starters, Zinogre’s thunder element makes way for Stygian Zinogre’s ability to channel the debilitating dragon element. And since this beast often prowls locales with extreme temperatures—the scorching heat of volcanic areas or freezing cold of icy regions—and low food supply, it becomes exceedingly aggressive; thus earning Stygian Zinogre the moniker “Hell Wolf Wyvern.”

    The Guiding Lands Expands: Tundra Region

    Your Special Assignment will start with an investigation of a newly discovered area within the Guiding Lands: the Tundra Region. This frigid locale expands the possibilities of monster appearances within that ecosystem: Barioth, Viper Tobi-Kadachi, Shrieking Legiana and Stygian Zinogre will feel right at home… and will fight anyone who steps on their turf.

    More monsters means more materials to acquire, and our Smithy will be ready to put those to good use, further increasing the potential for weapon augments. By the way, I heard he might have a wider selection of High Rank Layered Armor to craft too; so bring him some of those new Guiding Lands monster materials and see what he can make.

    Good luck braving this new locale, hunters! And keep your eyes open for any new unforeseen dangers this new region may bring…

    Defender Weapon Line

    Finally, we have an update for the hunters making their way through the main story and new hunters wanting to join the hunt in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. As part of the latest free title update, all hunters (including both Monster Hunter: World and Iceborne owners) will gain access to a new weapon line: the Defender Weapons.

    We’ve added a line of Defender Weapons, covering each of the 14 weapon types, so you can choose (or discover) your favorite weapon type and go from fledgling rookie to Master Rank hunter in no time! This weapon line pairs nicely with the Guardian Armor set (also free to all hunters!), so make sure to equip that too if you want to get to the Iceborne part of the game as fast as possible. The weapons can be easily forged at the Smithy and are upgradable, becoming even more valuable for those currently playing World.

    All of the contents I’ve covered today are actually available now, as part of a Free Title Update (version 12.00) to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. We have even more content lined up for the future, such as special crossovers with Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds, so keep on hunting and stay tuned for more info soon!

    Website: LINK

  • Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds Gear Storms Into Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds Gear Storms Into Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Aloy is no stranger to frigid hunting grounds and terrifying canine creatures, so when the opportunity came about to expand upon the Monster Hunter x Horizon Zero Dawn collaboration, everything started falling into place pretty seamlessly. Today, the first quest in this multi-part crossover is available for Iceborne hunters on PS4, giving players a chance to craft a special event Light Bowgun: the Stormslinger Prototype.

    Hang tight, hunters. Armor sets and Palico gear are coming soon!

    This ranged weapon is designed after the Improved Stormslinger in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds, and it translated quite well to the Monster Hunter series. All the iconic design aesthetics of the Banuk tribe are there: wooden base frame, light blue tones, feathers and a certain improvised/makeshift appeal.

    To give us all additional insight on the Stormslinger, here’s Roy Postma, Art Director on Horizon Zero Dawn, with a quick look behind the curtain on the process of creating this weapon within the context of Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds:

    “The Improved Stormslinger started out as an upgrade to the spear that the Banuk shaman Ourea wields in the Horizon Zero Dawn DLC expansion, The Frozen Wilds. For the design, we took the technical parts from that spear and arranged them on a ropecaster framework, which allowed us to plausibly extend its power capacity. Using the concept of “the more power the better” as a guiding principle, we then strapped together additional capacitators and wired all the technological parts together.

    “Another important concept we wished to convey was the humans’ limited understanding of technology; the weapon had to reflect this in look as well as in feel. For the look, we created a very chaotic layout by arranging the capacitators at different angles and snaking the wires all around and through the weapon. For the feel, we wanted the Improved Stormslinger to behave temperamentally when using its charge-up mechanic. The ability to overcharge the weapon causes the capacitators to glow and spark, eventually resulting in blowback that can cause massive damage to its wielder.”

    The way you’ll get your hands on one of these is also a nod to the source material. In Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds you get to fight a ferocious canine beast — known as Scorcher — that charges up its moves for powerful attacks. Sound familiar? While the technical aspects of the attacks and elements may differ, the design theme behind the Scorcher is very much like Zinogre in Iceborne. So this special Event Quest will have you hunting the thunderous beast Zinogre in Hoarfrost Reach. Make sure you’re Master Rank is 24 or above and bring some Thunder Resistance!

    If Light Bowgun is not your style, but you still want to add some high-tech flair to your weapons, completing this Event Quest will get you a shimmering weapon pendant fashioned after Aloy’s Focus device.

    Whenever you’re ready, head up to the Quest Board / Quest Counter and look for the Event Quest “Into the Frozen Wilds.” It is available now until January 10, 2020.

    Other Special Event Quests

    Shifting gears a bit, I just wanted to leave a quick reminder about a couple of other special Event Quests currently live in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Guest survivors from Raccoon City, Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield make an appearance as Full Armor Sets for those who gather materials from completing the Event Quest “RE: Return of the Bioweapon” (keep some Green Herbs handy, unless you want to get Zombified).

    And the quests dubbed “Every Hunter’s Dream” II and III will let you craft the Wiggler Set α+ for your Palico and the “Black Eagle” Charge Blade that won our Palico/Weapon Design Contest earlier this year. They’re very cute and cool, respectively.

    Finally, a friendly reminder that all this content is free for all Iceborne players… and we’re just getting started! We have another big free update lined up for December, and even more coming in 2020. So if you haven’t joined the hunt in Iceborne yet, there’s no better time than now, especially considering our early Black Friday discount: 25% off!

    New hunters joining in through Monster Hunter: World or Iceborne Master Edition, look out for a free update in early December that will give you quick access to a set of beefed up weapons to help you quickly complete the MH:World storyline: the Defender Weapons.

    Website: LINK

  • Editors’ Choice: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Raises the Series’ Bar

    Editors’ Choice: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Raises the Series’ Bar

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Returning to a game as deep and customizable as Monster Hunter World after a month away intimidated me at first. But like a musician picking up their chosen instrument after years away, my muscle memory kicked into satisfying results. I was surprised by how quickly I felt at home once again, swinging my hammer into monsters’ faces. Even more surprising is how Iceborne redefines what an “expansion” can be. A host of new monsters to hunt, a frosty land to explore, and gameplay tweaks make this feel closer to a true sequel.

    Seasoned hunters can dive right into a new Master Rank echelon of quests, foes, and craftable gear. Iceborne also features various systems that allow newer players to join the hunt with little difficulty: The Hunter Helper feature incentives series veterans to help lower-rank hunters with rewards, hopefully making it easier to find a helping hand, and the hardy Guardian Armor set gives newcomers a fighting chance against Master Rank monsters. No reason to tuck tail if you’re brand-new!

    The true appeal of Iceborne is the expanding bestiary of monsters to hunt. The aforementioned Beotodus is a brand-new monster, boasting subterranean traversal, icy armor, and a fearsome lunge attack. The antlered Banbaro charges into battle, uprooting entire trees and trampling you into oblivion. The flagship Elder Dragon, Velkhana, soars with a frigid majesty that almost makes you feel bad when carving materials off it (almost…). These tough new threats will challenge even the most seasoned hunters.

    Iceborne’s monstrous roster also features a variety of altered subspecies to shake up beasts from the core game. The Coral Pukei-Pukei subspecies blasts pressurized water instead of the original monster’s deadly poison. Fulgar Anjanath crackles with electricity, which charges up its overall power. These subspecies shake up combat against familiar Monster Hunter: World creatures so much they’re essentially brand-new encounters.

    Returning favorites from the long-running Monster Hunter series trample their way to Iceborne, as well. The intimidating Glavenus sharpens its razor-sharp tail with its own teeth (how metal is that?!), then attacks with a flurry of red-hot slashes. The brutish Tigrex also returns – a ferocious wyvern whose wings have evolved into powerful legs. The list goes on, but new players who haven’t battled these behemoths before should prepare for intense, thrilling battles. This is one of the fiercest lineups in the series’ history.

    Iceborne offers robust new gameplay mechanics in addition to its frosty new environment and monsters. The Clutch Claw adds a new layer of strategy to every battle, letting hunters can latch onto specific monster parts. Trying to slice off a Rathian’s tail? Clutch Claw onto it from a distance and slice away. Is your target fleeing from the area? Hasten the chase with a well-timed grapple. The Clutch Claw blends seamlessly with the Monster Hunter experience, but it’s not an instant-win button — hunters would do well to strategize their use of the Claw, lest their quarry buck them right off, leaving them vulnerable to counterattack.

    On a deeper gameplay level, Capcom has even shaken up — and added new — weapon combos. For example, in the core game, a solid Great Sword strategy for landing a powerful true charge attack involved canceling animations with a tackle. Iceborne allows players to fire their Slinger ammo at monsters mid-combo to segue into a big attack. Nuances like these help even tried-and-true weapons feel fresh. Hammer-loving hunters can also Clutch Claw straight onto a monster after an uppercut, and Switch Axe players get a useful new combo that increases the utility of the weapon’s axe mode.

    Iceborne is an expansion so massive and rich that it feels like a true sequel. The Clutch Claw grappling mechanic, frosty locales, and inventive monsters (new threats and returning favorites), coalesce into an irresistible co-op adventure. This expansion is more than a fun excuse to return to an excellent game, it’s the best the series has ever been.

    Website: LINK

  • Editors’ Choice: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Raises the Series’ Bar

    Editors’ Choice: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Raises the Series’ Bar

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Returning to a game as deep and customizable as Monster Hunter World after a month away intimidated me at first. But like a musician picking up their chosen instrument after years away, my muscle memory kicked into satisfying results. I was surprised by how quickly I felt at home once again, swinging my hammer into monsters’ faces. Even more surprising is how Iceborne redefines what an “expansion” can be. A host of new monsters to hunt, a frosty land to explore, and gameplay tweaks make this feel closer to a true sequel.

    Seasoned hunters can dive right into a new Master Rank echelon of quests, foes, and craftable gear. Iceborne also features various systems that allow newer players to join the hunt with little difficulty: The Hunter Helper feature incentives series veterans to help lower-rank hunters with rewards, hopefully making it easier to find a helping hand, and the hardy Guardian Armor set gives newcomers a fighting chance against Master Rank monsters. No reason to tuck tail if you’re brand-new!

    The true appeal of Iceborne is the expanding bestiary of monsters to hunt. The aforementioned Beotodus is a brand-new monster, boasting subterranean traversal, icy armor, and a fearsome lunge attack. The antlered Banbaro charges into battle, uprooting entire trees and trampling you into oblivion. The flagship Elder Dragon, Velkhana, soars with a frigid majesty that almost makes you feel bad when carving materials off it (almost…). These tough new threats will challenge even the most seasoned hunters.

    Iceborne’s monstrous roster also features a variety of altered subspecies to shake up beasts from the core game. The Coral Pukei-Pukei subspecies blasts pressurized water instead of the original monster’s deadly poison. Fulgar Anjanath crackles with electricity, which charges up its overall power. These subspecies shake up combat against familiar Monster Hunter: World creatures so much they’re essentially brand-new encounters.

    Returning favorites from the long-running Monster Hunter series trample their way to Iceborne, as well. The intimidating Glavenus sharpens its razor-sharp tail with its own teeth (how metal is that?!), then attacks with a flurry of red-hot slashes. The brutish Tigrex also returns – a ferocious wyvern whose wings have evolved into powerful legs. The list goes on, but new players who haven’t battled these behemoths before should prepare for intense, thrilling battles. This is one of the fiercest lineups in the series’ history.

    Iceborne offers robust new gameplay mechanics in addition to its frosty new environment and monsters. The Clutch Claw adds a new layer of strategy to every battle, letting hunters can latch onto specific monster parts. Trying to slice off a Rathian’s tail? Clutch Claw onto it from a distance and slice away. Is your target fleeing from the area? Hasten the chase with a well-timed grapple. The Clutch Claw blends seamlessly with the Monster Hunter experience, but it’s not an instant-win button — hunters would do well to strategize their use of the Claw, lest their quarry buck them right off, leaving them vulnerable to counterattack.

    On a deeper gameplay level, Capcom has even shaken up — and added new — weapon combos. For example, in the core game, a solid Great Sword strategy for landing a powerful true charge attack involved canceling animations with a tackle. Iceborne allows players to fire their Slinger ammo at monsters mid-combo to segue into a big attack. Nuances like these help even tried-and-true weapons feel fresh. Hammer-loving hunters can also Clutch Claw straight onto a monster after an uppercut, and Switch Axe players get a useful new combo that increases the utility of the weapon’s axe mode.

    Iceborne is an expansion so massive and rich that it feels like a true sequel. The Clutch Claw grappling mechanic, frosty locales, and inventive monsters (new threats and returning favorites), coalesce into an irresistible co-op adventure. This expansion is more than a fun excuse to return to an excellent game, it’s the best the series has ever been.

    Website: LINK

  • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Out Now on PS4

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Out Now on PS4

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is finally here! After many months of anticipation, exciting reveals and thrilling teasers at the end of each trailer, it’s time to gather together and start hunting some of the fiercest monsters out there. This all-new journey kicks off with the research commission following the path of some mysterious new monster behavior.

    But hey, that’s just the in-game story, and while that has a clear beginning, middle and end, we’re very curious to hear more about your story, as a hunter, and… “why do you hunt?”

    When we were looking at Iceborne as a whole, we learned a couple of key things:

    1. It’s jam-packed with content (new features, monsters, gear, etc.)!
    2. Different aspects of the game resonate with different people.

    And that’s the line of thinking that got us to our “Why Do You Hunt?” launch ads.

    So let’s break down some of the types of hunter motivations here:

    Starting with our first, sophisticated hunter, they seem to have quite the appreciation for weapons, both crafting and mastering them. In Iceborne, we’ve expanded upon nearly every weapon tree in the game, added some new customization options and entirely new combos and moves.

    Next up is our team player, with a strong sense of leadership. While Monster Hunter doesn’t technically set players into given roles (tank, support, etc.), a well-oiled and diverse hunting party can conquer even the toughest challenges we have to offer. These folks can also be great mentors to new hunters with Iceborne’s new Hunter Helper feature which offers rewards to incentivize helping even more.

    Then, comes the fashion expert. Everyone wants to look good while taking down majestic beasts, but pulling it off is a separate skill altogether. Layered Armor sets make it a bit easier to match form and function, but matching the perfect combination of armor set, colors and your favorite weapon is still very satisfying, especially when you line up the perfect shot with the game’s new View Mode.

    And last in our video is the hunter who just loves the light-hearted cute and fun side of Monster Hunter. Between all the Palico customization options, new gadgets and mini-games, there’s a ton of content to “aww” at in Iceborne. And that’s not even all of it; there’s a world of cuteness beyond our Felyne friends, including the classic Poogie and all-new endemic life.

    Of course, there are also preferences we didn’t get to cover in the video, like the monster fanatics—be it experts on a single monster, usually a favorite, knowing the ins-and-outs of hunting them and all the gear associated with them; or those that admire all life forms. By the way, monster admirers will have a field day with all the new monsters and learning about how some of the returning favorites fit into the New World!

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is available now on PlayStation 4 and definitely has something for every type of hunter out there. So… why do you hunt? It could be one or more of what we’ve mentioned here, or something else entirely. Either way, we’d love to hear it; leave a comment and let us know!

    Website: LINK

  • Hunter’s Notes: 5 New Details About Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Hunter’s Notes: 5 New Details About Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Alright! I played Monster Hunter World: Iceborne! World was the first Monster Hunter game I fully fell down the rabbit hole with, so with Iceborne right around the corner I’m hungry for any opportunity to get an early look. Below are five of my favorite things (aside from the rad new monsters and gear, of course) that I noticed during my time with Iceborne.

    1. The “Take All” button

    QOL, baby! No longer having to hold down X to take each end-of-hunt item individually may not be a back-of-box bullet point, but it’s a nice touch that proves the dev team is looking for ways to make things more pleasant overall.

    Another welcome QOL change: There’s now a confirmation dialogue when equipping an item loadout that asks whether you want to use that loadout’s customized radial menu as well. Saving and loading custom radial menus was a tough one for me to figure out initially, so I’m grateful for the added clarity here.

    Meet the Barioth: a real meanie of a new monster. This one doesn’t mess around.

    2. The Clutch Claw

    Hoooooo boy, this is a big one. Iceborne introduces a new tool to Monster Hunter, and it adds a suite of new strategic options for Hunters on the move. To use the Clutch Claw, hold L2 to aim and press Circle to fire (even if your weapon is drawn!) and pull yourself onto specific parts of a monster. Then you’ve got options:

    • When latched onto your target’s head, you can press Circle to make the monster rotate, changing the direction it’s facing.
    • Press R2 to spend all of your remaining Slinger ammo to unleash the “Flinch Shot” (again, as long as you’re mounted on the beast’s head), which sends the monster careening forward. If the monster runs into a wall or off a cliff, it stuns your quarry and gives your squad a prime opportunity to dish out some huge damage.
    • Press Triangle to execute a standard attack — this isn’t the same as what happens when you mount a beast; it’s more of a quick whack on the way back down to the ground. Depending on which weapon you’ve equipped, this will either soften up that part of the monster, increasing damage and making it less likely for your attacks to be deflected, or it will make the beast drop slinger ammo for you and your fellow hunters.
    • There are also some interesting new things you can do without first grappling onto the monster, depending on the weapon you’re carrying. Pressing L2 after applying my hammer to a monster’s face, for example, allowed me to fire off a quick “Slinger Burst” for some extra damage.

    My time with Iceborne was not quite enough to fully wrap my head around the Clutch Claw and its myriad strategic advantages, but even the few I was able to master made things a lot more interesting. I’m looking forward to playing with this more.

    3. Seliana, the new hub area, is more condensed than Astera

    Seliana is a smaller hub area than Astera, what with its multiple levels and chain elevators and hidden pathways. I haven’t dug into every nook and cranny of the new hub, but your starting location, the hunt board, the Canteen, and the Workshop are all in mercifully close proximity to one another — so it’ll be that much faster to get into your next hunt.

    Fun fact: the Grammeowster Chef — Seliana’s leader of all things culinary — is the former mentor of Astera’s Meowscular Chef!

    4. The “Wide Range” perk works with Hot Drinks

    Supporting your teammates by speccing into the “Wide Range” perk has always been handy in MHW, but I’m comfy saying it’s less “handy” and more “important” now. Master Rank hunts are no joke, and various ice-related status ailments constantly threaten to end your quest prematurely. Hot Drinks keep you toasty in the expansion’s new icy climate, and chugging one while you have Wide Range gear or decorations equipped will warm up your buddies, too.

    Reminder: Plenty of other items work with Wide Range, too. Nulberries, for example, are handy for keeping your fellow hunters safe from the ever-present threat of Iceblight, an irritating ailment that hampers your stamina in a major way.

    5. New hunts don’t always happen in Hoarfrost Reach

    While Iceborne’s story will take you to its huge new location early on, it doesn’t send you there for each and every hunt throughout the new campaign. You’ll head back to the base game’s locales from time to time to hunt powerful new subspecies of existing monsters (as well as returning series favorites and all-new beasties). I love the new map, but I’m glad we’ll have excuses to return to the world of… well, World.

    Three ferocious new subspecies you’ll encounter in Iceborne (top to bottom, left to right): Coral Pukei Pukei, Nightshade Paolumu, Viper Tobi-Kadachi

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne launches September 6, but in the meantime you can hop into World during its currently ongoing festival, which sees the return of various limited-time event quests each week. Did you miss the Aloy armor and Watcher Palico set when they came around before? Now’s your chance to grab ’em.

    Got questions about Iceborne? I’ll be checking in on the comments throughout the day and will answer the ones I’m able to!

    Website: LINK

  • PS Underground: We Hunt Banbaro & Tigrex in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    PS Underground: We Hunt Banbaro & Tigrex in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Hello! Today, we’re publishing two cool new episodes of PlayStation Underground, shining a spotlight on Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The massive new expansion launches later this year, but I jumped at an opportunity to play it earlier and capture footage of two hunts… of varying levels of success.

    First, we set off to take down the majestic Banbaro: a moose-like creature whose horns plow through snow like butter and turn trees into surprisingly effective tools of hunter-wreckin’ destruction. I equipped my trusty hammer and set forth in our first episode:

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi6B6OIBzDs&w=1032&h=581]

    For our second hunt, I took on the fearsome Tigrex, a returning MonHun fan-favorite. This beast’s quick, unpredictable nature made for a more challenging target, especially when paired with my less refined Switch Axe skills. I may be a hammer main, but I just had to (attempt to) show off that sick new Switch Axe combo!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHuleirpHDQ&w=1032&h=581]

    Thanks for watching! Monster Hunter World: Iceborne launches September 6 on PS4. Feel free to pass the time by telling me all the ways I screwed up during that Tigrex hunt in the comments.

    Website: LINK

  • 8 Cool Things You Can Do in the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Beta for PS4

    8 Cool Things You Can Do in the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Beta for PS4

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    Monster Hunter: World is treading into new territory in multiple ways with the upcoming release of the massive expansion. There is so much cool stuff in Iceborne — and we don’t just mean the new wintry Hoarfrost Reach ecosystem. So we wanted to give you a hands-on taste of what you can expect, along with this handy guide to prepare you for the new challenges.

    But first, a recap (and I’ll try to make it the fastest recap ever, so read at 2X speed for the intended effect) for those who haven’t hunted in a while, or at all:

    You are a hunter. Hunter of monsters. Monsters leave tracks. Your Scoutflies (green fireflies) guide you to tracks. You collect tracks and find the monster. Then you battle the monster alone or with friends: attack, get hit, observe its behavior, counter-attack, get hit again, use items, use tools, use the environment, maybe faint, and finally win. Through this Beta, you get bragging rights and item packs that unlock in the full Iceborne game when it releases. In the full version of the Iceborne expansion, you also get materials to craft new weapons and armor… to take on even more ferocious monsters!

    Phew! With that out of the way, let’s get to those new features:

    1. Fight the cold temperatures

    Before you can track down and battle any monster in the Hoarfrost Reach, you have to survive the new locale’s freezing temperatures. Staying out in the cold without something to warm you up will slowly eat away at your stamina, hindering your ability to sprint and even perform some attacks.

    Lucky for you, the Hunter’s Guild has stocked the blue supply boxes in the campsites with Hot Drinks; make sure to take those. And if you’re all out of Hot Drinks, be on the lookout for Hot Peppers (to make more Hot Drinks) or natural Hot Springs out in the environment. Sit in one of those Hot Springs long enough to warm up and get a boost to health recovery! Highly recommended.

    How can you tell if you need to warm up? Simple: look for blue icons next to your stamina bar… or look at your hunter’s cold shivering animation.

    2. Use the Slinger any time

    Have you ever missed the perfect opportunity to stop the monsters in its tracks with a timely Slinger shot because you were still sheathing your weapon? I have… (I totally didn’t faint, though… maybe). Anyways, back on topic: now you can actually use the Slinger any time, even with your weapon drawn. Some weapons will even let you integrate Slinger burst shots into your weapon’s combos!

    Speaking of weapons…

    3. Try out new weapon moves

    The header pretty much covers it already, but let’s dive a little deeper. The Iceborne expansion builds on every aspect of Monster Hunter: World, and that includes updates to every weapon. I imagine the combat designers meeting up and taking a long, hard look at each of the 14 different weapon types and thinking “what would make this weapon even better?” I can’t verify that things actually went down like that, but you’ll get what I mean once you take each of them out for a spin.

    Some weapon types got new abilities while others got new branching combos; but all of them got some form of interaction with the Slinger and the all-new Clutch Claw mechanic, which can completely change the way you approach certain in-game situations.

    4. Grapple onto monsters with the Clutch Claw

    Another way we’re expanding your toolkit for hunting monsters is with the addition of the Clutch Claw. This handy apparatus shoots out a grappling hook out of your Slinger and zips you right to the monster. And from there you can perform a variety of strategic (and rad) moves:

    • Claw attacks while grappling on the monster’s head will have you force the monster to change directions, and steer them in a specific way.
    • Flinch Shots will use up all your Slinger ammo (if you have any) and will send the monster reeling toward a wall, ledge, traps, etc.
    • Weapon attacks while grappling on the monster will either soften up its hide for more damaging follow-up attacks, or draw out some powerful Slinger ammo from the monster that you can then use against it.

    Just be mindful of these two key factors when using your Clutch Claw:

    • Stamina cost is very high for grappling onto monsters.
    • Enraged monsters gain resistance to claw attacks and are more prone to sudden attacks, which will shake you off and damage you in the process.

    5. Master it all in the new Training Room

    Alright, so we’ve covered new Slinger tech, new weapon features and the new Clutch Claw. Now all we need is a safe place to test it all out and practice before actual hunts…

    Enter the revamped Training Room!

    At first glance, this is gonna look a lot like the existing Training Room in Monster Hunter: World; but we’ve actually added a new feature that will make a world of difference: you can switch the standard barrels and tree trunk out for a full-sized wheeled monster dummy thing!

    This training dummy won’t attack you, but it will react to Clutch Claw attacks just like a monster would, so it’s a great way to practice and master the ins and outs of these new mechanics, as well as the new features or combos for your weapon of choice.

    6. Save memories of your hunts with View Mode

    The New World introduced to us some of the most beautiful vistas and detailed environments of the Monster Hunter series. Now, due to popular demand, we’re adding a feature that lets you break away from standard camera angles and line up the perfect shot of yourself or the scenery with View Mode.

    One thing to note: View Mode is much like real life photography and does not pause the action… so if a monster shows up, it can very well decide that you’re its next meal and come straight for you. If you get hit by anything while View Mode is active, you’ll be bumped back to regular gameplay.

    7. Enjoy a more fine-tuned difficulty scaling

    One of our goals with Monster Hunter is to provide a fun experience for as many people as possible, regardless of their experience level and group composition. So for this Beta we’re offering you a choice of three different quests. Plus, you’ll get to try out the dynamic difficulty setting that’s all new for the series. This adapts the difficulty whether you’re playing in one of three scenarios: solo, as a pair, or a group (3 to 4 players).

    Our quests this time are:

    • “Great Devourer, Great Jagras” (Ancient Forest, Beginners)
    • “The Big-horned Banbaro” (Hoarfrost Reach, Intermediate)
    • “The Wild Tigrex” (Hoarfrost Reach, Advanced)

    8. And more…? Yes!

    Okay, so I covered a lot of stuff here… but don’t worry, it’s not everything. Part of the joy of gaming is to discover new things on your own, by going off the beaten path and good old trial & error. So go out there and explore everything you can while the Beta is live!

    The first round of the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Beta will be live from 3am PDT on Friday, June 21 through 3am PDT on Monday, June 24 for PlayStation Plus members only, with a second round going live 3am PDT on Friday, June 28 through 3am PDT on Monday, July 1 — this one being open for all PS4 players. Preload options will be available a couple of days before each beta period begins.

    Stay warm, and happy hunting!

    Website: LINK

  • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Comes to PS4 September 6, New Details

    Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Comes to PS4 September 6, New Details

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    First of all, I’d like to say thank you to all of our hunters who played Monster Hunter: World. It’s been over a year since the game arrived on PS4. Last December, we announced that Iceborne, a massive expansion for Monster Hunter World will be arriving this autumn! Finally, we’re pleased to give players the first look at our new trailer!

    We’re also excited to reveal that Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is releasing worldwide on PS4 on September 6, 2019!

    As seen in the trailer, the Hoarfrost Reach is the new locale featured in Iceborne. This glacial area will feature its own harsh ecosystem. It’s a little cold out there, so you’re definitely going to want to stock up on Hot Drinks!

    Here you’ll face off against the dynamic stampeding Banbaro and the snow-plowing Beotodus who inhabit this area. Fan-favorite monsters from previous entries in the Monster Hunter series are also making their return: One of them is Nargacuga, a nimble foe whom I’m sure gave many hunters headaches back in the day.

    Also look out for the icy elder dragon, Velkhana. Not too much is known about this monster right now, but it is the focal point of the new story in Iceborne, so keep your eyes on it in the coming months.

    These aren’t the only monsters coming to Iceborne, however. We have a variety of brand-new monsters and fan favorites returning! I wonder whose roar was teased at the end of the new trailer…!?

    Luckily, your hunter has learned a few new actions to help you combat these tough monsters.

    The Clutch Claw now allows you to grapple onto monsters and perform feats in a way you never could before, and each weapon type has gained new attack moves and combos with the Slinger. Customized parts have also gotten an upgrade, increasing the breadth of your actions.

    That’s all the info we currently have to share on Monster Hunter World: Iceborne for the time being, but we’ll have more to share at E3 this year! Stay with us for more updates!

    Happy Hunting!

    State of Play: All the Announcements

    Website: LINK

  • State of Play May 2019: The Complete Recap

    State of Play May 2019: The Complete Recap

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Today’s State of Play broadcast was short but sweet! Watch the full show here if you didn’t see it live, then read the stories linked below for more details on each new reveal.

    What was your favorite announcement?

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gWK9-2pdXQ&w=1032&h=581]

    State of Play: All the Announcements

    Website: LINK