I've always wanted to try Monster Hunter but I never had the console it was on, so Monster Hunter World was the first game in the series that I ever played. I can't say how it compares to previous versions but what I can say is that this was my favourite game of 2018 and I think I'm now a Monster Hunter fan for life.

The core loop is pretty simple; you hunt monsters to get parts, and those parts let you get stronger gear, which let you take on stronger monsters. On paper it looks simple, and maybe a little bit dull. However, in practice it works wonders mainly because the actual gameplay is so refined and satisfying. Dodging attacks makes you feel like a pro, and breaking parts of monsters mid battle keeps the fights interesting. Hunting a monster always feels tense and exciting, and I love running back to base after first slaying a monster and looking at the new weapons and armour I can craft.

The game isn't perfect. Although the port is mostly great the mouse and keyboard controls are a little unconventional, especially in menus. Given that this is the first Monster Hunter on PC and they've previously only mapped to console controllers I think that they deserve a pass on that, especially as the controls are perfectly fine once you get used to them (at least for the melee weapons, I can't say for the ranged as I haven't played them). If that's a concern for you don't worry; the game is controller supported and works perfectly. And while Monster Hunter can be multiplayer heavy, it is perfectly playable solo. I should know, I've played it pretty much solo only.

Ultimately if you're curious about the game and getting into Monster Hunter I would say dive in, especially if it's on sale.