If you are a veteran, you do not need this.

These "Hunter Notes" of mine are meant to be read by new players.
They are based upon my personal experiences and opinion and are supposed to show an "alternative" to common mainstream opinions in regards of the game Monster Hunter Rise.

However, the thoughts and ideas I intend to share have universal application.

What you personally can gain from reading this is an understanding how a specific Monster Hunter player can spend thousands of hours in any of the franchise's installments, despite the limited content by nature of game cartridges, without ever experiencing what players commonly describe as "grind" and burnout.

You can get an idea of what makes the series attractive to begin with, and eventually make that idea and thoughts your own, to either pursue the joy of Monster Hunter or make a decision to move on.

I am offering you tips and hints to prevent experiencing a feeling similar to "burnout" in regards of playing. Not to be mistaken with actual diagnosed by a doctor kind of burnout!

Keep in mind: there is no guarantee that these tips and hints will help you personally!

But at least you have been offered here an alternative.
It is up to you what you do with this information.

To avoid misunderstandings - not all screenshots I am using are showing ingame stuff from Monster Hunter Rise. The screenshots are to reflect the spirit of this "guide": keep a good balance with everything, like with work and life. Only if you are living a healthy life you can fully enjoy the art presented by the game.

It might sound banal, and yet a lot of people have troubles in describing what is Monster Hunter actually about. A general description would sound something like this:

"In Monster Hunter you are playing boss fights in different arenas".

Does not sound wrong, if you reduce it to the essentials, right?
A lot might even think "that sounds familiar ~ like Dark Souls". In fact, I would even say Monster Hunter is one of those games which are parents to the nowadays known as "souls-like-genre".

A common mistake made by a lot of younger players is how they miss out on what forged a strong Monster Hunter community in the past. Having the game considered as niche title among many mainstream games, with hardships heavily foreign to western audiences. Monster Hunter is so much more than just a matter of boss fights, rinse and repeat. It is about creating your own story, in a game which does not have much of a story itself. It is about challenges and overcoming those challenges.
It is about personal growth.

Different than many modern games the personal growth is not based on numbers which says how many experience points you gain after a battle, and how much your STR or CON grew in numbers. It is pure a matter of personal experience and real skill growth. Of course crafting armours can be considered a similar growth in numbers. But the core manifests in the armour and weapons you craft being a reward and proof that you have overcome the challenge to gain them. Something which is not reflected in experience points.

It is not the multiplayer part of the game which makes it so special to veterans like me. It is the fair challenge which the game is offering in a steady progression curve. Fair because it is entirely up to you to make the approach in hunting a monster. The amount of preparation, observation and training, the choice of weapon and tactic - the game gives you only enough for you to have a basic understanding. What you do with the tools is up to you. And before you notice you have grown from a fledling into an Ace hunter.

And when you start jumping into battles with a grin, you will think back of all the hardships you have overcome to reach that point of progress which allows you to grin. That kind of personal growth alongside your own personal story is what makes Monster Hunter ever so special.

Thinking of it, there are plenty of other games which follow the concept of some sort of "Holy Trinity", are there not? It is almost every time a protagonist and a sidekick or partner and an antagonist... Ash had Pikachu and Gary... Anyroads ~

I recommend to enjoy the game with at least one partner or rival.
Ideal would be two friends with them being partners and rivals at the same time.

The more the merrier, I like to say! But nowdays it is really hard to have a high number of true friends. Even just "friends", or mere acquaintances on your Steam's Friendlist. I wish you wholeheartedly that you have at least two real and true friends who will always stay by your side no matter what. Friendship is Magic. Friendship is Love. Friendship is so much more if you allow it.



If you have two or more friends who are willing to accompany you with your Monster Hunter journey: go ahead, by all means! Yet I know how hard it can be, not only to have by chance two friends who are interested to play the game with you but also have conveniently time to play together.

And when you play with a group, the risk of having members participating only due to group pressure rises exponentially the bigger the group is. What you want for Monster Hunter are players who are passionate and commited to enjoy the game on a long run. That has meaning and will enrich each others gaming experience.

To be plain: just a rival will do.
That might sound strange, but what you want to enjoy a game is actually someone you can share your experiences with. Someone to talk about the game with. A partner is just great for that, especially when you share the passion. But a rival - oh dear - a rival is so much more valuable in regards of enriching someone's game experience. A rival will entice you to grow further, going for new challenges you have not thought about. A rival which equals you is not only the best motivator to enjoy a game like Monster Hunter, they are also the best partner you could possibly wish for.

A rival which is also a friend is like a gift from the heavens, for they will stand by your side in the time of need, and push you to limits so that you push them, reaching together new frontiers none of you would possibly manage or wanted on your own.

As hinted before: it is important to have someone to talk to about the game you love. It makes the overall experience so much better, especially when you can share it with someone important to you!

Make use of Steam's feature to share screenshots.
Do recordings of your gameplay and share them on YouTube.
Make clips to share them on twitter or whatever else platform you fancy for.

You do not have to be a professional content creator to share interesting stuff!
You do not need a big audience to share interesting stuff!
All what you need to do is sharing what you like!

And even if your content is only seen by yourself - you will get something out of it.



Memories of unique moments only you have experienced


Memories of the thrill during your first times


Memories of people you have met


Memories of discoveries no one else made


Memories of achievements and success

A lot of experiences you are making for the very first time will never ever be repeatable. From a pure logical point of view it seems strange to make a documentation of something, which someone else probably have done better. But that is not the point of sharing your experiences nor is it the point in making photos. It is not about the screenshots, photos, shareables themselves which matters - it is about what those objects represents.

In the future you will still have your memories ~ probably ~ which you will recall with thoughts of the times you are fond of. But I assure you, that if you prepare it from the beginning to share them ~ those memories will be more alive and more valuable to you than you could imagine.

These screenshots e.g. are set to private within my newsfeed. Would I remember about those moments without the screenshots? Maybe. But with the screenshots it is so much easier. And that I can share them with you makes me happy. This is the kind of experience you want in regards of sharing.

It is not about showing off or bragging. It is about making lasting memories. For you, and for those you care about. Enrich the sentence "I see you" with meaning, by giving a value to photos, screenshots, paintings, and other items you share - the way they are supposed to be enjoyed.

Together, forever. Long lasting fun and happiness.

I do believe in magic within pictures.
Capturing happiness of a couple with a photo brings luck to their relationship. Think about it ~

Most games which are player versus environment (PvE) based and have a story comes with a beginning and an ending. And even without them, there will be only so many levels, challenges, objectives to achieve the developers can put into a game - unless it is one of those service games which basically lives from a live service.

In Monster Hunter Rise it is no different. At some point you have done and seen everything the game can possibly offer. When you have reached that point it is entirely up to you whether to continue playing or not.

Though, those who switch games because they ran out of content cannot be taken seriously. Hm? How so? Allow me to explain my point of view ~

With some exceptions like story orientated games e.g. Life is Strange, most games are meant to be played for the sake of enjoying the gameplay. It is not over once the story ends. And it is certainly not over once you have done all content the developers of a game have given to you. As long as you are enjoying a game for its gameplay, you keep playing and start making your own goals.

And Monster Hunter is great in giving you a hand with that!

I remember how I once wanted a loot item from Almudron to craft a piece of equipment. The Golden Almudron Orb to be precise, which comes as a 2% chance reward item. I never did the "grind" stuff other player might have done. I enjoyed every hunt and every attempt in getting that item. In fact, I was under the misconception I needed to fulfill a certain condition - cutting its tail - to get the 2% chance to begin with. It was challenging and seemed impossible back then, considering how hard it tail was. But it was great fun going after them. At my 8th hunt I managed to cut the tail as literally my final action before the hunt ended in Almudron getting slained. And it happened that I got the 2% chance loot item as a quest reward. I was thrilled all over!

The best about that story: there was never a need for that item. I just wanted it for crafting. But it was never a "must have" for the game's progress or whatsoever. At some point I went after the game's achievements. But I also went after goals I made myself. Even silly stuff like ~

• Getting 10x Orbs each
  
• Killing Narwa Allmother 200x
  
• Putting all my Palicoes and Palamutes in layered armour and maxing out their levels
  
• Crafting every weapon and every piece of armour
  
• Doing 500x Captures and 500x Kills
  
• and so on ~

I felt like I always had something to do. And with so many different weapons and ways to play the game I actually never ran out of something to do. While I might have a favourite weapon I used mainly - at that time - it changed when I challenged myself to master the other weapons. Now I am enjoying every weapon with countless possibilities. Every time I have a different style to play which even allows me to enjoy the game all over again. I could not be happier.



Monster Hunter Rise is giving you a helping hand in setting your own goals by providing "hidden" titles you can achieve and decorations to unlock. A lot you will only get to see after hunting 50x a specific monster or reaching a very special high Hunter Rank. A high Hunter Rank might mean little to nothing in general, but the time you spend playing will be properly reflected with titles hardly anyone else can show off with pride and joy like you can!

Well, imagine it like this: if someone tells you they finished the game by finishing the last objective and then they move on to another game ~ does it not seem suspicious to you?
I would think: they did not enjoy the game really if they cannot wait to jump to the next game.

And then the sound... it sounds actually really bad when one says "they finished doing all this stuff" and that is their cue to switch games ~ that sounds like they actually forced themselves to play, rather than enjoying the game and the fact that they can play it. They never had or have to. No objective, no achievement, no story shackles you to a game. If you do not enjoy playing, then just stop it!

You are doing no one a favour by forcing yourself. Not the community. Not Capcom. Not even your friend, if you try to bring such as a reason why you force yourself playing ~ for someone elses sake.

You either like Monster Hunter, or you do not. There is no magic gold pot at the end of a rainbow in this game which you get to see when you endure it as long as possible. In worst case you only wasted your time and the bad impression you are getting from the game will impact everyone.

It is certainly the worst if you tag along and play for someone's sake, despite you are not truly enjoying the game. You would start counting the time you spend with them as their debt towards you, for emotional blackmailing ~ a harsh prospect, but not so unusual among youngsters.
Check your feelings whether you have gone towards that dark path.
You do not want that. No one wants that.

As someone afflicted with a diagnosed issue, I say wholeheartedly out loud: I despise people who claim having such an affliction without that actually being diagnosed properly by a medical expert and professional.

A lot who claim having depression, burnout or a sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder have no real idea what they are talking about. It is a serious issue, and I curse the fact that inflative mainstream abuse of those terms have make me having a hard time to be taken seriously. The real issues are serious issues. Do not look down on them!

Most players who claim they have to satisfy their OCD by going after each achievement etc. like crazy before they can move on to another game have entirely other issues and need better excuses. If your excuse is such, and you just keep playing because you feel forced to by achievements, then you should eventually seek counseling.

It is very similar to youngsters switching from one game to another, or even partners in their relationships. By going through "achievements" they lose focus on what is important in life. Whether their standards have become twisted, or they developed an addiction to kind of instant-gratification - that is an issue which needs to be addressed properly. Not by masking it with some mainstreamly abused term.

The Ubisoft-Syndrom, that is how I call it because that game company made running from point to point, marker to marker in games into ad absurdum, is something you must not fall for. A lot of young players have an issue with Monster Hunter precisely because the game is lacking such. When they have done "everything" they feel like losing their purpose in playing ~ entirely overlooking the fact that a game is meant to be played for fun and not for achievements or objectives.

Therefore ~

But also be careful not to fall into such a trap where a game only means something to you when there is a reward for something specific you do. There should be no reward needed if what you do is giving you joy in life. Remember that.


Another big trap would be with people giving up too fast on things, overwhelmed with countless easy to get alternatives, like mentioned relationships but with games instead.
But that is another story which comes with your freedom of choice.


"Fomo"? The fear of missing out on something is a ridiculous motivator. I have seen and heard of players who jumps from one game to another just because their friend do so. Players who force themselves for a daily login, players who force themselves for getting something they actually did not want but just were too afraid at that moment to miss out on something ~ whether its some pre-order boni or something else. What I like most about Monster Hunter so far is ~ there is no such thing as a daily login bonus where you have to stick day by day. There is also nothing which forces you to do something as soon as possible. The events e.g. are following an awesome traditional system: you download the free DLC when they become available. And that was it. You can enjoy them any time without limitations. Even ~ let us say ~ six years in the future when Monster Hunter Rise has long become "old". If there is something else more interesting for you at the moment ~ go ahead. Monster Hunter Rise will not vanish that easily. That fear of missing out on something is just some fear ~ which you can question if it is reasoned or unnecessary.

This advice has a double meaning ~

You play for fun sake's. There is nothing which pressures you into something like "finishing the game within the next two weeks, because by then another game gets released" ~ no kidding, that was the worst reasoning I have ever read. In such a case I like to remind you: hey, the game is not going away if you decide to play another game by that time!


And if you are playing with friends and they have a different pacing ~ it is no big deal either! I actually would rather start to worry they might overdo it if it is too fast, and spoiling their own fun on the long term. The game allows you to play with them, even with a lower pace. The requirements to tag along are low, and it is a skill based game rather than having an experience points lock out or "gatekeeping".

If you play with someone who is "faster" than you, or you are the one who is "faster" and you are playing with someone "slower", please take into consideration making another character. It is easy to throttle down by using weaker equipment and so on, but there is a certain charme and fun in progressing together. The great about Monster Hunter Rise is: you can have both!

And once you reached the endgame, you can simply switch back to your other save game slot's progress. Play without pressure and make use of the options available. Everyone has their own pace to enjoy things. And if one needs longer on their main course before desserts ~ let them be. You will not be happy if your partner gets a stomach ache by racing after you, nor want you to make them feel bad for making you wait. You do not have to.



If you want to play, then play the game properly. Ideally without distraction. It is your play time after all! Do never ever feel bad if you are playing a game, especially not when you deserved your playtime. If it is after a work day and you want to use your vacant 30 minutes for a hunt ~ then hunt and enjoy yourself. You earned it.


As in: enjoy your recreational time to your fullest! Taking time off for yourself and allowing to recharge your "batteries" with fun is as much part of your work as your actual work. At least that is what is considered "work" over here in my region. Americans would say something like ~ spending time for pleasure and recreation is investing that time in enabling you to work again next day healthy and fit. Overworking must be avoided at all cost, since a dropping-out of a worker is more costly than giving them enough time to recharge and recover from a hard work day.

So ~ when you play and enjoy yourself ~ do it with good conscience. You are basically recharging your batteries that way to be functional again. And if you worked hard, then you definitely deserved some good time for yourself! It is your right!

I am aware that there are modfications available for the PC version of Monster Hunter Rise. I just want to write a few words on the matter before pointing towards else which goes into the same topic.

From my point of view, everyone can decide on their own how they want to enjoy the game ~ whether with mods or without ~ whether cheating or honest. But I still feel sad for those who actually cheat or adjust the game without giving the vanilla version enough credit.

For example: one branch of the modding community addresses specifically a matter which involves luck. By erasing that luck factor part of the game, they feel the game seems more fair to them. I do not want to condemn them since I can understand where that is coming from. And yet I feel they miss out on the fun of having that sort of challenge to overcome the luck factor.

It might be a personal preference thing by the end of the day. But still something to think about.

That is what I have in mind by core, when telling you to play the game how it is meant to be played. It might sound weird, considering the optimisation for mouse and keyboard is available with the PC version ~ and yet this game was made originally for the Nintendo Switch. And the previous installment, Monster Hunter: World, was made for the Playstation 4. Both consoles have no native mouse and keyboard support.



Does it really matter?

I say: yes. It matters as much as getting a proper joystick for Microsoft Flight Simulator is essential to enjoy the game ~ getting a gamepad for Monster Hunter is essential for a proper gameplay feeling. I even recommend getting the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, but that is clearly a personal preference for it fits my small hands perfectly.

You do not have to play the game on Nintendo's Joy-Cons or in handheld mode with the Steam Deck. But it surely differs playing a game with mouse and keyboard which actually was made for a gamepad in mind. The investment of getting proper gaming gear for the hobby you enjoy is definitely worth it. Whether it is a gamepad for Monster Hunter Rise, a joystick for Microsoft Flight Simulator, or an arcade board for Street Fighter ~ the gameplay feels so much more different, that it is definitely worth it. If you love playing games, please take this advice at least into consideration. No need to force yourself ~ but there is nothing wrong in investing in your beloved hobby, right?

This is based on my life experiences with time spent in arcades, knowing the Virtual Boy, and having seen arcade games simulator devices which would leave you stunned, especially considering the time when they were available back then. A flight simulator which turns you upside down and rumbles when you get hit? Jetski games which you steered with motion controls and it had fans to simulate the winds? Stunning tank battle simulators with real time power feedback where you can literally shoot your fellow players out of their seats? Have been there, have played them. Trust me: good gaming equipment matters.


Kinda weird that all those cool stuff existed back then already but nowadys no one knows them anymore...

Do you remember the last time you made a proper painting?
The last time you created something entirely by yourself?
Maybe a Cities: Skylines city, or a Minecraft project?

With how certain mainstream games are designed, making you go through linear pathings, from marker to marker rather than letting you roam free, it is easy to forget how much of an art a game is. Games have developed so much since ever when it was enough to have 160x144 or 320x240 or even less as a display resolution, where all you had where symbols to inspire your creativity and imagination.


It's been a long road ~ Getting from there to here ~ It's been a long time ~ But my time is finally near…

Monster Hunter Rise is filled to the brim with an incredible amount of details, which underlines the phrase "if you did something right, no one will notice you actually did something". Whether it is the Arzuros enjoying honey and going for fish, or seeing your Palamutes and Palicoes going down the river.



You can sense how much passion the developers and designers have put into this game, that a lot of things just feel natural and you start only to notice when they are missing. Details in animations, a wonderful music score, incredible cutscenes and so much more.

Nowadays playing a game means so much more than just scoring. It means enjoying an experience and eventually allowing yourself to immerse into the world and story design the game has to offer.

Remember the question at the start when I asked you to remember the last time you created something? Behind every animation, every object design ~ behind everything ~ there is at least one creator, one artist who is responsible so you can enjoy the game how it is. Does it not give you a sense of awe seeing how all the things come together creating this wonderful picture of "wholeness"?

It is not purr-fect. But still a-meow-zing.
What you are experiencing as the game - Monster Hunter Rise - is a labour of love. Love for their creation. And love for the players who enjoy it.

Play the game with open eyes and ears if you can.
For there is so much more than just you and a monster.

That used to be a standard reminder with previous Monster Hunter installments.
I always loved the delighted tone ~ imagining that being said with a Palico's voice ~

It is still a very important advice I like to remind every hunter of!

At my workplace there is an obligatory "screen time pause". For every hour of working in front of a computer aka screen time, there is a pause time of 15 minutes to ensure the health of all workers in the office.

Playing a game might equals leisure time, but it is still time you spending in front of a screen and excersising something with concentration. While you might enjoy yourself and it is definitely some sort of rest, it still differs from actually resting when you allow your body just to do nothing!

Doing proper rests within game sessions is therefore as important as taking your time to enjoy yourself! It is like when you go out for dancing with your friends. If you overdo it without taking proper breaks, what is supposed to be fun can turn sour quickly. Do not let that happen ~ you are important and you need to take care properly of yourself - even while you are playing!

A huntress who is tired and unfocused will not only start lacking in their performance, but they will also start enjoying the game less and less. Remember: do not force yourself to play. But force yourself to pause for taking care of yourself, if you must!


For being able to deliver peak performance one needs to take properly care of themselves ~ having proper breaks is important for a hunter and a player!

As a passionate player I am not fond in saying something like "15 minutes every hour and everything else is a no, no!". I rather recommend 15 minutes pause minimum after every two hours. Better if you take 20-30 minutes. And continous gaming should go up to a maximum playtime of four hours within a day. If it is a special day and you like to play more it is up to you. But do not forget that there are so many other things you NEED to do to live and take care properly of yourself. Four hours plus pauses already takes a lot of time from your day.

As a worker I am rejoicing when I get even just 30 minutes for games per day. So I can relate whenever someone wants more. But if you imagine it like a buffet: overeating is bad!

Have fun, but also stay healthy. If you are not healthy there will be less fun. Always remember:

This part kinda fell out from the guide when I was writing the part "...and Do Not Force Yourself!".
I was not sure if it was still needed or how it would fit in. After the topic has arisen again on the forums I am adding this as "extra".

Have you ever heard of

"Time is money. But money is not time." ?

Probably the first part, mayhaps? What that phrase is saying is:

You can value time in money, by using said time to earn money. Simplified like a taximeter. But it does not work the other way around. No matter how much money you have, you cannot buy time. Think about it whenever you have to make a decision about the importance of time ~

That written, there is another trap in which seemingly a lot of players fall you must avoid. Those players mistaken playtime which is reflected by an electronic measuring device as measuring bar for how much value a game has. It is not entirely wrong, with some games having more replayability than others. But it is not right either to say something along the lines like "I need to spend XX hours on the game, otherwise the price I paid is too much".

That would only lead again to you forcing yourself onto something which does not work like that. Time you spend enjoying a game does not change in value depending on how much you are spending on it. Even lots of time spent can be wasted, when it is not quality time.
And that does not apply just to games!

Sometimes ~ less is more. Whether you stop eating from a buffet when you feel full to prevent heartburn, or you take a pause so you do not dance to unconciousness. Besides, time is relative. Five seconds with your hand on a hot plate can feel like an eternity while five hours holding hands with your beloved might seem like just a brief moment.

Whether a game is valuable or not to you, timewise, will not be reflected on the time you are spending on it. But on the experiences, feelings, and memories you are making through it. And to get the most of it, it is utmost important that you take properly time for what you love.

What are 60 hours playtime for 60 USD, when its actually a memory of an event which lasted probably just a few minutes which accompanies you through life? Besides ~ people tend to forget that nowadays they spend so much more time on a game than just what the "Steam taximeter" shows, with all the videos they watch about it and so on. And the time you talking with your friend about a game... It is not about the amount which matters. But about the quality.
Make sure to always enjoy yourself for you are worth it.

Somewhat like that was my reaction the other day when I watched an American YouTuber talking about cultural differences they got to know from living in Cologne and the Bay area. Quite an insightful video I do not want to miss.

Bascially they were telling about their issues, starting with "problem". Even I have an issue with "problem". My English teacher made it clear never to use the term "problem", unless there is a serious problem. And yet the experiences I am having from forums, chats and so on differ ~ a lot!

They described in their video how banal stuff can be easily misunderstood, simply due to having a foreign culture without the guarantee of open minded people. Ironically when you think of English as an international recognised language basically "spoken by everyone" ...

The core example "Germans are like coconuts, and Americans are like peaches" did leave a lasting impression, without being mean or offensive. It is just an interesting analogy used on some behaviours which are foreign to each other.

One of those behaviours was how Americans tend to smile towards everyone they meet, creating a natural atmosphere of comfort and friendliness. I love that! It is great. The more it is hard to understand for Americans that in Germany that kind of behaviour would be instantly met with endless suspicion!

On the other hand Germans were described as cold, distanced and showing little emotions. That does not sound German at all, if you ask me. But I can also understand how such an impression can have evolved.

I remember of an "incident" from my teenager days, when using IRC and ICQ. I was the "American"-type of person, wanting everyone around me to feel good and I showed it with plenty of smileys and emojis in chat. ^.^

It was and is still quite hard not show my feelings that way! (^_^)=b

I got reprimanded hard from a friend who was very important to me at that time. She said it looked stupid and I cannot be taken seriously that way. Since ever then I ceased it, even when chatting with close friends, so I would not look stupid.

Chatting and talking with others in English was ever such a ~ ordeal. Without emojis and smileys you can always only assume the best from what is written, and it seems most assume the worst for unknown reasons (I prefer the American way of thinking, so I prefer to go with "best" first). Most seem to treat me with utmost suspicion as if every word I share with happiness and kindness is some sort of sarcasm. Even when it would not even cross my mind to do so, since I know sarcasm as something bad. But it still happens that I get the impression people treat me bad because they suspect something bad behind my words first, before allowing a more friendly alternative in what I present as neutral, rational, direct and plain. I often feel misunderstood like a Vulkan on a Starfleet ship ~ or an Elf within a party of Half-lings. x_X the horrors...

My point is: even if we communicate in the "same language", it might be not the "same language" at all. It is helpful to keep the idea of coconuts (hard shell, soft inside) and peaches (soft and sweet outside, hard core) in mind, not only for Germans and Americans.

I cannot give you the advice to take less things personal, as I consider it myself impossible not to take things personal which are directed towards me. But I can give you the advice that it is somewhat comforting to keep in mind, that often you might suffer a simple misunderstanding. Whether in words or actions. Not all the time the other party care enough about you or is considerate enough to resolve an uncomfortable situation. Therefore you must not grief if their culture have given them a different kind of role model - mayhaps just too foreign for you to accept.

It can be helpful to keep in mind that there is a vast world with many cultures and foreign rules. Just because they might not be ~ good ~ from your point of view, it does not mean they are deliberately bad in nature.



Europeans tend to look down on Americans and their handling of nature and guns. But understanding the history of the United States one can develope an understanding for the people's of the U.S. resilience, bravery and tenacity in how the pioneers of the New World overcame the challenges during the early times when that young nation was born. Only if you understand their history, you can understand their present. And only if you respect their history, you can fully understand. Besides ~ you do not eat the shell of a coconut, right? ^.~

The last part of this "guide" before we reach the end. Something I do not like to talk about, but I deem necessary to share with you to give you all tools to enjoy Monster Hunter Rise to the fullest.

When playing multiplayer it can always happen that you come across subjects which might spoil your game. Whether during a hunt or even on the Steam forums within a discussion thread. There is not much which can be done about it, with the publisher basically saying "you are solemnly responsible for your behaviour", without the mention of any consequences.



It is very understandable when you become frustrated, angry, wanting to vent even. But keep the phrases in mind in which it says "you must not feed the trolls", "do not fight fire with fire" (it will not work with some rare exceptions, and that you are the only one who loses if you force yourself to lower your level so you can meet those spoilers on eye level.

We can only pity those people, for what lifes must they live that they need to make other people suffer so they can feel better.

If they bother you too much: block all communication with them. It is easier done than written!



Ingame you check the player list to open the player's Steam profile



On the forums you can access their profile with the option next to their avatar



Select on their profile that you want all communication with them blocked

Once blocked they will not be able to bother you again.
Not via Steam, not ingame in your multiplayer sessions.

Even without the publisher caring about those questionable subjects: you are not helpless. Do not let the toxicity they spite poison you. Do not let them spoil your game. Do not let them get the better of you. Turn your back on them and take away all powers they have over trolling you in the process!

And if someone goes beyond certain lines: inform the police. The internet is no lawless zone.
Make screenshots and documentations which you provide to the law enforcers. They will take your issue seriously.

Adolescents who read this and have encountered serious issues during online play are advised to consult their guardians without any hesistations! You deserve special protection!
Do not keep it to yourself! You must not deal alone with the matter.

Note: I know you are not here to read that kind of bad stuff. You are here because you want to enjoy the game. Like me. But after I have read so many forums threads of people getting enraged over cheaters and other questionable subjects, I felt like that this information needs to be underlined. You are here to enjoy the game. Do not waste your time by fighting or grieving over things you cannot change - focus on the things you can change instead! My attempt is remembering the people that the majority of good people are busy enjoying the game - that is why it looks like so many are complaining on the forums, which is simply not true. They who like to complain are "just loud". By the end of the day I wish you wholeheartedly that you do never need this kind of advice. Believe every word of mine if I say: as someone who is experiencing F32.2 herself I do not wish you to suffer anything resembling that. Gift your attention to the things which truly matter to your heart and soul. There is nothing to gain in being angry about those questionable subjects which seem intentionally spoiling your fun. We can only pity them for the life they must live for them to feel they need to make others suffer so they can feel better.

If you made it here by actually reading through the guide ~ then you have my gratitude and respect.
Taking the general mainstream / Zeitgeist of how people look down on games I have my honest doubts that anyone is giving this kind of guide any attention to begin with. But I still felt like writing this, in a spirit of a ninja guiding a novice to become an assassin! (thinking of that still makes me cry)

As a passionate player Monster Hunter will have a special place in my heart as a game which has given me so much. The personal growth I have experienced with the games truly enrichen my life and my views on life itself. I can only hope that others ~ that You ~ get to enjoy the game as much as I do. From the first steps in learning how to use the longsword and picking your favourite weapon, to the final steps in overcoming challenges which seem impossible at first ~ I wish you lots and lots of fun with many great adventures!

Make yourself a great time and




When playing Monster Hunter I am enjoying every hour, every hunt, every minute. Seeing all the monsters make me smile, thinking of how hard they were to beat at first. When I see every single one of them I am filled with gratitude and respect for the challenge they gave me which I have overcome. Not a single day ever I have grinded in Monster Hunter. Everytime it is just playing for fun and nothing else. And whenever I have enough of it for the time being ~ there is always something to do knowing I can always go back to the fun and joy of Monster Hunter ~