Monster Hunter: World

The opinions on the story of Monster Hunter: World vary among critics, with some highlighting positive aspects. Critics like FANDOM and God is a Geek appreciate the compelling narrative backdrop that follows the player as part of an elite hunting unit researching the cause of Elder Dragons' phenomenon in a new world. We Got This Covered also praises the captivating story with beautiful cutscenes and minimal filler, serving as an excuse to hunt monsters. Additionally, Worth Playing notes that the story ranges between 30-50 hours and focuses on the conflict between humans and monsters, providing a substantial amount of content for players to engage with. On the other hand, some critics express negative sentiments towards the story of Monster Hunter: World. COGconnected criticizes the lackluster and slow beginning of the game, with long and boring tutorials, indicating a potential pacing issue that may deter some players. RPGamer mentions that the story and dialogue offer little surprises, character development, or depth, focusing more on gameplay, which could be a drawback for those seeking a more immersive narrative experience. Game Over Online also points out that while the game features a stronger narrative focus compared to previous titles, the player being a user-created silent protagonist may limit the emotional connection to the story. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the story of Monster Hunter: World leans towards a mixed reception. While some appreciate the narrative backdrop and captivating elements that enhance the gameplay experience, others find the story lacking in depth and character development. Critics like Metro GameCentral highlight that storytelling has never been a focus in the Monster Hunter series, with players free to explore and hunt as they like, indicating that the game's primary focus remains on gameplay rather than an intricate narrative. Despite differing opinions on the story's strengths and weaknesses, it is evident that Monster Hunter: World offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to both narrative-driven and gameplay-focused players.

The majority of critics praised the gameplay of Monster Hunter: World, highlighting its engaging and strategic combat mechanics, diverse weapon options, and rewarding gameplay loops. Critics like Digital Chumps and RPGamer appreciated the core mechanics of the game, emphasizing the importance of learning monster attack patterns and the variety of monster behaviors. The game's complex systems, lengthy battles, and variety of weapons and armor sets were also commended by God is a Geek and Metro GameCentral. The addictive combat, overwhelming amount of hunting content, and addictive reward system were noted by Video Chums and Game Informer, further solidifying the positive reception towards the gameplay experience. On the downside, some critics mentioned aspects that could be considered negatives. Destructoid highlighted the grind, repetition, and stat-studying required in the game, which may not appeal to all players. Slant Magazine pointed out the lack of effective tutorials and precision requirements, which could lead to frustration for some players. GameCrate mentioned that the slow-paced nature of the gameplay might pose a slight issue for welcoming new players, while Cheat Code Central noted the steep learning curve and complex controls that players need to navigate. Overall, the consensus among critics is overwhelmingly positive regarding the gameplay of Monster Hunter: World. The game is praised for its deep crafting and combat mechanics, engaging combat, variety of playstyles, and the rewarding progression system. Critics like RPG Site and GameStar highlighted the motivating progression and diverse equipment upgrades, while IGN and The Overpowered Noobs appreciated the addictive and gratifying experience the game offers. Despite some minor criticisms regarding the learning curve and grind, the majority of critics found the gameplay experience to be immersive, challenging, and highly enjoyable, making Monster Hunter: World a standout title in the action role-playing genre.

The majority of critics overwhelmingly praised the graphics and visual design of Monster Hunter: World. Many highlighted the stunning environments, intricate ecosystems, and unique monster designs that contributed to an immersive and visually impressive gaming experience. Critics such as Digital Chumps and Guardian commended the game for its beautiful landscapes and convincingly realized creatures with personality. RPG Site also noted the major step up in visuals from prior generations, creating a living, breathing world for players to explore. The diverse environments, detailed monsters, and vibrant visual stylings of armor and weapon sets were particularly lauded by reviewers like GameCrate and Push Square, who described the game as the best-looking entry in the franchise. Despite the overwhelmingly positive sentiment towards the graphics and visual design of Monster Hunter: World, a few critics did mention some drawbacks. DarkStation pointed out that facial animation and lip syncing could be improved, while Metro GameCentral highlighted issues with object clipping and sterile backdrops. Game Informer and GameStar noted low-resolution textures and muddy visuals on the PC version, although they acknowledged that the art design remained cohesive despite these shortcomings. Additionally, New York Daily News mentioned slight graphical flaws that occasionally broke immersion for them. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Monster Hunter: World excels in its graphics and visual design, with the majority of reviewers praising the game for its stunning environments, detailed monsters, and immersive world-building. The game's vibrant and visually impressive aesthetics, coupled with top-notch monster designs and unique visual stylings, garnered widespread acclaim. Despite some minor criticisms regarding facial animations, texture resolutions, and occasional graphical flaws, the overall sentiment leans heavily towards the game being visually stunning and a major leap forward for the series. Critics like FANDOM, GameWatcher, and Worth Playing all contributed to the overall positive consensus, emphasizing the game's beauty and immersive experience.

The Sound Design and Music of Monster Hunter: World have received a mix of positive and negative feedback from critics. Several reviewers highlighted the positive aspects of the game's audio elements. Press Start Australia praised the music for flowing nicely, adjusting to the gameplay's pace by intensifying during battles and calming down during exploration. RPGamer commended the immersive sound design, noting how players are alerted by sounds before encountering threats, enhancing the overall gaming experience. GameWatcher also lauded the game for its gorgeous sound design and music, particularly mentioning standout moments like breaking down Radobaan in the Rotten Vale. On the other hand, there were criticisms regarding the Sound Design and Music of Monster Hunter: World. DarkStation pointed out that while the orchestral score was initially stirring, it could become repetitive, impacting the overall experience negatively. Softpedia mentioned that the music was generic, but the immersive sound effects like monster roars and turf wars helped enhance the gameplay experience. God is a Geek criticized the voice acting as hammy but noted that it did not significantly detract from the overall experience due to the engaging gameplay. Overall, the consensus among critics leans towards the positive side regarding the Sound Design and Music of Monster Hunter: World. The game's immersive sound design, impactful combat sounds, and sweeping scores were highlighted as enhancing the gaming experience by several reviewers. While there were some criticisms, such as repetitive music and hammy voice acting, the majority of critics appreciated the attention to detail in sound cues, diverse soundtrack, and how the audio elements complemented the gameplay. The positive comments from GameWatcher, RPGamer, and Press Start Australia showcase that the sound design and music of Monster Hunter: World succeeded in creating an engaging and immersive audio experience for players, contributing positively to the overall enjoyment of the game.

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In terms of technical performance on the PS4 platform, Monster Hunter: World received positive feedback from several critics. COGconnected and God is a Geek praised the game for running well on PS4 Pro, with solid performance and the option for higher frame rates. Destructoid and Press Start Australia highlighted stable lobbies and occasional frame rate drops, respectively. Additionally, Softpedia noted smooth gameplay with a minimum of 30 frames per second. The PC version of the game also garnered positive remarks from critics like GameWatcher and The Overpowered Noobs, who commended the exceptional performance and smooth running at high settings, with no crashes reported during extensive playthroughs. Game Informer and Digitally Downloaded appreciated the well-optimized PC version, optimized load times, and consistent 60 FPS on high-level PCs. However, there were some negative aspects to the technical performance of Monster Hunter: World on different gaming platforms. DarkStation and Windows Central reported connectivity issues and unstable performance on Xbox One X, affecting online play and frame rate problems. Push Square mentioned occasional frame rate drops on the PS4, impacting the overall experience, while GameSpew criticized the PC port for performance issues, awkward controls, and server disconnects. GameStar highlighted the demanding hardware requirements for optimal performance on PC, with dynamic resolution and frame rate adjustments not always working effectively. IGN Spain also noted issues with controls and technical problems like errors, affecting the gameplay experience on PC. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the technical performance of Monster Hunter: World is mixed. While the game received praise for its performance on PS4 Pro and PC, with smooth running, stable lobbies, and optimized load times, there were concerns raised about connectivity issues, frame rate drops, and performance hits with certain effects on both PS4 and PC platforms. Despite these issues, the game was generally well-received for its technical performance, especially on high-level PCs and PS4 Pro. Critics like Gameblog.fr and The Games Machine highlighted the stability of the PC version, while acknowledging some room for further optimization, indicating that Monster Hunter: World offers a solid technical experience overall across different gaming platforms.

The majority of critics unanimously agree that Monster Hunter: World offers exceptional replay value, with many praising the game for its extensive content, diverse gameplay mechanics, and engaging multiplayer features. COGconnected highlights that the game provides an experience that can last players a long time, especially for fans of the series. DarkStation appreciates the lengthy campaign, side missions, expeditions, and co-op play, emphasizing the need for deep dives into weapon and combat systems. FANDOM also notes the challenging monster encounters, diverse weapons, and cooperative gameplay as factors that ensure players will keep coming back for more. The game's expectation of players putting hundreds of hours into its gameplay loop, as mentioned by Digital Chumps, further reinforces its replayability. On the flip side, some critics point out potential drawbacks regarding the replay value of Monster Hunter: World. PlayStation Universe mentions that most of the narrative quests are single-player only and cannot be repeated, which may limit the replayability for some players. Slant Magazine notes the lack of a compelling narrative to drive replay value, which could be a downside for those seeking a more story-driven experience. However, these criticisms are outweighed by the game's strengths in terms of content and gameplay variety, as highlighted by GameCrate's description of ongoing investigations, timed events, and open-ended exploration-based expeditions. Overall, the consensus among critics is overwhelmingly positive regarding the replay value of Monster Hunter: World. The game's vast array of content, from various weapon classes and gear customization options to challenging hunts and cooperative multiplayer modes, ensures that players can sink countless hours into the game without feeling bored. As GameCritics mentions, the game offers extensive replay value with a variety of weapons, multiplayer integration, and a community-focused online experience, catering to both solo and group play styles. The high replay value, as emphasized by Game Over Online for fans of the franchise, coupled with the addictive gameplay loop and continuous updates, solidifies Monster Hunter: World as a title that can keep players engaged and entertained for a significant amount of time.