The Monster Hunter games give players several weapons to use during their adventure, but the lacking variety in ranged weapons is something that needs to be addressed. Throughout the series, Monster Hunter has given players a vast amount of selections when it comes to how they decide to go on a hunt. They can outfit themselves with almost innumerable types or armor that they can craft, and follow several upgrade trees for their weapons. That makes it particularly disappointing that Monster Hunter does not give players much variety when it comes to ranged combat.
Thus far, there are 14 types of weapons in Monster Hunter Rise for players to choose from. These weapons encompass a wide variety of fighting styles for all types of players. Those who prefer a hit-and-run style of gameplay have options such as the Dual Blades and Sword and Shield. On the other hand, the Great Sword and Hammer sacrifice mobility for the chance to deal heavy damage to targets. There is even a support weapon in the form of the Hunting Horn, which can buff players with music. Despite that, players looking for ranged combat can only choose between the Bow, or Light and Heavy Bowguns.
Monster Hunter's Ranged Weapon Selection Leaves Something To Be Desired
Even though some weapons such as Monster Hunter Rise's Insect Glaive and Gunlance have options that provide a little more range for players, those looking for dedicated ranged combat only have three real options. In fact, considering that two of the ranged weapon types are just guns of different sizes, it can feel like there are only two real choices. Granted, the Bow and Bowguns do play far differently from each other, and even the Light and Heavy Bowguns have their own differences. The downside is that the lack of choice makes the game feel less exciting for fans of ranged combat.
One downside to ranged weapons as it stands is that it can feel more slow-paced compared to melee combat. Even when not affected by Monster Hunter Rise's Frenzy Virus, most of the monsters in the games are aggressive and try to attack often. Since Bows and Bowguns need range to be effective, and neither give the player much mobility, it can take a while for the player to get into position to attack. This is especially tough for Bowguns, which need to reload after a few shots. While these weapons have the potential for high damage, they can be frustrating to use. Adding more options could remedy this issue.
At the moment, Monster Hunter does not have a niche for a weapon that combines both mobility and range, and either the next game or perhaps DLC beyond Monster Hunter Rise's Sunbreak expansion could fix that. Since Bowguns already confirm that firearm-like weapons exist in the Monster Hunter universe, it's possible that a pistol or shotgun could be introduced as a new weapon type, with more of an emphasis on run-and-gun gameplay. Some other options could be a sling or slingshot, or potentially throwing knives. Monster Hunter could even introduce a crossbow, although that may be too similar to the already-existing ranged combat options to be viable.
Monster Hunter Rise is a well-balanced game, but the Monster Hunter series is light on options for players who prefer to fight outside of melee range. Considering that the vast majority of monsters in the always lengthy Monster Hunter games are far larger than any human, it would make sense for players to have plenty of options to fight from outside of their reach. Having only Bows and Bowguns is unimpressive when compared to the vast collection of melee weapons that are available to players. If there is one improvement that Monster Hunter needs, it is fixing the series' lacking selection of ranged weapons.
Monster Hunter Rise is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
