After years of being pigeonholed as a cult classic, Monster Hunter reinvents itself as one of the most exciting new online games of the year.

The seamless open world works great, making hunts and animal behaviour much more organic; Huge range of weapons and equipment, well-integrated online options, and tons of content

Still some accessibility issues, especially in terms of explaining more obscure concepts. Backdrops can feel a little sterile; distracting object clipping and fussy controls

Monster Hunter has always been one of those franchises that have really stood on the precipice of becoming a hit in the West. While the series has performed well in its native Japan since its inception, certain aspects have prevented it from being a smash in other territories.

A major upgrade over previous entries in almost every aspect; Satisfying and complex combat system; 100+ hours of content; Palicos

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Monster Hunter is one of those franchises that its fans fall utterly in love with – piling many dozens, or even a few hundred, hours into each title – but a significant number of newcomers find almost impenetrable.

Monster Hunter World's first paid expansion, Iceborne, is now available on PS4 and Xbox One. Our review has now been finalized after a brief stint as a review in progress. For more, check out our Iceborne tips guide .

Variants on familiar monsters makes for a well-designed progression curve; Introduction of the Clutch Claw adds variety to combat without sacrificing difficulty; Integrating tougher foes into existing environments feels like a seamless addition; The new ecosystem provides interesting layers of...

The narrative doesn't quite give you the chance to be invested properly; Brand-new monsters are relatively few

2018’s Monster Hunter: World brings a host of features and improvements to Capcom’s long-running series, representing the largest changes in some time. With countless quality of life improvements, upgraded visuals, vibrant ecosystems, and enhanced multiplayer, this entry seeks to open the world of...

2018’s Monster Hunter: World brings a host of features and improvements to Capcom’s long-running series, representing the largest changes in some time; With countless quality of life improvements, upgraded visuals, vibrant ecosystems, and enhanced multiplayer, this entry seeks to open the world of...

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne adds loads of impressive monsters and tons of quality-of-life improvements to an already incredible game.

Monster Hunter: World is the latest title in the long-running Monster Hunter franchise and is the first mainline title to hit non-Nintendo consoles since Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PSP in 2008.

Most accessible iteration of the franchise yet; Tight; addicting gameplay; Visually impressive

Still a deep learning curve; Overwhelming amount of information

Hunt, capture, scavenge, craft, cook, buy, sell, repeat. Capcom's long-running Monster Hunter series has nailed the classic concept of exploring new lands and defeating exotic beasts for rare rewards for the better part of a decade, with its intense boss-battle style arenas and the promise of bigger...

Amazing game only downfall is it's menu and joining friends is a bit hard but once you work it out its top-notch

The Monster Hunter games seem to pride themselves on deliberately obscuring minute details of their mechanics, leaving it up to a player's sheer curiosity and determination to fill in the blanks.