INSiGHT: Monster Hunter: Rise - Demo 2 (Nintendo Switch)

One point missing from the original preview is that the demo has a limited amount of tries built in. At 30 tries it should give even the newest of Monster Hunter players a chance to try and succeed at most of the challenges presented as well as get themselves into the online mode, assuming they have a Nintendo Online membership. It was also cited that there wasn't much content but with Capcom adding this extra hunt they've completed the spectrum of hunt difficulties and produced 3 very unique hunts for players to sink their time into as they wait for the full release.

The RE Engine is proving to be quite a powerhouse for Capcom. It powers the Resident Evil and Devil May Cry series' and now is the powerhouse of Monster Hunter. This means there are some pretty amazing advanced graphical features in use in Rise. It presents a silky smooth frame-rate complementing some clean and colourful visuals that really capture the essence of Monster Hunter's designs. This new engine really highlights the best of the monsters and never is this as clear as in the new hunt against the Magnamalo. 

As with the previous demo all of the main weapon classes are available through some premixed weapon and armour sets. These provide a massive variety of not just visual designs but of gameplay styles for everyone to experiment with and build varied co-op teams. Each feels balanced and will serve a pretty solid single player experience for those who don't want to go online with the demo. Control is fluid and even though the demo code has changed, the visual and gameplay makeup remains as solid as it has always been throughout the series. Everything runs smoothly and getting the hang of the new wirebug mechanics is still as challenging and satisfying as ever. 

Unfortunately, and not unexpectedly, the new hunt takes place in the same area as the previous demo but it has now been expanded to include some new zones letting players dive deeper into the location than before. There are multiple big monsters on the map at once so careful planning is a must. The Magnamalo is very challenging and while it's possible to defeat it in single player it will take a lot of time, items and perseverance. If it's proving too difficult it's a great idea to jump into the multiplayer where a team of players can trap, distract and dole out damage to the formidable beast. It's a cracking new hunt that makes the demo all that much more worth playing.