STACK #199 May 2021

GAMING REVIEWS

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MONSTER HUNTER RISE ACTION RPG MULTIPLAYER OUT NOW

After 50 years of calm, terrifying creatures are threatening the ninja village of Kamura. Luckily, you’ve just been given your license to hunt, and once equipped are ready to take on the beauty and danger of Switch exclusive Monster Hunter Rise . A big hunt takes some preparation, and setup entails creating your character, naming

your animal helpers – the dog- like Palamute, cat-like Palico and decidedly owlish Cohoot – sorting your weaponry, donning some cool duds, partaking of sustenance, getting to know the locals… Sure, you won’t be diving straight into battle, but Monster Hunter games have never really been about rushing. You’ll benefit from this extended setup, which truly prepares you for the big fun stuff. That, of course, is taking on various quests, slaying monsters and saving Kamura Village from destruction. You can assail these quests solo, or hunt in teams of up to four. Just consult the village’s resident Sherri and Terri,

THAT’S A REACH… Monster Hunter Rise uses Capcom’s RE Engine at its core. Many think that the ‘RE’ stands for ‘Resident Evil’, as it was first used for RE7 , but it’s actually the first two letters of its full name, Reach for the Moon.

Hinoa and Minoto, the former for single player, the latter for joining in with others, be they friends or new acquaintances. Go by foot, or mount your trusty Palamute, as you hunt monsters, work to take them down – easy kills aren’t common – then loot them for parts. Go back to the village, craft more powerful items, accept another quest and repeat – or discover fun side distractions. New to the series is the very handy wirebug. Nothing to do with spy- like activities, it’s a handy insect that spins super-strong webbing, perfect for traversing to higher plains – or for bolstering weapons. With engaging combat, a charming story plus the always welcome choice of Japanese or English voicing, seasoned veterans and newcomers alike will find much to love in Monster Hunter Rise . AF

OUTRIDERS SHOOTER MULTIPLAYER

OUT NOW

Take the stop and pop combat of Gears of War , add the RPG and loot mechanics of Destiny 2, then mix in the teamwork of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 …Welcome to Outriders ! While these three games may seem a strange mix, they actually tie the room together pretty darned well. This third-person RPG shooter

delivers a story that’s akin to Futurama mixed with WWII tales. A convoy of humans is looking for a new planet to colonise, as Earth is beyond repair. After arriving on the planet Enoch,

MORPHIN’ COMBAT Combat is similar to that of Gears of War , however the enemy factions that you’re up against affect how it unfolds. Assailing rival human factions requires taking cover and watching for snipers and heavy units. If you’re facing off against monstrous creatures, you’ll need to be constantly moving.

There are four classes to choose from, and you can change your character’s weapons and armour. Certain types also provide buffs, such as being able to use an ability twice before it needs to cool down. If there’s a particular weapon/armour piece that you love, you’re able to level it up by using resources that drop after killing certain monsters, mining for materials or dismantling unwanted items. Outriders absolutely shines when playing with a crew of friends, and there’s cross-play between PlayStation, Xbox and PC. It carefully pulls from multiple fan-favourite franchises and creates its own world and genre. If you’ve got a couple of friends and are looking for something new to play, then Outriders needs to be on your radar. AD

the elite Outriders come in contact with a deadly energy storm. You get caught up in it and are turned upon by security forces, before being wounded and placed into cryostasis. You wake up 31 years later to a completely different world, a prisoner of war caught in a confusing world. From here you notice that exposure to the energy storm has altered you, and you now possess special abilities…

14 MAY 2021

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