Rise of the zoom raider

Following on from the major gameplay changes introduced in Monster Hunter World, this title doubles down for an even faster-paced experience. The biomes might feel smaller in comparison, but that’s only because traversing them is a lot more zippy.

That’s partly down to the Wirebugs, insects producing thick silk that you can use to grapple across environments, which allows for aerial attacks previously limited to just a couple of weapon types. They can also unleash special attacks for each of the 14 weapon types, while short cooldowns mean you can use them regularly in hunts. Perhaps the best thing is that, when a monster knocks you down, you can grapple your way out of danger – for a quick recovery or to get straight back into the fight.

The need for speed extends to riding creatures too, of course; and while the series has always been about talking cat warriors, here you get dog companions called Palamutes. Call on one to ride and they make pursuing monsters even snappier. That you can also ride them while sharpening your weapon, or gathering other resources, is a sign of how much more streamlined the action has become.