Capcom shares fresh Monster Hunter Rise details, limited-time demo out today
Wyvern riding! Frost Isles! Goss Harag! More!
Monster Hunter Rise's 26th March release date on Switch is still some way off but those understandably impatient to go hands-on with Capcom's latest creature slayer can get an early taste of the game from today, 7th January, courtesy of a new limited-time demo.
As announced in Capcom's latest Monster Hunter Rise livestream, the demo will be available via Switch's eShop today (UPDATE: Nintendo is now saying "tomorrow" for the UK), and will give eager hunters a chance to test their mettle across four different quests.
There's a Basic Training Quest, walking players through the basics of the new grapple-like Wire Bug mechanic, plus a Wyvern Riding Training Quest, introducing a freshly announced new feature - enabling players to hook themselves onto the back of large monsters with iron silk and control their movement, even attacking other creatures in battle.
And once the basics have been mastered, players can attempt some actual monster hunter. There's a Beginner Quest, tasking them with slaying a Great Izuchi, and an Intermediate quest, which sees the return of Monster Hunter Generation's wonderful bubble dragon, Mizutsune.
The latter two quests will be available to play either solo or co-operatively (via both local and online play) and unfold across the previously revealed Shrine Ruins map, offering plenty of opportunity to put the Wire Bug to practical use and explore the new stat-boosting endemic life. Capcom also notes that players can bring a Palico and Palamute into battle, and that all 14 weapons will be available to try.
Today's Monster Hunter Rise demo is only available for a limited-time, however, and will be removed from the eShop at 8pm on 31st January in the UK/midnight PST on 1st February.
Capcom also used today's livestream to reveal a few additional Monster Hunter Rise details, most notably unveiling a brand-new area for the game. The Frost Islands, as the new location is known, is an expansive snow-themed area, said to once be home to a nest of huge dragons.
These days, however, it's the hunting ground for new monster Goss Harag, which attacks hunters with blades of ice it forms with its own breath. It's also the home to a number of fan-favourite returning creatures, including the Great Baggi, Barioth, Logombi, Tigrex, and everybody's favourite albino penis-monster, Khezu.
It's well worth watching the full Monster Hunter Rise livestream if you having done so already, which also offers a glimpse at new flagship monster Magnamalo, and gives a brief tour of Rise's hub, its special training area, and characters.
The full game, of course, including a Collector's Edition, comes to Switch on 26th March, and three new Monster Hunter Rise amiibos will release on the same day.