Returning To Monster Hunter: World

After spending 100 hours in Monster Hunter: World, I finally put the game on the back burner three months ago. It wasn’t easy; it had become part of my nightly routine to jump into a hunt before bed. The loop of getting better gear and defeating monsters that had at one point destroyed me made me keep coming back. I loved seeing the progression, whether it was getting the drop I needed to create a cool new weapon, or watching my dodging improve thanks to learning enemy patterns. But one day, I just didn’t load the game up. That turned into days, and finally into months. To be fair, I had other games to play; Monster Hunter: World and I needed this break. Flash forward three months and the recent events, such as the Summer Twilight festival and Final Fantasy: XIV crossover, made me load up the game. Who can resist their Palico turning into a Moogle? Now that I’ve gone down this path, I’m back in my nightly Monster Hunter: World routine. It's safe to say, we're back together. 

I love when games give you reasons to revisit them, especially RPGs, which tend to be one and done. These days, we have expansions, events, additional modes, and even more to prolong our journey. Taking a break was a good thing; I needed time to miss the experience. Sometimes the best thing you can do is wait for when the desire to play hits you again. I knew back at E3 when I got to learn more about the Final Fantasy XIV/Monster Hunter crossover event, it would probably bring me back, but what I didn’t expect was to still be playing after trying that content.

While I'm high rank, I still don't have everything I want, nor is my character as strong as I want her to be. I went back and upgraded my light bowgun to the Cataclysm Trigger, the most advanced stage in the Nergigante tree, and then got shiny new armor (rarity 7 and 8)  so I could endure getting roughed up by high-level monsters. With some new equipment, I was ready to step back into the ring, but I soon realized I needed a new challenge. This lead to me finding a new weapon to master. I love my bowgun, but I want to be more up-close, in the action, so I’ve been trying the great sword and getting back to the dual blades. All of this is to say, yes, I’m back down the rabbit hole. I think I will always find some new equipment I want to make, and I just love the positive community.

The jump to the Final Fantasy content after being off for a few months hasn’t been easy, though. The special assignments for the Final Fantasy hunts are far from a walk in the park. That crystal Kulu-Ya-Ku fight? That jumping slam can really catch you off guard. I never thought I’d look at a Kulu-Ya-Ku with such disdain. That disdain quickly found a new target when I hit the Behemoth quest. I didn’t expect him to be a pushover, but he’s become a thing of my nightmares. Unless you have four friends to plan your party around and really coordinate with, you don't have much of a shot. Screw his thunder bolt and ecliptic meteor attack. The latter being instant death is extra salt in the wound. So, now I have a new foe in my life, and I am determined to bring him down so I can wear that slick, new Drachen armor. Because, really, Monster Hunter is all about your character's style (check out my girl’s eye patch) and crafting new things to up the coolness of your appearance, and this is what keeps me logging in. 

The conversations, failures, and triumphs I've had with others have made the experience for me. I've been trying to document it with pictures of my crazy antics and they just make me smile. Hence, the photos of my character and her cat Kirby. Feel free to do the same and share your favorite moments or best gear in the comments. 

You can find detailed impressions on the Final Fantasy crossover here, or learn how the crossover came to be here.