All of the classic markings of a Monster Hunter game are now in your pocket. After shipping four million units in the first weekend, Monster Hunter Rise is the new must-have game for Nintendo Switch.
Totally Rated features reviews and opinions about what's hot and what's not in the tech and gaming world.
In Totally Rated episode 7, three new games are put under the microscope. First up, Capcom’s beast slaying franchise, Monster Hunter makes its way to Switch this week with Monster Hunter Rise. In another game release, Kazuma Kiryu’s story finally comes to a conclusion in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life which is now available on PC and Xbox One. And finally, Hazelight’s ‘It Takes Two’ explores themes of relationships, divorce, and parenthood.
“Monster Hunter Rise strikes an impressively delicate balance between gameplay styles” says GamesRadar’s Hirun Cryer. “The result is something incredible: Rise feels fast and fluid, unshackling itself from many of World’s intricate design systems and feeling more open and inviting for newcomers who just want to slap a monster around.”
Will hardcore players be satisfied though? There must have been some sacrifices made to bring it to Nintendo Switch, TechRadar’s Dom Peppiat predicts that “hardcore players are lamenting the assists the game gives to newer players.
“But once you bite through the softer shell of Rise, you’ll find the filling is just as sweet and rich as it ever has been.“
In another recent game release, we finally get to see Kazuma Kiryu’s story finally comes to an end in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life which is now available on PC and Xbox One.
Brittany Vincent Laptop thinks this is a proper send off to the story’s hero: “It's a polished story with an excellent translation that's not only full of the franchise's traditional humour, weirdness, and heartfelt stories but satisfying combat and a compelling narrative.
“Whether it's your first Yakuza, or you're a long-time fan, Yakuza 6 is sure to satisfy.”
Another site keen to praise Yakuza 6 was Windows Central, with Zakery Cuevas writing: “I love the Yakuza games, and I think Song of Life is one of the best Yakuza games, up there with Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
“Combat, one of my only issues with older Yakuza games, has been streamlined and it's incredibly fun to wail on two dozen guys in the middle of a busy Japanese street or complete one of the many absurd side stories.”
Not everyone was convinced though, PC Gamer’s Phil Savage offered a different opinion, saying that although this is still a great addition to the franchise, it’s far from the best entry: “The broad strokes of every Yakuza game are the same: a story that runs the gamut from hard-boiled mystery to interpersonal drama.
“It’s a suite of ridiculous substories that almost always end with punching a guy into having a heartwarming revelation, a handful of minigames and side stories, all tied together with a likeable protagonist able to withstand the tonal shifts.
“The difference between each comes down to a handful of things: the plot, the themes, the surprising new distractions, the feel of the destinations. Yakuza 6 isn't the best game in the series, but it's nonetheless a deserving part of it, and well worth playing.”
In Totally Rated’s final game review, the latest title from Fares’ studio, Hazellight, ‘It Takes Two’ explores themes of relationships, divorce, and parenthood, with you and a companion taking control of a husband and wife duo at the end of their tether - sometimes quite literally.
TechRadar’s Nick Pino wrote: “The way the game handles something as unpleasant as divorce is incredibly heartfelt.
“It’s something you’ll feel immediately within the first ten minutes of playing it and according to Fares, he hopes it might even help you reconnect with your significant other, too.”
It Takes Two relies solely on cooperative gameplay, this won#t be one to play alone, you’ll need to team up with someone either locally or online.
As GamesRadar’s Sam Loveridge explains: “It Takes Two is a unique experience that makes the most of what it means to offer truly cooperative gameplay.
“Your relationship with whoever you're playing with is just as important as that of May and Cody, as you'll get nowhere without robust communication and teamwork.
“But its blend of reality and fantasy is also refreshingly different, especially within a framework that offers the kind of unique gameplay that never stops surprising.”
New episodes of Totally Rated will roll out every Thursday.
- Sit comfortably in one of the best gaming chairs
