The second Monster Hunter Rise demo has arrived, adding a challenging new encounter to the game which will test hunters like never before. The first Monster Hunter Rise demo was available earlier this year and it featured two hunts and a selection of tutorials.
The first demo had hunts for a Great Izuchi and a Mizutsune, neither of which were particularly taxing. This was disappointing, as there was no need to get to grips with all of the new content that Monster Hunter Rise has added to the combat system. The monsters quickly went down to a barrage of basic attacks, so there wasn't much incentive to learn how the Silkbind attacks work or how to use the Wirebug to add verticality to player movement. The Palamute mounts offered a quicker way to traverse the battlefield, but the scope of these new mounted allies went unrealized.
The second demo for Monster Hunter Rise has all of the content of the original one, along with a new battle against Magnamalo, who appears on the cover of the game. Magnamalo is classed as an Advanced Hunt, and it will ruthlessly tear hunters apart. This monster is the cover mascot for a reason, as it will obliterate anyone who tries to take it lightly.
Magnamalo's Hellfire
Magnamalo's gimmick is that it can attack with a purple-tinged hellfire, but the deadliest weapon in Magnamalo's arsenal is its tail, which can OHKO a hunter if they are unable to block or dodge in time. This level of difficulty might sound off-putting, but the battle against Magnamalo is phenomenal, and it's surprising that it wasn't included in the first demo. There was never much incentive to learn the Wirebug mechanics in the first demo, but it's mandatory to know them if the player has any hope of taking Magnamalo down, especially if they want to take it on in a solo hunt. The ability to fly across the battlefield can help the player avoid Magnamalo's powerful attacks, and zipping around the arena like Spider-Man to find a safe spot to chug a potion is often necessary for survival.
One of the new gimmicks in Monster Hunter Rise is the ability to temporarily ride monsters and use them to fight other creatures. This wasn't too helpful in the first demo, but being able to mount a Mizutsune and use it to take on Maganamalo shows how much of a game-changer this mechanic is. In the older Monster Hunter games, having two monsters in the same arena was a nightmare, but in Monster Hunter Rise, it can give players epic Godzilla vs. Kong moments. The Magnamalo battle requires the players to bring all of their skills to bear and it offers more of an incentive to learn all of the new tricks in Monster Hunter Rise than the Great Izuchi or Mizutsune hunts ever did.
The only major issue with the Magnamalo battle is the time limit. The players only have fifteen minutes to defeat it, which is incredibly stingy for such a strong monster. It doesn't help that Magnamalo always spawns on the far side of the map, which means players will waste time running the length of the map each time. The Magnamalo battle is difficult, but it's exhilarating, and players shouldn't have to wait to jump into the action, nor should they have to rush to victory before the clock runs out. With that being said, the Magnamalo fight is far more indicative of what players can expect in Monster Hunter Rise than what was on offer in the first demo, and the new possibilities of the game's combat system are more visible than ever before.
Monster Hunter Rise will be available for Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2021, and it will launch on PC in early 2022. The second demo will launch on March 11.