Originally published March 2018

I've never played any Monster Hunter game before Monster Hunter World. I've always had an interest, but the video game systems, the patience, and the time required to play the game were usually out of my reach. It's probably for the best because from what I've heard, this is the most approachable game in the franchise for newcomers. Considering how my curmudgeonly nature has increased in the past few years, I probably would have struggled a lot more with those games. I'm still struggling a bit with this one, but I'm having a great time while doing it. I've also noted down some tips that helped me grapple with the impenetrable reservoir of content that is Monster Hunter World.

Keep in mind, I don't think these tips are going to necessarily make you like the game more. In fact, you have to find some enjoyment from the general nature of the game in order for these tips to be of any use. They are simply things I've done that have helped me get used to the game and its mechanics.

1. Spend some time learning the weapons

This is probably a no-brainer, but it's crucial to enjoying Monster Hunter. Like all the character action games that I enjoy (ie Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Devil May Cry), choosing the right weapon for the job is all part of the process. Monster Hunter is just like those other games in how the weapon you choose drastically affects the combat experience of the game. You can select something fast like the twin daggers, or you can go with something that deals a lot more damage at the cost of speed, like the hammer.

The game, for all of its reported improvements in how it dispenses information and tutorials, does not force you to try out the weapons you choose before going on a mission. It merely points you in the direction of the item box and suggests it. I'd recommend taking this suggestion seriously before getting too involved in the game. In the first game I started, I gravitated towards the gunlance because of how cool it seemed in the videos I had seen of the game. However, after going to the training area and trying it out, I found it to be a bit too sluggish and complicated for my current knowledge level of the game. After attempting different combos with various weapons I figured out what worked for me and what weapons I wanted to try out in the future.

You can change your weapon type at any time by accessing your equipment box and trying out one of the various default weapons available. If you happen to sell those off, you can always buy them back from the weapon shop. So take advantage of this opportunity and visit your character's room to talk to the cat that gives you a chance to try out the different weapon types. If you ever begin to tire of how the combat works in Monster Hunter, consider changing your weapon.

2. Accept and deliver bounties as often as possible

Bounties become available early on and are crucial to upgrading your armor. The process of upgrading your armor can be a lengthy and tedious one because it involves collecting armor spheres, which can be done by actively finding them in the world and by completing bounties. What are bounties? They're mini-quest errands that you can sign up for before going on your expeditions and quests and fulfill them while out in the world.

The tasks range from simple mundane collecting tasks, like picking up bugs or mushrooms, to the more challenging tasks of hunting or capturing monsters. So, it's basically more of the same game that you're already playing. If you aren't enjoying Monster Hunter, the bounties don't add anything to make the experience any different. They simply provide you with busy work to do while you're on the path to your objective and reward you for doing so.

3. Take advantage of the canteen

In the main hub area, there is a canteen, in which you can feast upon delicious food prepared by very talented and meticulous cats. The meals provide buffs to your character's stats, health, and stamina, along with skills that improve your various abilities. These buffs can be extremely valuable when hunting some big and dangerous monsters, especially if you're like me and you prefer to hunt alone. They can also increase your chances of getting rare items, depending on whatever custom meals you've made. The buffs do wear off eventually, so I strongly recommend eating before each mission to ensure that you are in as good of shape as you can be.

If you keep this up long enough, you'll notice that the buffs you receive for each meal change. I imagine this is a metaphor for the idea of diversifying your tastes and enjoying a balanced diet. Since the early game does not have the longest menu, it's a good idea to talk to the main chef cat whenever he has an exclamation mark over his head because he may give you a quest to add to the menu. Any one of these new menu items can add a significant boost to your health and stamina where it really counts.

Don't forget, that you can visit the canteen at your campsite while on a mission or expedition to rebuff your character. The food isn't prepared by cats, but it can still make things go a lot smoother.

4. Gather and track everything you can find on a mission

Everything you pick up and everything you interact with in Monster Hunter World is doing something for you. From picking up random bugs to use for crafting purposes, to inspecting monster footprints, to the body parts left over from dead monsters, you are earning something.

When it comes to picking up monster parts, there are random systems at work to determine what you get while skinning a beast. Depending on the size of the monster and any other variables that might be in place, you may get something extremely rare or useful in weapon and armor crafting. There's also the fact that you may unlock a new investigation side-quest that allows you to complete more missions around that particular monster. These investigations then unlock more rewards specific to the monsters in question. Essentially, for every beast you kill and skin, there's a chance you may feed into the quest system a little more, and unlock more opportunities for yourself down the road.

The same can be said for other actions and items. Tracking the big monsters of a level is something always worth doing. As you inspect the tracks or remnants of the big monster while navigating the level, you earn research points. These research points can be used to purchase items and unlock other benefits in the main hub. There is also the research that goes into the tracking process of the monster. With each animal track and feather you collect, your tracking ability becomes more effective at finding the monster. This causes the monster to appear on your mini-map faster, making it much easier to find. This can be extremely useful when trying to avoid the high-threat types or when trying to accomplish a mission with a limited amount of time. Collecting these tracks also improves your character's knowledge of the beast, unlocking new pages in your compendium that provide additional information about the monster's strengths and weaknesses.

Lastly, just collect all the items you can while out on a quest or an expedition. You can't carry much in the early parts of the game, but don't be afraid to load up your bag with goodies because all the important items that come from monster carcasses or mining geodes go into a separate knapsack that doesn't have a limit, allowing you to fill up your other bag with bugs, leaves, and mushrooms to use in crafting recipes later. And unlike the crafting system of Dragon's Dogma, there are a lot of useful items worth crafting with all the stuff you take home.

5. Create a second character and do some of it over again

This is where I may lose you, and I realize this recommendation is not for everyone. However, I found it to be extremely useful relatively early in the game because it forced me to go back and experience some early-level missions that were teaching me about the game and its mechanics. Considering how the tutorials are mostly walls of text that tell you more than you may have the capacity to understand, or you just want to skip altogether and play the mission, restarting allowed me to go back with a better understanding of the world and its systems through physically playing it and seeing the more advanced tips that I just didn't understand the first time.

This also was a method to get me into the idea of trying out different weapons now that I had a better grasp on the mechanics and combat. I had one character using heavy weapons and then I used my new character as an excuse to try out the smaller and faster weapons.

Of course, this is only recommended if you are a patient individual and you really enjoy everything that Monster Hunter is doing. If you're playing Monster Hunter in the first place, however, there's a strong chance that you'd fit the personality to choose this option because playing Monster Hunter means doing a lot of the same thing over and over.

6. Know that you aren't going to understand everything without help

I've played more than 20 hours of this game and I definitely don't know more than 50% of what is going on and how all the systems work. I don't even know exactly how the canteen bonuses work or how to consistently get the ones I want. There's a lot to this game and you're not going to get on the first playthrough and a walkthrough will be necessary to truly understand everything at work. Luckily for you, Monster Hunter has a very dedicated community with countless tips and guides from people who know a lot more than me. So this is the part where I say if you're new and you like what you've played so far, stick with it and go check out some pro guides to know more once you've gotten a grasp on everything else.

Fan of death metal? Check out my band on Bandcamp and Soundcloud. If you like what you hear and want to hear more, head to HoundsofInnsmouth.com for more info!