MHS3 is a HUGE improvement to MHS1 and MHS2 when it comes to collecting monsties and genes. The graphics and new monsters are amazing as well! Exploring is a lot of fun! I ESPECIALLY adore the addition of ecosystems! I spent a loooong time in the first zone- and then later the others- just to max out all monsties to S rank. Feral and invasive monsters were also very fun! I would have absolutely loved more.
HOWEVER, all of these upgrades and amazing new features are overshadowed by the many problems and the controversies that have arisen in the recent weeks. No matter how much it upsets me to say this: I just cannot recommend MHS3 due to numerous reasons. And the odds of Capcom fixing these is unfortunately very low. Despite them saying that they listen to player feedback, they continue to ignore it and make their own assumptions about what is fun for the playerbase. Anyway, I will go over some issues I have with MHS3.
Number 1: MHS3's lack of free flight.
In an interview with FightinCowboy they said they decided against adding it because it would "break all the fun of traversing the fields". No, it very much doesn't. I cannot stress this enough- free flight does NOT ruin the fun of exploring the fields. Flight is what MADE exploration fun in the first two games for many people. And even IF free flight ruins the fun of exploring for someone? Well, they could just use monsties with climbing and digging skills! No problem! We could just choose freely to play the game however we want to to get the most fun out of it. Yet, MHS3 steals that choice from the player. People would NOT mod free flight into the game if it would "break all of the fun".
Number 2: The crashes...
They are REALLY bad. I've seen people mention that this must have something to do with one's own computer, but the amount of people that struggle with crashes (some of which having good gaming computers) seems too high to just be a computer issue. This is making it near impossible to play for long. Sometimes it crashes within the first 15 minutes, sometimes it crashes in 3 hours. It tends to happen when leaving the Rite of Channeling tab, after transitions when traveling or after hatching eggs. I had to drop the game due to how bad these crashes were.
Number 3: Ratha being a permanent monstie...
Why? Just why is Ratha a permanent monstie in your party? The answer given in the interview makes no sense for post-game. I can totally understand Ratha being locked in the party DURING the story due to the main character's bond with Ratha as well as Ratha being important story-wise (especially due to the resistance to the encroachment). After you beat Aenshin though, this "reasoning" is flawed. Ratha makes it impossible to build your own team with the monsties you actually desire to use. Additionally, Ratha was also important story-wise and bonded to the rider in MHS1 and 2, yet we COULD stable him. So, why can't we just leave Ratha at the stables post-game like we could in the prior games? Just like with the aforementioned problem people have to mod the game to remove him from the team.
Number 4: The lack of post-game content.
I know some people consider the royal monsters to be post-game, but that is just... not it. Royal monsters are pretty useless all things considered. They are just a harder challenge for people that have beat the game. What about the STORY though? The game is called Monster Hunter STORIES for a reason. Sure, the story in the prior games was by no means flawless, but it at least HAD AN ENDING that felt somewhat alright. In MHS3, though? Aenshin dies and a new baby is born, but what about the other conflicts within the game...? Most importantly: Simon??? We can't even choose him as a companion anymore. People have to resort to mods to be able to choose Simon as a companion. The story seems pretty unfinished.
Number 5: The DLC...
Oh boy, the DLC is a mess. 10 Euros for a very controversial DLC. They decided to add back a character that a large portion of the playerbase dislikes, that of course being Navirou. A lot of people were GLAD that this game is set many years later as that meant Navirou would have already passed away. But he somehow is still alive and does appear again temporarily... in one of the most ridiculous ways, too. But that wasn't the most controversial thing, surprisingly enough. They returned a fan-favorite monster, Nergigante, only to not make him a monstie like in MHS2... Yeah, very questionable choice.
So, in conclusion, I do not recommend buying MHS3 unless you REALLY want to or unless it's on a massive sale. 70 Euros is just TOO MUCH for the current state of the game. MHS3 has a lot of good features and improvements like habitat restoration, new monsties (though it is missing some old monsties), feral and invasive monsters, phenomenal graphics and easier gene farming. Nevertheless, the current controversies, problems, the lack of communication and listening to the players makes it impossible to fully like the game. Despite the potential MHS3 has, there is a chance we won't be receiving g anything else for MHS3... Unlike MHS2, there isn't even a roadmap for upcoming title udates.
