I’m not a huge fan of Breath of the Wild as a game . I am, however, a humongous fan of Breath of the Wild as a world that exists on the Nintendo Switch and could be filled with Pokemon. Pokemon Legends: Arceus was supposed to be the delivery of ‘Pokemon but Breath of the Wild’, but it now seems to be more like ‘Pokemon but Monster Hunter: Rise’. That’s disappointing - Breath of the Wild is much closer to my hypothetical perfect Pokemon game than Monster Hunter - but it might just be for the b

It's hard to think of Pokemon in the style of Breath of the Wild in practicality. Sure, anyone can edit a screenshot talking to have Gyarados in a BOTW lake or Rapidash racing across the field, but isn't that just what the Wild Area is? The illusion of an open world, the type that would look good in screenshots, but without meaning or purpose. Without any heart or direction, BOTW would not be the same game. It gives you freedom to go wherever you want, but it also provides contours across the map to steer you towards towns, it makes sure each location is thematically linked, and you often need to hit multiple landmarks to secure the tools and ingredients to reach the next one. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of it, I have to admire the level of design on show here. It's not a level I think Pokemon can match, and that's before you introduce the much more complicated issue of where you put the Pokemon and how you offer freedom while ensuring players don't meet their doom at the feathers of an overpowered Hawlucha 40 minutes into the g

One possibility has the hunter intentionally aim for their mark with the intent to impale them - harkening back to images of hunts painted on cave walls by the ancestors of humanity, just replacing the Woolly Mammoths of the Rouffignac cave with Monster Hunter Generations ' Gammoth . This may fail and bounce off a monster's hide, but if it succeeds in sticking, then a monster could take bleeding damage similar to what the Seregios inflicts with its razor-sharp sca

You can return to the Wild Area again and again, exploring more of it and actually being able to catch some critters, but it's all pointless . You know the real world, and the real story, exists beyond its confines. Yes, that part is snowy and that part is sandy, but it's all artificial. The Wild Area is like a zoo in the middle of a city. There aren't really lions in New York, or tapirs in Paris. They're just creatures in a self-contained, specific area. That isn't real ice in the polar bear enclosure, it's white painted rocks. That's all the Wild Area

And just like all crafting systems in the game, the one for cooking is complex and difficult, needing to balance progress towards completing the food with the durability and quality of the ingredients and the final product. If the player is willing to put in the work, crafting high-end raid food and selling it can be quite a profitable endea

Players will receive this in-game item every birthday, alongside a horde of cakes and goodies from villagers keen to celebrate. Even though there’s no way to guarantee which flavor will be arriving via post, these cakes can also be customized to fit any island th

One of the reasons Monster Hunter appeals to so many people is the freedom of choice inherent to its range of weapons. One player may prefer to deal cutting damage with an immense Great Sword , whereas another may prefer the blunt, skull-cracking hits inherent to the Hammer. Yet the wealth of options goes deeper, as each weapon can also specialize in dealing elemental damage or status effects, and a player's custom armor set can also provide unique skills to assist in bat

While RPGs can be very stark, serious, and emotionally rending, they can also dabble in a little silliness from time to time. An excellent example of this levity is one of the longest-lasting traditions in the genre: the joke weapon. Different games have different approaches to these weapons. Related: Most Powerful Weapons In Video Game History In some games, they are totally viable tools, just aesthetically comical; Other games make them utterly unusable; Others may make them usable, but include a large drawback. All of these approaches can yield excellent results. There is only one consistent element across the board - they are all good for a chuc

Maybe one day we'll get a full open-world Pokemon game, and maybe it'll be great. For now though, a Monster Hunter structure seems like the best balance, and means Pokemon Legends: Arceus can be Pokemon's next great leap without falling over its own feet Kleavor still looks bad tho

The Monster Hunter series has always seemingly had a fascination with food. From its barbecuing mini-game, to the attention to detail found in the cutscene where your food is prepared, this is a series that has a culinary curiosity. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that it has a number of joke weapons based on f

Genshin Impact is home to a mouth-watering menu of treats , but these Lighter Than Air Pancakes are among some of the most appealing. Taking three berries, one egg, and two bags of flour to create, the recipe is simple with a satisfying rew