With Monster Hunter Rise now widely available on PlayStation and Xbox, we thought we’d take a look back at the history of Capcom’s long-running series and find out where most games sit in terms of quality and overall ranking for most fans. Unlike most franchises with varying degrees of quality, Monster Hunter is that rare series that has remained consistently good from the beginning. There aren’t any bad eggs in this batch, but there are exceptions. Here’s every Monster Hunter game ranked from worst to best.
Before we dive in, there are a couple of rules. We’ll only be ranking the “ultimate” editions of every Monster Hunter game and not each individual release (otherwise this would be a colossal list). These editions usually contain every piece of content released throughout each generation, so they’ll be the definitive experiences. We’ll also be excluding spin-offs like Monster Hunter Stories and only focus on the mainline series.
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7. Monster Hunter Freedom
Monster Hunter Freedom capped off the first generation and was the entry point for many early fans, including myself. The series has since evolved and improved, with Freedom arguably having the clunkiest and most dated gameplay. However, there’s a certain charm to it that feels like the blueprint for everything to come and I have to admire Capcom for rolling the dice on something this risky. The series would only catch on in the west with future entries, but Freedom holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
6. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Capcom got really experimental during this phase of the series. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate collected everything great – and not so great – about the third generation. To address the elephant in the room, underwater combat was the most divisive creative choice at the time, criticised for its restrictive controls and combat. Thankfully Capcom hasn’t revisited this idea since and it’s for the better. Otherwise, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a solid game that introduced one of the best monsters, Lagiacrus, into the series.
5. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite took the second generation’s content and bundled it into this awesome PSP experience. Apart from the ferocious Nargacuga being introduced, Freedom Unite also gave us plenty of quality of life improvements that are still used in newer entries today. Felyne fighters (that would later become Palicos) were added to assist us in hunts, as well as purple sharpness – the sharpest a weapon can get. Everything that Freedom lacked was addressed here, making for a more complete package overall.
4. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
It’s easy to dimiss Rise and its expansion, Sunbreak, as a little detour for the franchise while we wait for the inevitable Monster Hunter 6, but it has a lot to offer. The Wirebug is an amazing addition to the series that gave us new and creative ways to attack monsters in all directions as well as traverse the world. It also feels like a step forward for where Capcom aims to take the series next, so that’s a pretty exciting prospect that Rise teases.
3. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
While lacking a central story, Generations Ultimate gave us an absurdly huge roster of monsters to fight (93 in total). Furthermore, it feels like a love-letter to the past four generations, complete with almost every gameplay element introduced thus far… minus underwater combat. Good riddance. If you’re looking for the true “definitive” experience of past Monster Hunter games, look no further than Generations Ultimate.
2. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate took everything that worked in past games and refined it to near-perfection. The gameplay felt smoother, the monsters got awesome frenzy variants and the story was actually given a lot of attention. It also introduced my two all-time favourite monsters in the franchise, Gore Magala and Dalamadur. Plus, it gave us the high-flying Insect Glaive weapon. 4U still holds up remarkably well today and is easily the most playable of the older generations without compromising the charm and unique identity of Monster Hunter.
1. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
There’s a weird discourse going on between new and old generations of Monster Hunter players regarding World‘s quality, but I see it as the ultimate refinement and pinnacle of the series thus far. Taking World to more platforms was a wise choice by Capcom as it opened up the franchise to millions of new players. The gameplay, visuals, monster designs and controls all got huge improvements. I have poured more hours into World and its excellent expansion, Iceborne, than any game I’ve ever played (including Skyrim). I guess that’s a testament to how insanely addictive it is. World sits at the top of not only the franchise, but one of the best games Capcom has ever made.
