I’m already a Rise veteran at this point so it felt easy just jumping into this demo with my reliable mains of the Long Sword and the ridiculously OP Hunting Horn (heavy damage and buffs – what’s not to love?) but it still feels like a fresh experience on PC that gives the definitive version of the game that I’m not sure could be replicated on a theoretical Switch Pro. It’s also a great excuse of getting the opportunity to take advantage of the wyvern riding mechanic, a bit of a cross between the mounting and turf war mechanics of previous entries, as you take control of one monster to wreck the other, though newcomers can also opt to try out a separate training mode for this. There’s also a couple other monsters hanging around too, and as each hunt lasts a maximum of 50 minutes, it’s quite worth tracking them down too if you want to make the most of the demo. And for a game where your positioning, timing and animation frames are vital things to consider, it completely transforms the hunt into an elite tier experience.Īs far as the demo itself goes, it’s the same as the time-limited one Switch owners got earlier this year where you can choose to hunt three different monsters on three difficulties: Great Izuchi for beginners, Mizutsune for advanced players, and an extra tough version of flagship monster Magnamalo. It’s so smooth my fingers are sliding off the keyboard just thinking about it as I type. Playing the PC version with unlimited frame rates though? The difference is eye-openingly clear.
The RE Engine is so well optimised that even at 30 FPS I fooled myself into thinking it was a 60 FPS game, with nary a frame drop even as my hunter would zip around the map with Wirebugs or up to four of us are smacking away one or two monsters onscreen. Personally, I thought the Switch version ran fantastically. However, the real game changer is the frame rate.
Even on my standard 1080p laptop screen, that’s already a sharper picture than the Switch version, which ran at 756p docked, dropping to 540p in handheld mode. If you have the relevant monitor, Rise also supports 4K resolution and ultra-wide aspect ratios, which are all fine additions that any decent PC port should have. That said, if you can appreciate the difference between graphical fidelity and art direction, then Rise trumps its predecessor on the latter, from its aesthetic inspired by Japanese culture and mythology to its hugely diverse and varied monster roster. Yes, you do get the option of applying improved textures but you shouldn’t go in expecting the same look as World. The PC version of Monster Hunter Rise is essentially a port of the original Switch game. Not only has a PC version been announced for release on January 12, 2022, but having tried out the demo early, it’s precisely the enhanced port that might just tempt me to play the game from scratch.
The good news is that PC owners will finally be able to get a taste of what they’ve been missing out on.
If you are running Linux, BSD, Solaris or Mac OS X, Wine will run most of the older Windows based software (and DOSBox).Having clocked over 100 hours, Monster Hunter Rise is easily my favourite game of 2021. Some titles may *mostly* work by simply configuring them to use a compatibility mode.
Most Windows titles will need to be run through Windows Virtual PC under the appropriate version of Windows for full functionality. You can find an easy to follow DOSBox tutorial here. For DOS titles you will need to use DOSBox. The majority of these games will not run correctly on modern operating systems.
If you are the copyright holder of a classic computer game and would like the full version of your work to appear in the archive please e-mail me at I'm also more than happy to answer questions and fill requests. Specific news regarding major updates can be found on our website Demu. New files are added to this collection on a regular basis. Where possible online play is enabled to enjoy the game directly in your browser.
These files are the original releases which will require intermediate to advanced knowledge to install and run on modern operating systems. The files available in this collection consist primarily of PC demos, freeware, and shareware.
Take a step back in time and revisit your favorite DOS and Windows games.