Monster Hunter Rise will provide a new animal companion for players when it drops on Nintendo Switch next year: the Palamute. Monster Hunter Rise is one of two upcoming Switch-exclusive games in the franchise, which challenges players to track and defeat giant monsters through action-RPG combat. The long-running series broke into the mainstream with 2018’s Monster Hunter: World, which brought a bevy of quality-of-life tweaks and improvements to make it the most accessible game in the series. While the game never made its way to Nintendo’s hybrid console, developer Capcom is rectifying that with a new exclusive experience that takes some of Monster Hunter: World‘s best improvements while adding its own unique features.
Monster Hunter: World tasks players with creating both their Hunter and their Palico, an adorable cat-like companion that assists with attacks and special abilities during combat, such as providing heals at critical moments during a battle that can make or break a hunt. Palicos are fully customizable, with their equipment requiring the same amount of strategic planning as the Hunter’s, particularly for more difficult monsters. Now, as the public gets to see more gameplay of Monster Hunter Rise, it seems dog lovers will get their own furry friend to aid them against the giant beasts.
The Palamute will be essential to the changes Monster Hunter Rise adds to the franchise’s first outing on Switch, as Polygon reports. The Palico is still present, but its role is now completely dedicated to supporting the hunter with heals and buffs. The Palamute will focus on dealing and taking damage, and can wear armor and wield weapons with their teeth. The dogs will also serve as a mount: they can climb, run without using the player’s stamina, and even allow the Hunter to sharpen their weapons while moving. Players can also pet their pups, and even have them perform tricks, proving once and for all that they’re a hunter’s best friend.
Interestingly, players can mix and match Palamutes and Palicoes, choosing to have one of each or double up on puppies or kitties. This adds a new layer of strategy, where players can decide if they’d rather have twice the heals or double the attack. However, the Palamute’s ability as a mount will be hard to deny given the gameplay changes in Monster Hunter Rise. There’s an emphasis on verticality in its map, so being able to sprint and climb without using stamina could be a game-changer. Cat people need not worry about reduced effectiveness for Palicoes, however, as their healing and support capabilities have been expanded. Capcom has guaranteed free post-launch updates for Monster Hunter Rise as well, meaning there might be more companion abilities to come.
Public interest in Monster Hunter is at an all-time high, with a movie coming out in December and Monster Hunter: World board game set to hit Kickstarter next year. Capcom seems to be doing everything it can to help keep the franchise going strong, and this new companion shows the studio’s ambition. Keeping the seamless map despite the Switch’s technical limitations was already an impressive feat, but many more heads will be turned towards Monster Hunter Rise for its ability to pet very good boys.
Monster Hunter Rise releases exclusively on Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2021.
