Monster Hunter Rise steeped its identity in traditional Japanese culture more than any previous entry in the Capcom franchise. Similar to Intelligent Systems' Fire Emblem series, Monster Hunter games typically follow the tropes of medieval fantasy as small groups take on guild quests to defeat dragons and other beasts using a diverse array of weapons - not unlike a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Yet Rise was set in a different environment with monsters based on Japanese folklore and yokai.

The upcoming "massive expansion" Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak will turn this conceit on its head with monsters inspired by Western canon. Players set off from Kamura Village to help the Royal Order of a far-away kingdom, basing their adventures out of Elgado Outpost. Sunbreak's major threats are the Three Lords: Frankenstein-inspired Garangolm, werewolf-inspired Lunagaron, and vampire-inspired Elder Dragon Malzeno. While the expansion draws a line between these mythos, it should bring in older monsters that parallel the Rise cast to emphasize its two-worlds approach.

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Returning Monsters in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

MHR_Sunbreak_Astalos

In traditional Monster Hunter games, an initial release would be followed up by an "Ultimate" version that adds its own distinct storyline surrounding a G Rank mission set with harder monsters and new variants. Monster Hunter Rise is following more directly in the footsteps of its predecessor Monster Hunter World, with Rise's Sunbreak adding Master Rank quests akin to G Rank in World's Iceborne expansion.

Beyond the Three Lords who stake their claim in Sunbreak's Citadel map, Capcom has confirmed three more creatures being introduced in Sunbreak. Returning from older Monster Hunter games are Shogun Ceanataur and Astalos - the second member of Generations' Fated Four to be in Rise. A variant of the base game's Bishaten will also appear in Sunbreak, with Blood Orange Bishaten tossing explosive pinecones rather than status-inflicting fruits. This follows a tradition of new subspecies like Tigerstripe Zamtrios in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate or Coral Pukei-Pukei in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

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Fitting Creatures to Bring Back in Sunbreak

Lagiacrus from Monster Hunter

In terms of returning monsters, the addition of Astalos as a parallel for fellow Fated Four member Mizutsune could lead to a larger pattern matching up the creatures around Kamura Village in an uncanny way. There are a few overarching monster classes that have been introduced throughout the series. While Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak doesn't necessarily need one-to-one replacements for each of its base monsters, many similarly designed creatures could provide a contrast in the new lands around Elgado Outpost.

Perhaps the most obvious example is Monster Hunter 4's Tetsucabra. This stone-coated frog with massive tusks is one of three Ambibian monster species alongside the aforementioned Zamtrios and Monster Hunter Rise's sumo-wrestling Tetranadon. Tetsucabra would be a fitting inclusion because it was already teased in the base game: Kamura Village's Gathering Hub (where multiplayer quests are accessed) houses Guild Master Hojo, who can be seen riding a baby Tetsucabra despite grown versions not appearing as monsters to hunt.

Running with this template could lead to a lot of unique monsters. The fire-spewing spider Rakna-Kadaki is one of two Temnocerans in the franchise, so it would be fun to see Monster Hunter 4's Nerscylla make another appearance. The mud-caked Leviathan monster Almudron could be contrasted with Monster Hunter 3's Lagiacrus, or the similar-shaped Snake Wyvern Najarala from Monster Hunter 4. Capcom could also reintroduce Monoblos as a contrast to Diablos, Yian Kut-Ku or Yian Garuga as a contrast to Kulu-Ya-Ku, Lunastra as a contrast to Teostra, and more.

With the immense back-catalog of designs, it would be easy to pick anything and everything for players to hunt. Going with parallels to the base game could give Capcom some direction that emphasizes the duality of Rise's Japanese and Western-inspired core threats existing in different lands.

Monster Hunter Rise is available now for PC and Switch. Its Sunbreak expansion launches on June 30, 2022.

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