Monster Hunter Rise has been out for nearly a year now, with PC players finally getting to experience Kamura for themselves in January. With its release brought several new features that seek to give players a fresh and exciting spin on the series while retaining the quintessential Monster Hunter experience. Rampage Quests, a rideable Palamute companion and weapon-specific Switch Skills are just some of the exciting new additions in Rise.
Also new in Monster Hunter Rise is an Endemic Life called the Wirebug, which drastically improves the hunter’s interactions with the world around them. From traversal across Rise‘s vast open locales to combat advantages, Wirebugs offer myriad opportunities to hunters willing to uncover their secrets and master their uses.
Whether in Kamura Village or on a quest, players will notice two green symbols at the bottom of their screen. These represent Wirebugs, and by default, the hunter carries two on their person. Another can be collected in the field to bring the total up to the maximum of three, but the third will disappear after a while. By using armor, decorations or a talisman with the Wirebug Whisperer skill, players can also extend the time that they keep their third Wirebug, among other effects. The Wirebugs will be “consumed” when used and will take a few seconds to recharge.
Most interactions with the Wirebug use the ZL Button on Switch or the Middle Mouse Button on PC. Holding this will bring up a reticle players can use to aim and launch themselves forward. While they’re still in the air, players can jump or ready their weapon for an attack. For long-distance traversal, hunters can launch another Wirebug after the jump to travel further, then jump again to add even more distance until they’re out of Wirebugs.
If a player is hit by an attack, they can use the Wirebug to recover almost instantly. ZL and B (Space Bar) will get the player back on their feet. With their weapons sheathed, hunters can use “Wiredashes.” ZL and A (right click) will cause players to rush forwards in the direction their hunter is facing. ZL and X (left click) will launch a player upwards.
Using the above commands near a wall will initiate a wall-climb, allowing hunters to scale walls that don’t have any vines, or use the wall to launch an aerial attack on a monster below. However, the wall-run drainS stamina, so keep that in mind on tall cliffs or when combining with a weapon’s charge attacks. While airborne, pressing the A button will leave the player dangling on a stationary Wirebug, providing a brief moment of respite to plan movement. Be warned though: the Wirebug will disappear after a time, and the player will fall to the ground.
After mastering Wirebug maneuverability, hunters can turn their focus to utilizing it in combat. The bugs have various uses within the combat arena, the first of is the Silkbind attack. These combine the utility of the Wirebug with the hunter’s weapon. Depending on their weapon of choice, there are many silkbind attacks a player can use. The attacks boil down to two types: a light attack that uses up one Wirebug and a heavy attack that uses two. The former is a series of smaller damage hits, while the heavy attack is one powerful blow. A hunter won’t be able to perform a heavy attack if they only have one Wirebug ready. Conversely, hunters can do three light silkbind attacks in a row should they have three Wirebugs at their disposal.
Silkbind attacks also have a secondary, and perhaps more useful, purpose. Using these attacks will start to fill up an invisible gauge of sorts, as the hunter covers the monster in the Wirebugs’ silk. These attacks can be identified by the blue flash around the damage number. Once this gauge reaches a certain threshold, the monster will become incapacitated. In this state, the monster is rideable, much like when the Puppet spider Endemic Life is used.
Unlike previous titles, Wyvern Riding isn’t simply mounting a monster and attacking it until it topples over. With the help of the Wirebugs’ silk, players gain full control of a monster’s movements. By using the run and directional buttons, the monster can be moved to wherever the hunter sees fit. However, the time a hunter can Wyvern Ride is limited. When the diamond-shaped clock at the bottom of the screen empties, the hunter will be ejected from the monster.
To damage the monster, players can launch it into a nearby wall using the Y Button on Switch or C Key on PC. If the monster does not hit the wall, the player will be ejected as when the timer runs out. If the monster does hit, it will take massive damage and be toppled to the ground. To extend the Wyvern Riding beyond a wall smash, players can use the B Button or Space Bar to regain control and continue riding. However, once a wall smash has been initiated, the monster becomes unbalanced and will topple unless launched into another wall. A player can chain wall smashes so long as they have more Wirebugs. Launching a monster into another will render the recipient rideable, allowing the hunter to use it to attack their initial target.
Much like a weapon’s Silkbind attacks, monster attacks come in both light and heavy forms. Light attacks are quick but deal minimal damage. Heavy attacks are stronger, but take longer to perform and can leave the monster vulnerable. Taking a hit will deplete the timer at the bottom of the screen giving the hunter less time to ride. If a player’s mount is in trouble, they can dodge attacks with the same button they would use to dodge during regular combat. Dodging while Wyvern Riding consumes Wirebugs, so players should bear that in mind if there are only two at their disposal.
These attacks contribute to the gauge at the bottom of the screen, filling it up with each hit. Once the bar is full, the monster can execute a powerful Mounted Punisher, though there is time to get in some last-minute attacks before using the finisher straight away. Once the Wyvern Riding is over, the monster will topple, allowing hunters to pile on extra damage. Once it regains footing, the monster will still be silk-bound to the same spot by numerous strands that will disappear over time.
By practicing and combining the skills Wirebugs offer, players can become true masters of their hunts. From racing across maps faster than a Palamute, to performing masterful dodges and aerial retaliations, to launching a dangerous monster into a wall several times and then clawing at it with another, the possibilities are endless in Monster Hunter Rise.
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