Recent reviews by UrMorninWoody

Good game mechanics, beautiful scenery, but much of it is a solitary journey unless you have active friends. Recommended for prior Final Fantasy/World of Warcraft players.
* Some areas are locked behind story.
* Tooltips for items do not always match actual values.
* Easy to switch between playstyles and gearsets. However, boosting gearscore becomes a slog with said multiple sets.
* Servers are stable.
* Looks good even on low settings. Lower end systems may struggle a tad.

Viking Minecraft with better graphics and way better atmospheric effects. You can relax and just build stuff or get out there and build your viking prowess. Recommend at least getting the first boss down for the pick to mine stuff. You can spend hours immersed in the game.

I had the original Skyrim. Attempts to find the expansions became like a treasure hunt. They are available to get from the Steam store if you know EXACTLY where to look. But it costs less to get the Special Edition than to dig up the actual expansions. There is another Anniversary version, so if you haven't picked it up watch for a sale and grab it. If you have played Any of the Elder Scrolls games it's great fun to play and still looks pretty good for the age of the game. Was playing with the unofficial patch that fixes a bunch of issues from earlier versions. Didn't check if they are fixed in the Anniversary update. Compared with other games in the same category, does not look too dated. Plus the modding community is strong, you can make it look and play however you want provided you don't care about achievements (first time you use a mod it will disable achievy's until you take it off).

Running it on an MSI Raider 75 laptop with a Samsung 32" curved HD monitor. Runs smooth as silk. You have options to remove more of the RPG aspect out, but I prefer them. Background music score is iconic, capturing the essence of Tamriel. If you enjoyed the previous titles, and didn't not get the addon's when they came out, this is well worth the money.

I've watched several veteran players do this game quite well. It's not as easy as they make it look, they have been doing this for awhile.

It's absolutely brutal. Everyone is out to kill you, and not necessarily for what you have, just to kill you, period. Location for a base and a way to make crafting items is key to success. Food and water have to be close by. Combat is difficult to master, just learning hit boxes is tough. I haven't played long so my opinion does not matter until I've mastered a few tricks to survive. I'd say stick it out and give it a good attempt. If you like brutal pvp and survival this is your game.

Revised October 24, 2020:

Game play is good, if your just playing solo content. Constant, Random, disconnects wreck an otherwise good game. I went down the rabbit hole doing every fix suggested, taking notes along the way. Still an issue, still unable to play with others for any stretch of time. Got this game to play with my son and his friends, I'm about to give up as a lost cause. I rate this game the same as EA's Anthem. Don't buy if you want a REAL multiplayer game.

Guiding Lands groups seem somewhat stable. Joining quests is a 50/50 dice roll if your going to get dc'd. Playing with friends, forget it if they are not in the same region as you, disconnects mid stride.


1st impressions review:

MHW combines the best of console gaming and MMORPG.

Monster Hunter World is about killing/capturing monsters, getting loot to make better stuff to beat bigger mobs, and playing solo or with a team to conquer the mobs. At first overwhelming, but, given time, natural and nuanced. Infinite possible combinations of gear to suit any play style. Combat is solid for controller or mouse/keyboard. Smooth game play and excellent visuals. The game rewards those that learn the play dynamics quickly. You are never lacking in things to do in game, not just another whack-a-mole.

Pros
- Each monster has it's own unique moves, but follows similar behaviors per monster type.
- Infinite combinations of armor, weapons and abilities. Several placeholders to save loadouts.
- Environment plays a strategic role in how you handle each monster.
- Gameplay is smooth and engaging.
- Almost all content can be solo'd if you invest the time.

Cons
- A tad grindy for getting gear.
- Slightly steep learning curve, made easier if your playing with other veteran players.
- In game chat appears limited, relying more on voice coordination and socialization.

This was an excellent bargain for the time allotted. You get no hints on how to play. Power up come gradually as puzzles become more elaborate and more of the world unlocks. Use environment to your advantage against difficult mobs. The game rewards you for being observant. Good for a few play through then put it aside. Graphics and atmospheric music are top notch, makes the world really come alive. Excellent puzzler with smooth animation. I found using a Logitech gamepad to be a natural fit and gives you greater control of your avatar.

A great Diablo style clone without all the unpatched bugs. Producer rerally cares about community and strives to make this game great at every turn. I recommend playing for a bit, if you like it buy the bank tab and crafting tab, huge improvement.

Pros
- Solid gameplay, no wrong way to play (at first)
- Great solo content (have not tried group)
- Infinite variety
- Deep gameplay aspects

Cons
- Can be overwhelming at start
- Limited respec options (very punishing the higher up you go)
- Documentation online is sporadic (at at times questionable depending on patch level)