A new weapon in an action game can make a world of difference. It can feel like picking up a brand-new game, revitalizing a formerly mundane loop. It takes a lot of design work to implement just one new class of weapon, but many players would say it’s worth the effort. Such is the case withDestiny 2’s newest expansion,The Witch Queen. The Glaive weapon type has been well received by the community, even ifExotic Glaives aren’t as usefulas some would like. This hybrid of an offensive, ranged, and defensive weapon class gives a whole new way to play this years-old game, and is somethingMonster Huntercould learn from.
It’s not unusual to see weapons added in a new installment, asDestinyfans are aware. Creating a new installment does come with certain expectations, after all. However, those expectations can persist when the game is expected to update over time. TheMonster Hunterfranchise is in a similar boat, with new content coming after the launch of most entries, and in recent cases at least one major expansion. However,Monster Hunterhasn’t added a new weapon to its mainline entries in almost ten years. It might be time for Capcom to acknowledge its competitors' best practices and add new types of weapons post-launch.
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How Destiny 2 Handles Adding Weapons
Being from the same minds that carefully designed the originalHalo, theDestinygames have been stingy with adding new weapon types. Various types of sidearms started creeping intoDestiny 1’s later updates, including crazier weapons like the third-person melee-focused Swords.Destiny 2added more major archetypes like SMGsand Grenade Launchers, as well as plenty of special armaments like Trace Rifles. Post-launch updates added new weapons constantly, but even if some of these were mechanically distinct, they weren’t wholly new types of weapons.
All that changed withDestiny 2’sForsakenexpansion, which brought Bows to the table. These are exactly what they sound like, being futuristic bows that deal a tremendous amount of damage, offset by the time it takes to prepare an arrow. They offered a new way to play, and raised the possibility of more weapon archetypes being added in the future. It took four years, butThe Witch Queenhas followed that upwith Glaives. These are uniquely first-person melee weapons that offer a blend of close and long-range fighting, as well as some defense courtesy of a shield. These weapons have introduced new ways to enjoyDestiny 2, and it’s difficult to overstate how much they have contributed to making the five-year-old game feel fresh.
Monster Hunter Should Also Add New Weapon Types In Updates
TheMonster Hunterfranchise is similar toDestinyupon close inspection. Both have mighty warriors choosing from a set of distinct weapons and going out into the field, whether by themselves or with other players, to slay targets. After that, materials are gathered and taken back to a hub to either craft, buy, or upgrade equipment. One major difference is how much each franchise has leaned into being live-service.Destinyembraced this approach from the beginning, while it tookMonster Hunteralmost two decades to move beyond simply launching an installment, an upgrade to that installment, and then something new. Now thatMonster Hunter WorldandRiseare receiving new features and monsters in patches, it’s time to extend aMonster Hunterentry’s life further with new weapon classes.
Adding a new weapon now would be a big deal forMonster Hunter. Weapon complexity has evolved to parallel that of a fighting game roster, and it can take even longer to master a new weapon class than it does to upgrade one. Still, in the years sinceMonster Hunter 4on the 3DS, the globalcommunity has become comfortable with the existing weapon selection.Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, or a major update for the nextMonster Hunter, could introduce one new weapon type to shake things up and draw interest. Some of the last major additionsMonster Hunter Frontierimplemented in the years leading up to its closure were the Tonfa and Magnet Spike weapons, andthe mobileMonster Hunter Explorepremiered the Accel Axe. With some adjustments, these would slot in naturally to modernMonster Hunter’s mobility-focused gameplay, and could provide a new target for veteran hunters to grind toward.
Monster Hunter Riseis available now for PC and Switch, with theSunbreakexpansion set to release in Summer 2022.
