Monster Hunter: World – Iceborne Expansion Live on PC, Reviews

Iceborne, the snow-covered expansion for Monster Hunter: World, has made its way to PC and can now be purchased on Steam. The standard edition will set you back $39.99 or your regional equivalent, or $59.99 if you don’t own the base game. Apart from expanding Capcom’s co-operative action-RPG with new areas, enemies, challenges and items, the PC version of the expansion also introduces some new settings. Check them out:

The Steam version of Iceborne includes new graphic and gameplay settings that are available exclusively on PC.

• High Resolution Texture Pack (Can be downloaded for free at Steam Store page)
• Mouse and Keyboard Control Optimization
• 4K Resolution and Uncapped Frame Rate
• Ultra Wide Display (21:9) Compatible
• DirectX 12 Support
• NVIDIA DLSS Support
• AMD FidelityFX CAS + Upscaling Support

And here’s the official description for Iceborne:

Massive “Monster Hunter World: Iceborne” expansion

A diverse locale, rich with endemic life.
Numerous monsters that prey on each other and get into turf wars.
A new hunting experience, making use of the densely packed environment.
Monster Hunter: World, the game that brought you a new style of hunting action,
is about to get even bigger with the massive Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion!

– All-new Hunting Mechanics

All 14 weapon types have new moves and combos. Each weapon has more unique actions than ever before. Every weapon now lets you use the clutch claw, a new function of the slinger, to grapple onto monsters. You’ll drain your stamina while clinging onto monsters, but it opens up various new ways of controlling their movement!

– New Quest Difficulty: Master Rank!

On top of low rank and high rank, there is now a new quest difficulty called “master rank.”
Master rank quests will become available once you purchase the Iceborne expansion. You’ll be able to earn new materials and fight even stronger monsters on these quests!

– New Locale: Hoarfrost Reach

An unknown environment, yet to be discovered by mankind. Hoarfrost Reach has plenty of unique endemic life and monsters that could only exist in such a harsh climate. It has diverse geographical features as well, from deep stretches of snow that impede your movement to relaxing hot springs, and even unstable ground that could collapse at any moment! The visual effects are some of the most detailed the Monster Hunter series has ever seen!

– Various New Monsters!

Hoarfrost Reach is home to many new endemic creatures and monsters, such as the snow-swimming Beotodus, the raging Banbaro, and the mysterious elder dragon Velkhana.

But changes are afoot in familiar locales as well! Keep an eye out for new tracks of fan favorite monsters, such as Tigrex and Nargacuga!

And if you’d like to know what to expect from the PC version, you should check out the reviews below. But do keep in mind that according to Steam’s user reviews, the expansion is plagued by some fairly unpleasant performance issues at the moment.

PC Gamer 82/100:

There’s so much substantial new stuff here, so much to see and do, it feels like one of those ludicrous platters the hunters are served before a quest. Of course part of that feast is a plethora of cutscenes that construct a clumsy storyline the game could have done without. Perhaps Capcom will one day find a way to engage more carefully with its themes. Until then I’ll still enjoy the platter they’re offering, but it can’t help leaving me feeling a little empty at times.

Windows Central 4.5/5:

Iceborne already proved itself to be a spectacular expansion, but the PC release is even better. Explore the Hoarfrost Reach in gorgeous, stunning detail and take down massive beasts. Hunt alone or with other players as you undertake Monster Hunter World’s newest challenges.

PCGamesN 8/10:

Iceborne is a little bit more of everything that makes Monster Hunter so enjoyable. The pace drags at times, but that’s easy to forgive amid dozens of hours of cool new monsters to slay.

RPG Site 8/10:

All told, Monster Hunter World’s PC offering is in a much better place than it was initially, and even then it was never a slouch. There’s a lot of credit to be given to all of the support that the title has received over the last year and a half, but also a lot of headache that comes with the staggered release. In a burgeoning era of cross-platform play, having a delayed release here feels a bit out of time. With that considered however, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a game that’s easy to recommend without hesitation. Those that have yet to dip their toes into Monster Hunter at all have perhaps the most to look forward to, with a polished and updated total package alongside with new stuff still inbound over the next few months. I know I’m eagerly anticipating what’s next.

COGConnected 90/100:

The price might seem a bit steep, but this is a good old-fashioned expansion pack that doubles the amount of content in the base game, and I think the price is well justified. If you are looking to jump into MHW for the first time though, don’t worry about having to buy Iceborne until you hit the end of the base game, as all the weapon updates are free, and the new paid content is post-endgame. Just like the original release of Monster Hunter World on PC, the game feels right with unlocked framerates and gorgeous graphics. I hope that someday Capcom will realize that we deserve simultaneous release too! For a take on the console release of Iceborne, click here!

PC Invasion 8/10:

Iceborne adds a lot to the game and should keep players busy for a long time. The performance will hopefully improve and the price tag is high, but there’s a lot more Monster Hunter to see with this expansion. Plus, you basically have no choice but to buy this if you’re already deeply invested.