If you are already a fan and want to know as simply as possible if "Iceborne" is worth the price, I will say this: I played 200 hours of World before this expansion. I had played 200 hours of World before starting this expansion. But if you're interested in Monster Hunter as more than a way to pass the time, "Iceborn" complicates World in ways that are both incredibly interesting and deeply disappointing.

Iceborn is a mix of new monsters, new regions, new mechanics, and an all-new endgame, all for the seasoned player. For those who never set foot in the world or saw it through to the end, Iceborn has little to offer. Capcom has succeeded in creating this title for a dedicated fanbase and providing a new hunting structure that not only satisfies the desire for new content, but also goes beyond simply offering "more stuff."

But the new region, Hoarfrost Reach, adds an entire biome, allowing you to roam through the ecosystems and see how monsters interact with them, one of the best parts of being a monster hunter. Whether you're collapsing an ice shelf or tearing up a tree for a battering ram, the connection between the creature and its surroundings is palpable, and the world is rich and tactile. But the more Capcom masters this, the more convincingly animated and sound-driven it becomes, the greater the tension between what the game is about and what you actually play.

When playing these games, there is always an uneasy feeling that I am being asked to go out and invade the habitat of these species and kill them to make the next piece of armor or weapon; in "World," I was required to beat monsters until they went limp and cut off their tails to hear their cries In "World," the monsters were beaten until they went limp and their tails were cut off to hear them squeal. In these games, you don't just kill the monsters; you make them suffer. As fascinating as the loops are and as engrossing as the fights are, I have always been disappointed that, despite the fact that they have created such a rich ecosystem, there is only one thing I can do in it: kill them all.

In Iceborne, a new side quest asks you to document cat tribes around the world with your camera; for an hour or two, I tried to see what would happen if "Monster Hunter" were more "Pokemon Snap" like, and the results are astounding. Details that I had never seen before became more and more apparent as I looked more closely at them. I could catch glimpses of what could have been a gentler game in a minor way, and it became more apparent that Monster Hunter is a cruel game. [But in "Iceborn," cut scene after cut scene in which hunters challenge their own nature makes it even harder to ignore. By tackle, I mean claiming to be part of the ecosystem and protecting things in some way by killing monsters. It's a preposterous idea (the hunters aren't even from this continent), but the fact that the characters talk about it suggests that Capcom is at least aware of the dissonance in the story. But rather than actually addressing this, or continuing to ignore this aspect of world-building, "Iceborn" lands in an awkward middle ground, drawing attention to the moral bankruptcy of its characters with nonsense lies. If these games are going to continue to demand that I think about their world, they need to spend more time entertaining the notion that hunters are evil.

It also goes against the game's many charms and warmth, which Iceborne excels at. The cozy new hub, Seriana, is a fun-filled winter retreat, with new mini-games and even a sauna. The new chef, Grandmeister, is such a delightful character that when I first saw her cooking, I couldn't help but squeal. The Celiana Gathering Hub provides an area where players can spend time together between hunts, and access to crafts and all vendors. The Celiana Gathering Hub provides an area where players can spend time together between hunts and have access to crafts and all vendors together. Everyone can dive into the same hunt or get into their own thing, but then come back to the same space to hang out, gesture, show each other their new weapons, and splash around in the pool. No, really, now there's a hot pool.

The finesse with which these spaces are detailed is absurd and crucial to offset the unpleasant moments of brutally murdering monsters fighting for their lives. However, as the game continues to focus its attention on these elements, it becomes difficult to reconcile their juxtaposition.

Despite my misgivings, however, I must say that there is no battle like Monster Hunter, and Iceborn is the challenge I have been waiting for since I mastered World. The new battles feel like they are designed to exploit weaknesses in the player's preparations and tricks. If it's not the cold that's sapping your stamina, it's the monsters dripping explosive goo all over the place or summoning waves of water to wipe you off the map. Their imagination is maintained until the final battle, where they find ways to surprise and provoke even the most experienced hunters. Given the game's elaborate nature, this is no easy task. The grappling claw, which can latch onto monsters and lead them to obstacles, is a whole new skill set to master, and one that changes everything in the base game as well.

Iceborne is not a perfect sequel, but it still retains the radical touches that invigorate the game that still thrives. Monster Hunter, like the regions of its game world, feels alive and full of things to try and eventually master. Importantly, all of it is integrated and enriched in a way that complements what is already there, rather than being a gimmick to artificially expand the scope of the game. As far as monster hunting itself is concerned, "Iceborn" is "Monster Hunter" at its best.

If there are any disappointments besides the vague storyline, it is that the game still has separate armor sets for men and women, and insists on making half of the women's outfits a boob armor/ bikini combo. That might be more fitting if the game's entire style was impractical attire, but it's sad to see the women tied up in mini-skirts with their asses pressed against the camera through every crevice while the men are clad in elaborate but practical armor. Worse yet, the other half of the women's armor is wonderfully stylish. So why make such a mistake? It is an objective look at this series that I had hoped would grow.

Regardless of the complaints, there is no denying how engaging "Monster Hunter" continues to be and how "Iceborn" excels at enhancing the basic experience. The endgame is a promising new format for the series, one that feels less like a game of exploring a quest board and more like an organic hunt. This new region keeps you in the world, keeps monsters appearing, reacts to the monsters you hunt, and evolves as you play. I won't say more, but it feels like the culmination of everything World was trying to bring to the series. Combined with the refinement of the multiplayer side of the game, it keeps me immersed in the game for hours on end.

There are so many substantive new elements and highlights that it feels like a funny platter that hunters are served before their quest. Of course, part of the feast are the cutscenes, which build a clumsy storyline that the game could have done without. Perhaps Capcom will someday find a way to engage with the theme more carefully. Until then, I plan to enjoy the platters they offer, but I can't help but feel a little empty at times.