User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Arch-Tempered Monsters/@comment-5020152-20190901200733

Here's my usual sound-and-visuals-only, barred-from-gameplay, no-money-for-new-console, have-to-take-others-at-their-word perspective on one of MH World's mechanics.

The AT mechanic sounded promising at first but ended up with fairly mixed reception. Some monsters pretty much remained the same except for a few zeros added to their health and damage output, others got a few simple changes that moderately affected how players tackled them, and still others were completely overhauled. But it can't be as bad as the Hyper or Apex mechanic, right?

... Right...?

Of the seven AT elders available in World, AT Nerg, Xeno, and Zorah seem to be the most praised from what I've heard. Zorah is no longer a literal rock, instead a much more stressful ordeal with a tighter time limit, higher damage output, and Nergigante being an actual necessity this time. Xeno's been changed from a one-sided beatdown to an actual fight where Xeno makes much better use of its various fire-related capabilities, especially the "floor is lava" shenanigans. Nerg's health has gone through several roofs and has gained a frustrating new move that made its level of difficulty skyrocket even for those who'd already bested the flying durian over nine thousand times before. Also, its new theme is widely praised and for good reason - it's bombastic as all hell and clearly meant to represent the final big challenge for World players before the release of the new expansion.

Although I'll probably never play it, as with all MH games since I got into the franchise, I'm hyped for Iceborne. Bring on the Everwyrm, Capcom.