Monster Hunter Wilds is the sixth main entry within Capcom's Monster Hunter series, which originally first planted its roots back on the PlayStation 2 in 2004.
Since then, the series has received multiple mainline entries, an entire portable side series on the PSP, a celebration title on the 3DS, a full MMORPG, multiple spin offs and side games, two turn based RPGs, and has even been adapted into anime, and movie form; both live action and CGI. The series has grown quite a bit since that initial release, and thanks to 2018's Monster Hunter World, the series has even became "mainstream" in the West. While 2021 saw the release of Monster Hunter Rise, the game itself followed in line with the Monster Hunter Portable entries of old, and acted as a companion to Monster Hunter World. This release too helped bring success to the series, originally releasing as a Nintendo Switch exclusive, but it left many players wondering what would be next.
Now, seven years after the release of Monster Hunter World, and four years after the release of Rise, we finally have that answer. Wilds is the first main title to be released since this newfound popularity, and now with more eyes on Monster Hunter than ever before, a lot of questions are being asked. What is Monster Hunter Wilds, and is it worth playing? Is it a good game to start with? Will long time fans still like this new direction? and was the game worth the wait?
Well, today I hope to answer all of these questions, and more! We are going to do a deep dive into what Monster Hunter Wilds is, the new gameplay mechanics, the adjustments they've made since World, and what players can expect in general. This is going to be a long one, so get ready to learn everything you need to know!
Monster Hunter Wilds: A Game With Two Parts
Before jumping into explaining the game, there is one thing that needs to be made clear from the get go. Monster Hunter Wilds is a game broken into two parts, with both sides being quite a bit different. Long time fans are used to Low Rank and High Rank, but the way it is handled in Wilds is quite a bit different.
Low Rank:
When first starting the game, all players will begin in the "Low Rank" section of the game. This is a highly story focused, and almost on-rails section of the game. It quickly introduces players to navigating the world, asks you questions to help determine your weapon of choice, and from there takes you from town to town to town, and introduces you to all the core features and mechanics. There isn't a lot of freedom during this part of the game, but players are free to explore the new open-world styled maps as they wish; it's just that many features will remain locked until the completion of the story.
There are very few side quests, only one optional hunt version of each boss you fight within the story, and you are drip fed new core mechanics with each story chapter you complete. It eases new players into the game perfectly, but long time fans will mostly be left wondering "when" and "if" they can do things they've always been able to. And the answer to that? It is both yes and no. All major features have returned, but some things work quite a bit differently now.
For me personally, part one took roughly ten hours to complete, but it can possibly last longer. My ten hours consisted of doing the "main story," all optional hunts, and little to no exploration outside of what was required. I played through most of it solo, with testing out NPCs and playing some optional quests in co-op, but my multiplayer time was limited to an hour or two at most. For someone experienced with Monster Hunter, Low Rank didn't provide a challenge, and I never "fainted" a single time. This is what most veteran hunters will experience during Low Rank, but for new players it will be different.
Those who are new to the series might find themselves to be more inclined to test out different weapons, explore, and learn more about the monsters and their attack patterns. It might be a process of dying over and over again before you learn your way around things, and that is perfectly fine! Monster Hunter is a series you learn to play, and Low Rank in Wilds does a great job of teaching you just that. Even if it takes thirty hours or more to get through it, by the end of Low Rank all players will be ready for what comes next.
High Rank:
The second part of the game is none other than High Rank. This is where the story aspects slow, and the game turns into "standard" Monster Hunter. A stronger version of each monster appears within the world, new monsters are added into the mix, and all gameplay features become unlocked. This is where the core Monster Hunter experience begins, with long time fans already being familiar with the gameplay loop, and newcomers getting to dive deeper into the addictive cycle of hunting, crafting, and constantly improving your own skills.
Up until High Rank many of the usual quest types are actually missing from the game, with even the first capture quest being the High Rank introduction quest. After entering High Rank however, the quest variety is brought back, more customization options open up, and the game stops telling you where to go and what you can or cannot do. Hunters can go to a hub, accept quests, take care of their daily needs, and set out on as many hunts as they want. More become unlocked as their "Hunter Rank" increases, and it becomes a steady progression straight into end game; where the endless gameplay loop fully begins.
That being said, Low Rank still has to be completed first, and that is something returning players should be aware of. Low Rank isn't anything new, but the story focused nature in Wilds makes it so much different from what we've seen in the past.
The Story of Wilds:
The story of Monster Hunter Wilds is the most in depth one ever told within a mainline entry. Players begin the game by creating their own character, but this character is not a blank slate. In fact, they are a fully fleshed out character, who plays the main character in the story, and is fully voice acted. Known as the "Hunter," they team up with a group from the Monster Hunting Guild, and head out to the Forbidden Lands that were thought to be devoid of life.
After meeting a young boy named Nata, the Hunter and his group decide to help him return home to the Forbidden Lands, and attempt to uncover the mystery of the "White Wraith" monster that attacked him and his village. This initial meeting is what leads the Hunter to explore this new land, but it is the people they meet along the way that shapes their adventure.
Throughout the story, players will uncover the Forbidden Land's history, discover a dark secret, and learn more about the world of Monster Hunter in general. It isn't an insanely deep story by any means, but it provides plenty of lore, it gives players a taste of what it is like to be living in this world, and shows what it is truly like to be a Hunter.
As for the game's story progression, it is a mostly linear experience. From start to finish, it is filled with cutscenes between every major fight, NPCs to talk to, dialogue choices to learn more about the world, and plenty of walking sections where you ride on your mount and listen to conversations. You cannot explore during these moments, and they typically end with reaching the next village, or getting into a new monster fight. Extra dialogue scenes can be skipped, as they are simply there to add additional context, and the same can be said for the "optional objectives" as well. A main story icon will appear over what is required to advance the plot, but talking to the extra characters will give you more of an understanding of these people's way of life.
Although the story is mostly single player, players can send out an SOS flare to call for help, which will be met by either NPC party members, or by real players. They will be removed from the party once the fight is over however, meaning they cannot fully play through the main plot with you. Walking segments, cutscenes, and other main story related progress is a strictly solo-affair, but other players can be seen walking around the hub towns. Those who fully wanted to play through the game with friends might find it disappointing that it is not fully possible, but the ability to play along side NPCs and invite friends into the fights themselves is still there for the moments that truly matter.
The "Main Story" ends when players complete Low Rank, but that is not the end of the story content within Monster Hunter Wilds. Once High Rank picks up, story progression becomes a bit more "organic." NPCs will change up their dialogue, new monsters will appear and quests will be issued to hunt them, and there are a handful of scenes for major events. The game simply stops being on-rails at this point, and allows the story to happen along side your natural progression as a Hunter. This is the story telling Monster Hunter games are typically known for, while also still being a bit more developed due to the main character having a voice.
The Core Gameplay:
Monster Hunter Wilds is a part of what many refer to as the "Monster Hunting Genre." While Monster Hunter itself kick started this craze, many other games have since come out that are inspired by it. Games like God Eater, Toukiden, it's successor Wild Hearts, Inafune's Soul Sacrifice, Phantasy Star Nova, Freedom Wars, and many others have used this type of gameplay. But what is it exactly?
Well, at its core, it appears to be all about fighting giant bosses, but in reality, it is also so much more.
The Hub Towns and Camps:
Before even getting into any fights, the Hub Towns are the heart of the entire experience. Here is where you can find shops to buy items, a blacksmith to make gear, a tent where you can manage your character and inventory, a quest handler NPC (who also follows you around outside the towns), and a wide variety of other shops and services. This is where you find everything you need before setting out into the world, and is the safe zone you can return to at any time. Monster Hunter Wilds features a massive connected world, and you can freely travel back to any location at any time; with towns and camps acting as instant quick travel spots.
Previous Monster Hunter titles kept towns away from the actual hunt locations, and could not be returned to once a quest was started. Instead each location had its own central mini camp, and only provided the most basic services. In Wilds the mini camps act the same, but they are more for quick travel spots than anything else. Extra locations that might be closer to the action, while the main towns exist for everything else.
Those who faint in missions will be transported back to these towns or camps, and those who faint three times will fail the quest in general. As for the camps themselves, a limited number of them can be placed across the map for easy access, but they can only be set at key points. They can also be customized with different color layouts and decorative items, so each player can make their camps fit their personality. The only down side is that monsters will destroy camps over time, and you will either have to use research points to rebuild them, or wait for them to be rebuilt over time. It is just a trade off for being able to put them in such convenient locations.
Items, Storage and Crafting:
The next major feature comes from inventory management, and crafting! Items play a huge role within Monster Hunter, and Wilds takes a lot of steps to make this as easy as possible.
Every single monster in the world, and nearly every plant, rock, or shiny thing you see on the ground has some type of material players can harvest. These items can then be turned into useful tools, with an automatic quick crafting option to make them right on the spot. For example, picking up herbs will instantly turn them into a healing potion, and picking up honey will transform the healing potion into a Mega Potion. These recipes are saved and can be viewed at any time, with many other tool and item recipes simply being unlocked from the start.
Items like mushrooms can be turned into medicine that cures you when you are poisoned, and other special materials, like bugs, can be transformed into attack items to be used right on the spot. For example, Flash Bugs blind monsters, but other materials can be used to make bombs or even traps. Not all of these are turned on for automatic crafting, but the option can be enabled for those who want to. The only down side is the fact that materials can be used for multiple things, so sometimes auto crafting with them can result in not having the raw materials to craft other items.
There are many, MANY, different items in the world to support you on your hunts, and sometimes they can be the difference between life and death. However, inventory space is limited.
A storage box can be found at all towns and camps, so found items can be deposited at any time. Not all tools and items are useful at all times either, so players can pick and choose what they take with them based on their target. If a monster can't poison you, then it might not be worth bringing antidotes with you. On the off chance you do get poisoned by something in the environment though? Then you're out of luck! It really is a wild world out there, and sometimes being under-prepared is just as deadly as running out of inventory space for what you truly need. It is a fine balancing act, and constantly has you questioning your hunter life choices.
The Mount:
Monster Hunter Wilds reintroduces a mount system which was first added in Monster Hunter Rise. (Putting aside the RPG series Monster Hunter Stories.) Instead of riding on a dog however, the new creature is called a Seikret, and it offers a handful of new features not seen in the previous title.
The Seikret can also be customized and named, and acts as your main way to traverse the game world. It includes a supply item storage pouch, which gets restocked over time, it always knows where the target monsters are located, and by pressing up on the d-pad (when using a controller) it will take you to them. It can scale walls, fly through the air, hop off of sketchy looking hanging rocks and platforms, and basically go anywhere a hunter cannot reach on foot.
As the maps in Wilds are enormous, the Seikret is the main way to travel, but putting aside the size there are plenty of areas only a Seikret can reach. This means you cannot completely ignore your mount in this one, and, honestly, you really wouldn't want to anyway. The Seikret can also be used to attack monsters or launch yourself onto a monster's back, so they have more uses than just for travel.
Additionally, the quest handler will also follow you on her own Seikret, allowing players to accept and join quests from nearly anywhere in the world.
The World Itself:
As previously mentioned, the world in Wilds is massive, and completely open. There are multiple regions, and each has a distinct feel and ecosystem. Countless winding paths can be discovered around nearly every turn, with many areas also having underground areas, or large mountains and cliffs to scale to reach upper areas. Thankfully the game provides a 3D map that can be rotated to help find your way, and all items and monsters you've run across do get marked on the map. This makes finding materials you need so much easier, but the sheer scale of the map still requires some searching to locate specific items. You can place a pin to help mark key areas you want to remember however, so that can help speed up the process as well.
With the map now being open, the game's regions are connected by short pathways that act as a transition between maps. The moment you cross the map cut off points, the next region's map will replace your current map, but you are still free to quick travel back and forth by using the world map view option. All of this is done with little to no loading screens, and provides a quick seamless experience (unlike past entries that had to load every single map).
Like in past entries, the world does feature a Low Rank and High Rank version as well, and both versions are constantly changing with a day and night and season system. Based on if it is a Low Rank version or High Rank version, the maps will see stronger or weaker monsters, with different levels of materials to gather. With the day and night and season system however, monster behavior is altered, and different monsters will be out in general. There are also changes to the environment in general with each season, making the world in Wilds feel a lot more alive. Although the primary focus will be on hunting monsters, sometimes stopping to "smell the roses" is just as rewarding. Maybe not practically in game, but there is something relaxing about just taking in the sights. Capcom really didn't need to put so much effort into these little details that many will never even notice... But they did!
One of the earliest examples of this added detail comes from the forest area. Upon entering you can find venus flytrap style plants sitting off to the side. They are only there for the background and serve no gameplay purposes, but once in awhile birds and other little creatures will get trapped and eaten by them! This means you cannot use your net attachment to capture the little animals for research points (points that can be spent on items, setting up camps, etc), but other than that this is all just for looks. And the game is packed full of little things like this everywhere you look.
Besides the little details, there are plenty of gameplay related features in the world as well. Rocks can be knocked down to crush enemies below them, pillars can be knocked over, little bugs mark locations you can use your hook to swing from, and hazards like mud or water can slow you down and make fighting harder. Some enemies attacks will even cause waves in the water to knock you off your game, and hot or cold locations will burn or freeze you. There are tools and abilities to help fight back against these environmental effects, but again such items come at the cost of inventory space. It is once again a prime example of packing only the necessities, and requires you to think about the environment you will be setting foot in (and not just the monster you will be fighting).
On the plus side, there is no fall damage in Monster Hunter, and jumping off ledges or sliding down slopes can be used to your advantage as well. Great ways to not only avoid monsters, but to attack them as well, and this vertical gameplay really gets expanded upon thanks to the size of Wilds' maps. Previously Monster Hunter Tri attempted vertical gameplay with underwater combat, which received mixed reception, with Monster Hunter 4 introducing the idea of quick climbing and jumping. Each entry since then has continued to improve the mechanic, and Wilds has thankfully continued that trend. Everything that worked in World is here, and has been improved on thanks to the new mount system as well.
Hunting Monsters:
Finally, we get to hunting monsters!
The hunts themselves are actually pretty straight forward at first. Hunters are given a target via the quest list, and all you have to do is either kill or capture it. Some missions have special requirements, but for the most part hunting is the main focus.
Every single large monster in the game is unique, and will have different elemental properties, attack patterns, and weaknesses. Different parts of their bodies will react differently to each type of weapon, and by breaking parts you can impair them and get additional rewards. Cutting off a tail means a monster will no longer be able to hit you with it, while breaking armor will leave the monster much more exposed. Of course tough parts of a monster may be too hard to actually cut, so heavier weapons would be required to smash these spots instead.
It is this unique body part system that makes all weapons in this game useful, and forces players to adapt to whatever it is they are using. It isn't enough to just hack 'n slash away at a monster and hope for the best, your attacks need to be targeted and made without putting yourself into danger. Wilds introduces a new focus aim mode as well, which allows players to direct their attacks at specific locations, but the main use is to break and expose weaknesses and not just to use it as a normal attack. This new mechanic replaces the system introduced in World's expansion Iceborne, and not only makes a monster weaker, but gives players extra materials as well.
Besides learning how to use your weapon, learning the monster's behaviors is also very important. They will react differently to different types of attacks, and have a variety of attacks they will use against you. Their attack patterns will change based upon their health however (there are no health bars), with them becoming more or less aggressive as the fight goes on. Some monsters can make use of the environment as well, and they will try to play it smart and run away when they get scared. On the other hand, they also realize who the weakest link is in a party, and will often target those low in health. They are smart, and sometimes will even work together in packs to kill you. Of course they too are a part of a food chain so other large monsters can show up to attack them along side you, but that doesn't make the other monster your friend either. A simple fight can erupt into complete chaos, and you never know when that is going to happen. The same "routine" hunt you've done ten times could turn into something new at the drop of a hat, and you have to be ready for that.
Monsters also come in different sizes, and that too adds a bit of randomness to each hunt. A monster that was so tall you could stand under it to avoid its attacks could appear shorter, making that a no longer viable tactic. It can completely flip the scales on how you handle fighting that specific type of monster, but that only makes the game more fun, and further tests your ability to adapt.
One thing that Wilds does very well with the monsters featured in the game, is the fact that each one feels very unique. Monster Hunter World ultimately had a lot of monsters in the "same" family, and removed a lot of the more "unique" styled fights from past entries. This time around we have everything from worm like creatures, to sand monsters, to a giant octopus, to a spider that covers the area in flower like spores. It feels more like what Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate had to offer, and makes every fight much more unique. Not to say that World didn't have a good lineup (especially with Iceborne), but it always felt like something was missing without having a giant snake to fight, or bugs that used the environment in unique ways to attack. (On a related note, the "less realistic" monsters that swung through the air have been reworked in Wilds, and now use the world itself to cast their webs and swing!)
Overall, Wilds does have less monsters than World for the time being, but the game will continue to receive content updates to add more. As for the monsters the game does include? It is a great mix of fan favorites, and newcomers alike. The game also features a new monster variant, which breaths new life into old fights, so long time fans have that to look forward to as well.
The Weapons of Monster Hunter Wilds:
Once you have an understanding of the core gameplay, the next major choice is to actually pick your weapons. The game doesn't lock you into a single weapon, and Wilds introduces the ability to take a second sub-weapon with you that can be swapped out by calling your Seikret. Each weapon class comes with a variety of weapons to pick from; most of which require crafting by using materials taken from the large monsters. These weapons will have different elemental attributes, and passive abilities to improve your hunter. So not only is picking the right weapon for you important, but choosing one that works with your build is also key; something that can take quite a bit of experimentation.
As for the weapons themselves, they are as follows:
Sword & Shield
A very good "beginner weapon," which allows players to strike quickly with a sword, and block attacks. It is a balanced weapon that can be adapted for any situation, and can even be used as a "support class" when playing with other hunters. It is very versatile, but is a weapon players should craft multiple versions of to cover every situation.
Dual Blades
Dual Blades are an extension of the Sword & Shield, but without the shield. This weapon is fast and lands a lot of strikes in a short period of time, but it cannot block. Instead it can activate its special Demon Mode to deal extra damage, and it has a dodge that also strikes the enemy while getting out of the way.
Great Sword
The Great Sword is a slow yet hard hitting weapon. It features an overhead slash that can be charged for more damage, a wide slash that sweeps the area, and a back slash which flings the Great Sword back into its starting position. Newly added to Wilds is the ability to charge up the back swing as well, and landing this back swing hit will allow players to charge the monster and hit with a new follow up strike. This weapon is all about timing, with slow evading and blocking reaction times.
Long Sword
Similar to the Dual Blades to the Sword & Shield, the Long Sword is an offshoot from the Great Sword, but is instead very fast. It too features a special attack bar that fills up while using it, and it allows players to unleash their specials for massive damage. It is another weapon that benefits from elemental damage, and has had its special mode altered in Wilds to be on a timer instead of draining with each use.
Hammer
Unlike the previous weapons, the Hammer is a blunt weapon made for smashing. It can crush what swords cannot cut, and relies on charge attacks similar to the Great Sword. Wilds adds additional charge attacks to the Hammer's moveset, and includes a new "earthquake" strike when using focus mode. It is fast despite its size, and can also spin the hunter like a top to land additional strikes.
Hunting Horn
The Hunting Horn is one of the most unique weapons in Monster Hunter. This is a hammer that not only smashes enemies, but plays tunes while doing so. These musical notes can be played in different combinations to create "songs" that buff and heal the entire party. This makes the Hunting Horn the game's only full on support class, and can help turn the tides in any fight. The Hunting Horn is especially helpful in fights with unique mechanics, as it can be used to nullify status effects and environmental conditions.
Lance
The Lance is a "turtle" weapon that allows users to block attacks while attacking themselves. Wilds introduces a new charge guard mechanic, which not only nullifies damage, but allows Lance users to unleash a counter attack as well. Although the Lance can be seen as a "tank class" weapon, it is still very deadly with its piercing attacks.
Gunlance
Following the pattern of other weapon types, the Gunlance is the slower heavier hitting version of the lance. It too makes use of Wilds' perfect guard system, but its main attacks come from mini close range explosions rather than stabbing.
Switch Axe
The Switch Axe is a very elemental focused weapon that begins as a heavy hitting axe, and can be transformed into a fast moving sword. The weapon requires users to balance between using the two modes, with Wilds adding new combos to unleash. These different attack modes come with their own set of combos, which ultimately makes the Switch Axe is one of the more complex weapons in Monster Hunter... But also very rewarding for those who master it. It also uses a phial system to provide additional bonuses, so players have to watch out for that as well.
Charge Blade
Charge Blade is another weapon that uses the phial system for transforming and additional effects, and once again switches between blade and axe mode. This time around, the sword mode is fast, but also contains a shield similar to the Sword & Shield weapon, while the axe is a powerful transformation you can release once energy has been built up. Wilds introduces a new Element Discharge ability, and new axe modes.
Insect Glaive
Insect Glaive is another unique weapon, and was introduced in Monster Hunter 4 to make use of the (at the time) new mount system. It is a pole vault weapon that allows users to fly through the air to attack, and use their "pet insect" to attack monsters. Wilds revamps the weapon with many new ground based attacks, and puts less of a focus on its original jumping based gameplay.
Bow
Although all hunters can shoot objects at monsters using their "slinger," the Bow is an actual dedicated ranged weapon, with many different shot types, and playstyles for users to experiment with. Wilds has greatly increased what the Bow can do, making it even stronger than its past incarnations, and normal shot types no longer require the use of special resources. In the end, the Bow continues to be one of the strongest weapons in the game.
Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun is one of the two gunner classes in the game. It is a faster moving ranged weapon, that unloads a lot of bullets at a quick speed. Wilds introduces a rapid shot mode to the gun, as well as a stronger stationary shot that can be used to deal massive damage. The weapon requires ammo to use, with different types of bullets providing different effects.
Heavy Bowgun
The final weapon in Wilds is none other than the Heavy Bowgun. Similar to the Light Bowgun, but much slower, and much stronger! This is a big gun that slows its user down, takes longer to reload, and takes longer to block attacks, but it is one designed to stay in the back, shoot from afar, and support the team however possible. It too uses ammo to attack, and comes with a wide variety of options to cover every situation.
One thing that makes Monster Hunter great is the fact that every weapon is viable, and no weapon "truly" has an advantage over the other. It all comes down to the user. Wilds has re-balanced every single weapon and added new attack moves and mechanics, so even long time fans will have something new to learn with each one.
Armor Sets:
Besides weapons, Armor Sets play a major role in Monster Hunter, and are the main reason to even hunt monsters. Like with weapons these sets are crafted out of the material you cut off of monsters, and they all come with different stat bonuses and passive abilities.
Different sets will be resistant to different types of elemental attacks, but they will also come with passive abilities, and set bonuses for using multiple pieces of the same set type. Some armor sets come with gem slots as well where you can equip your own passive abilities into them, and Armor Spheres can be spent to increase their base stats. Armor comes in both Low Rank and High Rank versions, but ultimately the High Rank will always replace the Low.
The key with armor is to figure out what ability combo works best for your weapon and playstyle, and to create a combo that gives you an edge when fighting stronger monsters. Defense isn't always the most important stat here, as the goal is to not get hit, and instead finding the right perks can make all the difference. Thankfully most High Rank sets do have similar defense stats, so players are free to mix and match whatever they like without putting themselves at a disadvantage. But again, the goal is to not get hit here, and having a higher defense stat will not always save you when you do take a large blow.
Additionally High Rank Armor can be customized in looks, and pieces on display can be turned on or off.
Palico:
Surprisingly, Monster Hunter Wilds still offers more customization.
A Palico is your trusty cat companion you create at the start of the game, and it provides support to you throughout the game. It too has weapon and armor sets to craft, and can be taught different support abilities. These are mainly unlocked through quests in High Rank, but the Palico itself is with you the entire adventure. It will go away when other hunters join your quest, but until then it acts as a second party member.
Palicos in Wilds can also be given a human voice to understand their speech, which up until now has always been heard as cat meows. (With the exception of the RPG series Monster Hunter Stories.)
Multiplayer:
I've mentioned it in passing, but multiplayer is in fact a large part of Monster Hunter Wilds, and Wilds is the first game in the series to fully support cross platform (outside of the MMORPG Frontier). This means players on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox can all hunt together, and use the in game friends list to party up. The game supports voice chat and keyboard text chat, but third party programs such as Discord can be used as well. (Especially since all three platforms support Discord.)
Similar to World, multiplayer is incorporated with the main game, and not its own mode with its own quests. Players can join quests that have been posted, or use SOS flares to call for help. This allows players to join hunts mid battle, and the game will provide the player with NPC party members while they wait for real people. This can be used offline as well, allowing players to hunt with a party while playing solo, but this feature can make the game easier due to how good the NPCs actually are.
When it comes to real players, if the group as a whole faints three times, the quest ends in a failure and must be restarted. Players use their own resources while in a hunt, and carve and gather their own materials as well, so there is no fighting over rewards. This is a full on co-op game, and the game itself encourages you to work together. Needless to say, other player's actions can get you killed, but they cannot harm you directly.
Besides joining a quest directly, players can join up in the same lobby, or create link parties to stay together. Other lobby members are visible in game, and you can choose to let them join you or not.
Accessibility Features:
Monster Hunter Wilds aims to be a game everyone can enjoy, and it comes with a very wide range of accessibility features. Colors can be customized along with the sound, physical readouts are available for text, control layouts can be fine tuned, and there is even an arachnophobia mode that turns smaller spider like enemies into blob like creatures. This has no impact on the gameplay itself, but allows players to not have to look at their original form.
And More:
With everything said, even this is still scratching the surface of what Wilds has to offer. There are accessories to craft, charms to equip to your weapon, NPCs that will go out on trade routes for materials, NPCs that meld items together to create something new, there is an entire fishing system, cooking itself is deep and requires the use of different ingredients for different buffs, and there are extra challenge quests that ask you to change up how you play. Thankfully Wilds does take its time introducing these features to prevent players from being overwhelmed, but just as you thought you've seen it all, something new seems to always come along. And of course, that's not even mentioning what happens with the end game monsters...
Playing on Console:
One thing players should be aware of is the game's performance. I personally played through the game on PlayStation 5, and set the game to 30 FPS to enhance the visuals. This keeps the game running smooth while also looking very nice, but those who want a solid 60 FPS experience will have to sacrifice the resolution. This might be an issue for some players, but as someone who spent most of the series playing in 30 FPS it wasn't a deal breaker for me. For anyone who would like to keep the best of both worlds on console, it would require the use of a PlayStation 5 Pro.
Putting graphics and framerate aside, I personally had no major issues with the PS5 release of the game, nor did I run into any glitches. There was a point where I couldn't invite a friend to a link party because "they had already joined," but it seemed to be network issues happening at the time. This friend was playing the PC version, and cross play between the two platforms worked fine once we joined a lobby together.
My experience with Remote Play was great as well, with me reverting to my old Monster Hunter Portable days of playing while watching TV. I had to adjust color settings to make the sandy areas a bit darker, but the in game settings are quick and easy to adjust.
As for the PC version itself, I've asked fellow Netto's Game Room writer Jonsku to quickly share his thoughts as well.
Playing on PC:
"The PC experience of Wilds have been rocky to say the least. People dealing with huge performance issues, textures not loading properly, and for some the game outright crashing. Needless to say, Capcom didn't do a good job in optimizing the game, and it feels like they rushed the PC port to make sure it lined up with the console release. It's not even an issue of having a too poor of a PC to run the game either (which is a whole other can of worms), the game just doesn't run that well with some rigs.
How was it for me? It mostly works as intended; however, I had the odd graphical bug where some texture would go haywire and cover the screen. Then when I got to area 3 in the story, the textures didn't load correctly so everything looked very "muddy." I tried to cap the framerate at 60, but right now I get between 45-55 frames in most areas. In one particular area the frames can dip to 20s, depending on the action, but it hasn't been enough to make it a bad experience, and doesn't happen enough times to be that annoying. Still, it is a bit shocking.
As of writing the review, this the game has already received performance updates, and I can definitely see Capcom fixing the issue sooner rather then later. Just hope it is actually sooner."
Should You Play It?
Monster Hunter Wilds is a solid entry within the Monster Hunter series, and a great game for fans and newcomers alike. Long time fans might be annoyed or put off by the on-rails story the game forces you to finish, but once you get to High Rank it is a return to form. Meanwhile this same intro is perfect for easing new players into this universe, and there are some interesting moments that really stand out. Is it the greatest story ever told? Of course not. But it was at least entertaining.
Looking past the story, the gameplay has once again been greatly refined. The new open maps and free exploration feels great, the mount system and monster tracking cuts out the aimless wandering around to find a monster, and the new weapon abilities feel really great to use. The new focus mode and breaking parts off of monsters for instant rewards cuts down on monster material farming, and the new camp and hub world system is so much more convenient. Being able to return to them to take care of business or craft new gear during a hunt is great, and having the quest giver follow you always is a plus as well. Cooking for buffs can also be done now from anywhere in the world, so you do not always need to return to town for food.
As mentioned before, the monster variety is great to see as well, with a unique blend from start to finish, and the new monsters themselves are instant classics. The arachnophobia mode is a great inclusion for those who have issues with spiders, and other customizable accessibility options are great as well helping everyone experience this game. The single player co-op party members is a great addition as well for those who struggle with the game or simply don't want to hunt along, but having crossplay makes it even easier to find groups to team up with to go on hunts. While some might find the menus a bit confusing at first, joining hunts is easier than ever now, and keeping both single player and multiplayer together was once again a great call. Of course this means long time players miss out on playing the harder multiplayer missions solo, but there are plenty of challenging quests to replace them.
As for what Jonsku had to say following his experience with the PC release:
"All in all I really do enjoy my time with Monster Hunter Wilds despite the poor PC port. The game is as fun as ever, and the new systems for farming monsters and making equipment is interesting enough to keep me entertained for hours on end. (My beloved Sword and Shield is in its best iteration yet!) Though, why the main Monster Hunter team decided to bring back locking story quests out of multiplayer is beyond me. It is a step backwards when Monster Hunter Rise fixed this issue, and there are so many players that want to play with friends. I do really hope that Capcom does optimize the PC release over time though, because it otherwise will set a rather worrying precedent for their future releases for PC. Especially when World works as fine as it does."
Overall, despite the current performance issues, we both agree that Monster Hunter Wilds is easily one of the best Monster Hunter
experiences. Long time fans may not like all of the changes to their
routine at first, but this is a game all about adapting to new
situations, so it shouldn't be an issue for long. Again there is no
denying that Low Rank can drag out a bit before reaching the "real
game," but High Rank is there to be just that; the core Monster Hunter
experience with everyone's favorite gameplay loop. Low Rank gets new
players ready for this, and is a smooth ride from start to finish.
If you are already a fan or a newcomer that finds any of this interesting, then I strongly recommend picking up Wilds for yourself. It really is worth it.
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