If you were to ask me to give you my top 5 games, it would be an ephemeral list that would shift
and sway every time the question was raised. Games would come in to focus and fade back in
to the noise. There would be consistency at the spine of the list, key games that remain but
change position. The Monster Hunter franchise in all of its glory would occupy one of those
slots pretty consistently.
I’m a simple meat puppet with simple desires. Give me a crafting system in your game and
you’ll have my curiosity. Put big bosses in your game that I get to hunt down, carve up and wear
as a trophy like Predator with anger management issues? You have my attention.
I bounced off Monster Hunter hard when I first was introduced to it, but that’s not Monster
Hunter’s fault, it was the person explaining it to me. It wasn’t until Monster Hunter 4U that I
swung back in and it clicked. I’m by no means a master at these games, there’s a lot of nitty
gritty details in Monster Hunter to sink your teeth in to, and the recent additions to the series
with World, Rise and now Wilds have done wonders for lowering the barrier of entry. Wilds
takes big strides towards reducing those friction and bounce off points.
There was a moment early on in the campaign supported by 3 NPC hunters, and fighting a
gorgeously deadly looking insect that resembled a sentient rose with murder tendencies I had a
crystallising moment. Even though I was free to enjoy the game how I wanted, without the
pressures of other players while I learnt a new weapon. The game was creating the illusion of
community, easing you in to the idea of playing with others. Helping and being helped.
Community is one of the core pillars of Monster Hunter as a series, going back to portable
consoles, and meet-ups, sitting on beanbags and trading cards and quests. Technology of
today has only allowed Monster Hunter to sore to even greater heights. Able to perfectly take
advantage of the connected nature of the world we live in. It’s such a fascinating aspect that we
made a whole video on it. The virality of community, check it out.
Wilds continues the path laid out by World when it comes to reducing friction for new and old
players a like, for better or worse. I’m not personally against any of the ideas that are being
brought to the table, but I understand that to some of the die-hard those friction points
intentionally or unintentionally added difficulty. The potion change in World is a key example,
prior to it, you needed to stand still to drink. It was a risk. World allowed you to move while
drinking, a fantastic change but also lowering that risk. Rise then added Palamute dog mounts
that allowed for quick traversal and getting out of danger while taking certain actions.
Wilds goes one step further and sees you accompanied on your slaughter safari by a non-union
equivalent Chocobo… The Seikret. It’s a utility belt on leg, carrying supply items for you to
restock with key items like First-Aid Meds. Holding a second weapon to quick swap between at
the press of a button, quick traversal around the map, as well as being equipped with GPS to
automatically take you where you need to go, a direct result of the feedback from new players
in World getting lost which is a nice touch. It also serves as an OH-NO button if you get
knocked on your ass. Quickly removing you from danger, and by nature of the situation… Risk.
That’s the trick with Monster Hunter though. As a faceless void once said… Foreseen is
Forearmed. Using the Bestiary to know the weak points and weaknesses of your target is going
to lower that risk. Increasing your odds of success, no matter what you choose to fight, and
there are some solid options in Wilds. I’m not going to discuss the total number of Monsters,
mainly because it doesn’t matter. That number will increase quick enough. We already know
everyone’s favourite bubbly boy Mizutzune is sliding their way in post launch.
Everyone has their go to picks so it’s going to come down to personal taste with how you feel
about this roster, I’m not going to blow smoke, I’ll simply say as a fan of Nerscylla and Gore
Magala. I’m happy. When you combine that with new monsters like Lala Barina, and Nu Udra as
well as others, it gives a great selection that has you fighting more than just, another dragon… I
like weird bugs ok. Not everyone likes Dragon’s Kevin. Some of us like Spiders, and… I dunno
whatever this is. Oil Squid? Friday Night Fun?
Plus the weird ones give way cooler looking armour, I mean… Look at this. It’s also nice to see
the feedback regarding weapon and armour design for World was heard. Weapon variety is
back to being the right mix of Bonk-ie and Bonkers. While the armour has been slimmed down
and doesn’t look as chunky. A welcome change.
Speaking of changes, combat sees a few smaller ones to combos, and movement, alongside
the addition of Wounds. Weapon combo changes will either see you praising the designers or
cursing them, depending on which side of the fence you fall. I’ve had friends tell me they’re
going to be main-ing a new weapon due to the changes to their old faithful, and others using the
exact same weapon praising the design changes. Tale as old as time. When coupled with the
new focus system that’s focused on where your looking, you’ll see new options and combat
flows open up before you… And speaking of opening up, there’s the new wound system.
Wounds are the gimmick system in Wilds. Every Monster Hunter has one, and this feels like a
welcome addition that weaves in to combat, an evolution of the clutch claw. The clutch claw
wasn’t a dud, it just felt like it broke the flow of the fight. Wounds on the other hand feel more
refined, and open up opportunities. You’re free to stack them up on different body parts through
your regular attacks and then just pop off when you need to, utilizing them to stagger or
knockdown a monster. It’s quick, clean and effective, and it gives loot. It also adds another layer
to the community side, you can leave them up to someone else to deal with, or deck yourself in
gear that takes full advantage of them. I know next go round we’ll have a different option, but
honestly I’d be ok with wounds sticking around for a few games.
Honestly it’s the little things that truly stack up for me in this game though. I’m sure after a few
months they’ll fade in to the background, just par for the course, but those first interactions with
them are always a delight. Seeing the food design reach another level is no surprise especially
after Dragons Dogma 2. Seeing my character add the chosen ingredients to the pan and cook
them up brilliant. And forgive me an indulgence for a moment won’t you… I love menus and load
screens that feel part of the game rather than a barrier. Seeing YOUR character wearing YOUR
gear on the start menu is such a little touch but it gets me. Stood there with your Palico and
your Choco-faux as your team looks out across the open world of opportunities ahead of you…
Using wrestling terminology it’s a cheap pop. Hey it’s me!
Wilds also has little touches sprinkled in the world that help elevate it. Large monster corpses
will rot. Smaller Monsters will decay to bones, and endemic life will look like they’re feasting
down. You don’t need to notice it if you’re rushing from Hairy Loot Pinata A, to Fire Loot Pinata
B, but it’s there, it’s around you. It plays along side new mechanics such as time of day, and
seasons to make the Wilds just feel more like an actual world. Throughout Monster Hunter
games you’re tasked with fighting monsters that are a threat to the natural order, putting things
in to imbalance in that living breathing ecosystem,. Wilds feels like that vision made manifest.
The closest we’ve gotten to seeing it realised.
Huge sprawling regions are all connected allowing you to come and go as you please. Time of
day and seasons affect which monsters and events will be taking place. Pop up camps for fast
travel and reducing the need to return to a Hub. Monster interactions and Turf Wars. Even the
way that Quematrice sets fire to the grass around it. It all builds up, members of a choir each
adding their own little pieces to create a beautiful symphony. I’m a big fan of ideas like using
airlock tunnels to transition between areas. World of Warcraft did it recently with The War
Within, and seeing Monster Hunter use it as a means to move the player between regions
without slamming you in to a load screen? We’ve come a long way from load screens between
each area.
My dream Monster Hunter game, is one where I have minimal reliance on the hub. No back and
forth, and I just roam around the world with friends, fighting whatever pops up. Wilds comes
pretty damn close to giving me that experience which is why it received a 5/5. A huge open
world to slaughter giant bosses in, wear their skulls like hats, and have a blast with friends, that
to me is top of the gaming mountain. If I had to be petty the only thing that would get a
downgrade would be the fact they changed the cooking music and timing, which meant
humming the old tune gave me my first burnt steak in I don’t know how long.
And of course I’ll remind you, this is an opinion. I love it, I hope you do too. If you bounce off
Monster Hunter Wilds, it’s either going to be because you have a hard time with the combat,
learning monsters tricks and move sets can be difficult at first. Changing something you held as
important. Or feeling like the accessibility and new player changes have stepped too far in
reducing difficulty. On that last one I’ll remind you that the fun difficult fights, tend to get added
post release. Also, if you’re interested in jumping in to Monster Hunter Wilds but concerned
about doing it alone. The SoS flare system allows you to have either NPC or Players help you
out. The community for the most part is incredibly welcoming to new players, and there’s many
places you can go to find players willing to help you, or just hang out… Like our Discord.
Monster Hunter Wilds carries a beast of a price tag at £60 or $70, but as a blessing there’s no
Early Access available in premium bundles. Discussing our playtime or achievement count at
the end won’t serve any purpose here, so we’re not including it. Monster Hunter is a long term
game, that’s easily worth the price of admission, and tracking down those achievements will
keep you busy as well.
Every so often a game comes along that feels tailor made for you. That’s Monster Hunter Wilds.
A game that has minimal flaws. Builds upon the legacy of the series. The feedback from World’s
and uses both to soar to incredibly heights. Improved Armor sets and Weapon design. Stylish
combat. Nostalgia and Newcomers in equal doses for Monster variety. Monster Hunter Wilds is
a must buy for fans of the franchise and with post launch content already being talked about,
plus the inevitable Master Rank expansion way off in the distance. It’s only the beginning of this
grand adventure.
