I wasn’t sure what to expect from the the newest installment in the Monster Hunter franchise when I booted it up for the first time since the beta test. After playing through the first few hunts, I quickly realized that Monster Hunter Wilds will likely go down as the best installment in the franchise. With its open world, fully spoken dialogue, and impeccable story, it’s easy to see why so many hunters have picked up their weapons and joined the fight since its release.
As the clock struck midnight, I watched my PlayStation timer tick down to zero. The first thing I noticed was how immersive the open world felt; I could walk out of camp and track monsters without any load screens. When I arrived at my first Doshaguma, three other players in my lobby were already after the same beast. This feature is an excellent addition to the game; hunters no longer have to depart on expeditions hoping to find monsters early on, and more importantly, players can now join open-world hunts without using an SOS Flare. In the previous games, I was hesitant to use flares because they often made the hunt too easy, but in this open world, it felt different.
During the first few HRs, I noticed the hunts seemed fairly easy. I’d draw my Insect Glaive, hopped through the air, and tracked the monster only a short distance before taking it down at a rapid pace. While this felt odd at first, progression through Monster Hunter Wilds makes it clear that these early hunts are designed for newer players, especially when weak spot farming is considered. In the past, Monster Hunter’s difficulty often deterred potential hunters, but Monster Hunter Wilds welcomes newcomers, allowing them to explore, gather, and build before facing more challenging monsters later in the game.
Unlike previous installments, Monster Hunter Wilds takes a unique approach to its story. Past games focused on balancing the ecosystem by hunting down an anomaly, but Monster Hunter Wilds introduces a more humanitarian narrative that extends beyond the hunt. The player is tasked with escorting Nata, a villager from a reclusive tribe, back home to her people. As the story unfolded, it became clear that this game is about more than just hunting monsters; it’s an exploration of cultural anthropology.
Throughout my journey, I encountered several tribes, each with its own means of defense against monsters, ranging from pacifistic camouflaging crystals to nomadic hunter-gatherers who avoided them altogether. Alma, the game’s handler, frequently expresses her love for culture, questioning and preserving it in equal measure. This theme is reinforced by Monster Hunter Wilds’ respect for life and territory. In some missions, the hunter even looks to Alma to confirm whether or not they should hunt an endangered region specific monster in the case of protection. What was once a game centered on slaying rare and exotic beasts now examines human nature and natural history in a profound way.
By the time the sun rose after the midnight release, I had already reached the fourth research base. It was here that I realized just how dangerous hordes of monsters can be. What I assumed to be a standard mission to escort Nata home quickly turned into chaos when I was ambushed by three Hirabami—mollusk-like monsters that dangle from ceilings and hunt as a pack. As a die-hard Monster Hunter fan, I decided to take them all on at once without using dung bombs to separate them. This proved exceptionally challenging. Individually, they weren’t strong, but as a trio, they forced me to rely on my Insect Glaive’s acrobatics to stay alive.
Monster Hunter Wilds delivers a story deeply rooted in reality and the human condition. Unlike any previous game in the franchise, I found myself engaging with the story and performing optional tasks along the way to learn more about my guild members. Alongside this, Capcom has crafted a game that is not only satisfying but also welcoming to a broader audience. While the difficulty wasn’t quite what I wanted, it doesn’t detract from the experience. The game allows players to approach hunts however they choose. The redesign of weapons was also surprisingly welcome, as Capcom has seemingly mastered the art of nerfing while protecting the integrity of the weapon and its very loyal fanbase.
The new combat system undeniably contributes to Monster Hunter Wilds’ overall ease. With the addition of wounds, players can gather resources more efficiently. Previously, severing a tail or breaking a wing was the easiest way to obtain extra loot. Now, nearly every successful weak spot hit yield materials. While satisfying, these attacks also deal significantly more damage than a standard combo, rapidly depleting a monster’s health. On top of that, monsters frequently stagger from these attacks, leaving them vulnerable. While the new combat system feels more rewarding, the game’s overall difficulty has dropped noticeably. Many veteran hunters online have voiced concerns about this, though it’s likely Capcom will address it in future DLC or updates.
This not to say that Monster Hunter Wilds wasn’t challenging at times. There were certainly moments where I found myself yelling at the screen after being knocked over and frozen repeatedly. Over the course of the story, I feinted a total of seven times—despite being a veteran of the series—so I’m confident the post-game content will offer greater difficulty. For now, though, while there are minor setbacks in difficulty, Monster Hunter Wilds will undoubtedly go down as one of the best games I’ve played in my 20 years of gaming.
Nate reviewed Monster Hunter Wilds on PlayStation 5 with his own bought copy.
