Monster Hunter Wilds Review

In 2018, Monster Hunter: World was released, marking the first time the series aimed to establish a strong presence in Western markets. Prior to this, the Monster Hunter franchise had primarily gained traction in Japan and other Asian regions since its debut in 2004.

Since I wasn’t familiar with its details or the allure of its gameplay mechanics, I barely spared a moment to consider World when it was launched.

Two years passed before the pandemic in 2020, and that’s when I finally decided to play Monster Hunter: Rise. After investing around 150 hours, my enthusiasm for the game soared, eagerly anticipating my next opportunity to pursue even more fearsome creatures.

After Monster Hunter: Rise was launched, it became clear just how engrossing and entertaining this game series can be. Joining forces with friends to vanquish towering adversaries, collecting resources to enhance our equipment, and immersing ourselves in some of the most intricate and thrilling combat found within the role-playing game genre.

Monster Hunter Rise shares the fundamental structure with its previous versions, but focuses more on simplification and user-friendliness to enhance the overall gameplay. It exceeds my expectations, offering an exceptional multiplayer experience that ranks among the best I’ve enjoyed in gaming for quite some time.

So, let me fill you in on some fresh insights from this write-up, and find out why Monster Hunter Rise stands out among its counterparts – that’s what we’ll be discussing in this review!

A Bigger Focus on Story Development

As I embarked on my Monster Hunter Wilds adventure, it became immediately apparent that this installment had poured a great deal of attention into its main narrative. From the very beginning, I found myself thrust into an engaging pursuit against several monstrous foes, with my hunter and ally frantically trying to escape to safety.

The quality of this production is evident across all stages of Monster Hunter World’s primary storyline. Compared to Rise and World, World takes the narrative a step further when it comes to plot depth and importance within the larger universe context.

These elements are demonstrated effectively through enhanced cinematics, progression of characters, dramatic scenes involving monstrous creatures, and a palpable pressure to accomplish the primary task at hand.

In simpler terms, the game’s story part effectively introduces novice players to the series by gradually revealing gameplay mechanics and teaching essential skills needed for successful hunting.

Veterans might find this challenging, since they’re already familiar with the fundamentals of the series. Re-learning these aspects could test their patience, but the game effectively keeps things engaging, all while incorporating essential new elements.

Regarding the tale, it’s decent enough but not particularly revolutionary. Don’t approach it with high hopes of finding something as captivating as the Horizon series, say; however, you should anticipate a story that keeps your interest for its approximately 20-hour duration.

To be clear, I enjoyed the main story, but I don’t feel an urgent need to replay it.

Weapons & Monsters Places Wilds Above Previous Entries

The tale of Monster Hunter Worlds offers an enjoyable experience, but the true gameplay kicks off once you advance into High Rank.

For beginners of the Monster Hunter series, High Rank represents the advanced stage where players primarily concentrate on enhancing their hunter’s equipment, acquiring resources for power-ups, and assisting other hunters in their journey towards strength, including friends.

Essentially, High Rank delivers a vast amount of unadulterated entertainment, making it the primary allure for gamers. However, the quality of High Rank hinges on its monsters and weaponry, so let’s delve into those aspects.

Initially, all weapons appear to have received the same level of care and consideration, ensuring a fair and balanced experience in gameplay as well as crafting processes.

It’s terrific news that the developers are ensuring a variety of weapons in Monster Hunter, as it’s crucial for the game to seem fair and balanced given the diverse tastes among players. An imbalance could lead to a lack of preferred weapon options, which might make some gamers feel excluded or overlooked.

In addition, it’s common for game players to be drawn to the most effective and powerful options within Role-Playing Games (RPGs). If a few weapons happen to fit this description, it might eliminate the motivation or desire to switch between different weapon types.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, I discovered that I could switch between various weapons without significantly affecting my performance. This flexibility made me eager to try out different types of weapons instead of being loyal to just one, as they all seemed equally effective.

As a passionate player, I must say, the introduction of the Artisan Weapons has undeniably been one of the most thrilling updates. These unique weapons can be crafted at the Smithy with scarcely found materials that drop from Tempered Monsters. It’s an exhilarating experience to forge these powerful tools!

With this latest update, gamers can design and enhance a customized, powerful variant of their preferred weapon category, tailored to their chosen gameplay strategy and build. What’s even more exciting is that Decorations can now host multiple abilities, offering an unprecedented level of personalization. These improvements take the Monster Hunter endgame experience to new heights, making it more captivating than ever before.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, every monster showcases a distinct set of actions, with intricate attack sequences, and displays individual behaviors that make them thrilling to pursue.

Just as in many other Monster Hunter games, these monsters possess vulnerabilities that can be utilized to your advantage, while they also showcase strengths that should be avoided. Therefore, it’s crucial to change weapons and armor prior to engaging in combat to ensure you’re well-equipped for the challenge at hand.

Since Capcom has imposed limitations on discussion, I’m rather limited in what I can share about the monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Indeed, let me assure you, these creatures in the game are exceptionally well-crafted, ranking among the finest in the whole series. I’m eager for you to experience them personally.

New Combat Mechanics Make Hunting Feel Better Than Ever

Nothing beats getting atop a colossal beast, ramming its head against a solid surface, and then plunging a Charge Axe deep into its brain to stun it, allowing you and your teammates to swarm and attack it relentlessly.

The thrilling cycle of gameplay remains consistently engaging, never feels repetitive, and is further enhanced by the introduction of the Wound and Focus Strike features.

In contrast to other Monster Hunter games, generating and dismantling Wounds significantly facilitates the collection of materials in this game. After repeatedly attacking the same body part, a wound is inflicted, providing an opportunity for the player to aim a Focus Strike at it, causing that specific body part to detach and yield its material for collection.

The seamless integration of all these fresh combat strategies results in an exhilarating experience, as executing them feels incredibly gratifying. This heightens the excitement of every chase, surpassing what was offered in World and Rise.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s an enhancement that automatically places most gathered materials into your inventory immediately after a hunt, excluding only the tail and items meant for carving at the hunt’s conclusion.

This quality-of-life enhancement streamlines the hunting process, automatically gathering monster parts for you. Consequently, players no longer have to pause their gameplay or search frantically for lost materials.

Distinct enhancements include Off-Balance Assaults (Offset Attacks) and Strength Collisions (Power Clashes). The move I particularly enjoy, known as an Off-Balance Assault, occurs when you precisely counterattack, causing the monster to fall to the ground, providing an opportunity to inflict significant damage.

Conversely, a Power Clash offers players the chance to precisely synchronize a block with a monster’s assault, resulting in an exhilarating struggle between hunter and beast. It’s incredibly cool!

The seamless integration of all these fresh combat techniques results in an exhilarating experience, as it feels immensely rewarding to execute them. This combination elevates the thrill of every chase, surpassing what we encountered in World and Rise.

Additionally, since it’s challenging to perform Power Clashes and Offset Attacks due to their intricacies, mastering them by repeatedly practicing against various monsters’ moves requires time and effort. This struggle will contribute to the game’s enduring appeal as players strive to hone their skills and become top-tier hunters.

A Beautiful New World With Dynamic Environments

Upon stepping into High Rank in Monster Hunter Wilds, the grandeur of its biomes immediately catches your eye. Much like World, Wilds offers an environment that seems genuinely inhabited, rather than merely serving as a playground for hunting monsters.

In contrast to the game “World”, “Wilds” focuses more on a smoother exploration system. This means that players can move effortlessly from one location to another without needing to pause the game, open the menu, and choose the fast travel option.

Apart from being stunningly attractive destinations for exploration, they’re now more navigable than before. Additionally, each location offers a vibrant, evolving setting that adapts as you progress in the gameplay.

The environmental phases are Abundance, Rest, and Adversity, each introducing distinct scenarios to our world.

Initially, Plenty is a thriving era rich with life, which makes it an ideal moment for cultivating smaller animals and crops.

Conversely, fallow refers to a time or place devoid of necessary resources, leading to hungry monsters engaging in conflict with each other because of scarcity.

Speaking from the heart as a nature enthusiast, it seems the goddess Inclemency is particularly fiery these days. She’s whipping up a tempestuous mix of lightning storms, torrential rains, blizzards that could freeze the heart, and an alarming increase in the sightings of more ferocious creatures.

Every environmental phase offers both benefits and drawbacks, causing hunters to ponder carefully about the optimal time for an expedition, considering their current goals.

If you’re trying to find a specific fish for a side mission, consider venturing out when nature is thriving abundantly, known as the Plenty. For chiseling unusual materials, the Inclemency could be your ideal choice, as it’s when rare monsters become active.

The fresh addition to the monster-hunting gameplay, this updated environmental setup, sets it apart from previous versions, giving it a distinct flavor.

Closing Thoughts

With a total playtime of 100 hours and reaching Hunter Rank 110, I can assuredly assert that Monster Hunter Rampage surpasses both World and Ascend in my opinion. Striving to streamline gameplay while preserving the fundamental elements cherished by seasoned players, Monster Hunter Rampage is a title worth exploring for all gaming enthusiasts. Although its main narrative may not be particularly memorable, it remains an enjoyable prelude to the true challenge – High Rank. This year, 2025, promises a plethora of highly anticipated games vying for Game of the Year, and although many are yet to be released, I have a strong gut feeling that Monster Hunter Rampage will not only be among them but could very well win the top prize.

Read More

2025-02-24 18:10