Monster Hunter Wilds [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Since the launch of Monster Hunter World (that surged the series into the mainstream), each new release in the Monster Hunter franchise has steadily refined the formula, building upon its core strengths whilst introducing new mechanics to keep the experience fresh and appealing. And now, Monster Hunter Wilds represents the culmination of everything that Capcom has learned throughout that time, arguably delivering the most ambitious, immersive, and rewarding entry in the series, and one that is newbie-friendly with its more approachable difficulty. And you know what? It’s absolutely outstanding.

Check out some screenshots down below:

One of Monster Hunter Wilds’ biggest departures from past titles is its emphasis on storytelling. The game features a structured, twenty-hour campaign to play through with a stronger narrative focus than any of its predecessors. Players take on the role of a fully voiced hunter, a key figure in an expedition to the untamed Forbidden Lands as they encounter various factions, uncover the history of the region, and face increasingly dangerous monsters.

Capcom has clearly invested a lot into the narrative, with the high-quality cutscenes, more prominent character interactions, colourful cast, and thoughtful exploration of emotional themes all coming together perfectly to make for a fascinating tale. Don’t get me wrong, the extended focus on storytelling can see the pacing of the gameplay slow down in some places, but when it hit its stride, it provides some genuinely exhilarating moments that emphasise the danger that the Forbidden Lands and its monsters bring.

And best of all? You don’t need any knowledge of previous entries in the series to appreciate the tale, ensuring Monster Hunter Wilds really does stand out as the ideal starting point for newcomers to invest themselves in its fascinating world.

Whilst the storytelling is fantastic, the real star of Monster Hunter Wilds is its world. Expanding upon the semi-open design introduced in Monster Hunter World, the game offers several massive, interconnected regions that feel more alive than ever before. Each biome is absolutely bursting with detail, from dynamic weather patterns that can genuinely influence each monster’s behaviour to the seamless day-night cycle that can affect exploration and encounters, ensuring each trek you take across the land always feels fresh and exciting. Monsters behave more naturally within each biome too, interacting with each other in unpredictable yet enthralling ways, whilst environmental hazards and unpredictable weather conditions can turn the tide of a hunt at any moment, making for volatile moments that’ll ensure that players ALWAYS have to be on-guard. It’s a level of immersion that few action RPGs can match, but it makes each daring venture you take across the world all the more tantalising. I loved it.

“Monster Hunter Wilds is absolutely brilliant, with its tantalising world, effective storytelling, and thrilling combat helping it stand out as arguably the best release in the series.“

Unlike past games, Monster Hunter Wilds also allows for free-form exploration without the need to accept specific quests beforehand. You can set out into the wilderness at any time, gathering resources, tracking monsters, and taking on spontaneous hunts as opportunities arise. This sense of freedom makes exploration more engaging than ever, all whilst making it easier to invest in the world and the adventure that it provides by letting players off the leash a little. And of course, I can’t forget the Seikret mount that accompanies you and ensures that exploration is never a slog, whilst the fact that it can carry an additional weapon for you allows for more flexibility in the brilliant combat encounters.

Combat has always been the heart of the series, and Monster Hunter Wilds elevates it to new heights. The game retains the signature methodical, weighty combat that the series is known for, but also introduces several key improvements that make fights feel even more fluid and satisfying. The biggest addition is the wounds system, which rewards players for consistently targeting specific areas on a monster’s body. As these areas take damage, they visibly deteriorate, leading to increased damage output and giving players a crucial opening to inflict heavy damage. It’s complemented by the new focus mode, which allows players to better aim their attacks whilst also highlighting the wounds found on enemies. It adds a new layer of strategy to each encounter, whilst also making the experience more accommodating to players who find it hard to adjust to the lack of a health bar for each monster. It really changed how battles felt, with the payoff of opening, targeting, and exploiting wounds ALWAYS proving to be satisfying – especially in epic encounters with some of the nastier foes of the game.

Each weapon type has also been fine-tuned with subtle adjustments that make them feel more responsive and easy to use. Longswords are faster, hammers hit harder, and ranged weapons have improved aiming mechanics that make them more viable in solo play. I’m an insect glaive player and love how much more fluid it feels to pull off quick and stylish combos, but hey, if you prefer the heavy-hitting bulk of heavier weapons or the precision of ranged weaponry, you’ll find yourself wholly satisfied by the enhanced arsenal here. New weapon techniques and combos have been introduced too, expanding the depth of combat to ensure your capabilities are more dynamic – something which is complemented by the dual weapon loadout offered by your Seikret mount. It is worth noting that there aren’t any new weapon types though, so if you were hoping to learn a completely new way to play, you might be a little disappointed.

And, of course, the monsters themselves are all a blast to face off against, with returning favourites joined by some all-new monstrosities that really up the ante with their ferocity. Everything looks better than ever in the game, but it’s always the monsters that stand out the most visually.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Whilst the series has traditionally had a steep learning curve with its gameplay, Monster Hunter Wilds makes several adjustments to ease new players into its mechanics. The structured campaign gradually introduces mechanics, while new quality-of-life improvements – such as the AI-controlled Support Hunters – help bridge the gap for solo players. It was something I really appreciated, because whilst the game is at its best when played with others, there are times where I just wanted to invest myself in a solo run. And don’t get me wrong, the depth and complexity that define the series remain intact, but everything just feels a bit more forgiving to ease players in.

Whilst Monster Hunter Wilds offers a strong narrative campaign that’ll really give players the thrill of the hunt, the REAL Monster Hunter experience only really begins once the credits roll. As expected, the post-game is packed with high-level hunts, challenging monsters, and endgame gear crafting, so there’s plenty to get stuck into. This is where the challenge really kicks in and where players will encounter more difficult variations of existing monsters, though the reward of being able to obtain the best gear makes it all worthwhile. It’s definitely an experience worth sticking with for the long-term, and given the support that Capcom has given other titles in the series post-release, I have no doubt that there’ll be plenty of additional content to incentivise players to keep coming back for more.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a beautiful game, with breathtaking environments, highly detailed monster designs, and some of the best animations the series has ever seen. The way creatures move, interact, and react to their surroundings adds a level of believability that enhances immersion, whilst it also makes it easier to notice their tells when performing attacks. Again, this might make things easier, but it adds to the immersion of the experience and makes each showdown feel more dramatic in design.

However, while the game’s art direction is outstanding, some technical shortcomings hold it back. Textures on certain surfaces can appear surprisingly low-resolution at times, whilst NPC models don’t carry the same depth of the monsters and environments. Monster Hunter Wilds offers three graphical modes: one prioritizing resolution, one favouring frame rate, and a balanced option, but unfortunately, none of these are perfect. The resolution mode provides a sharper image but locks the game at 30fps, while the performance mode delivers a smoother experience but can look blurry at times. The balanced mode tries to strike a middle ground, but occasional frame drops can still occur. While these issues won’t ruin the gameplay experience and players will each find something that suits them, it’s clear that Monster Hunter Wilds could have benefited from further optimisation… hopefully it’s something that some patches can address.

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://www.monsterhunter.com/wilds/