Monster Hunter Wilds looks to be the pinnacle of the series’ addictive gameplay | Hands-on preview
A game series now into its twentieth year, across numerous generations of handheld and console, Monster Hunter Wilds looks to be the pinnacle of the series’ addictive gameplay, a true gem. Seemingly a direct sequel to 2018’s Monster Hunter World, the first game in the series to do some ridiculously huge sales numbers in the West, you’ll once again grab your trusty weapon of choice and ride out into the unknown to battle once more. And just what a world it’s shopping up to be.
One of the very first things that I noticed following the enthralling cinematic opening cutscenes was the sheer scale of the environment. With a map that dwarfs even the largest from previous entries, the world feels, well, alive. Monsters move in herds or packs, roaming the sandy dunes and arid plains, not just the herbivores lazily grazing but the actual predators themselves. There’s a level of detail in the ecology of the Forbidden Lands that surpasses even the depths seen in Monster Hunter World or Iceborne. This is a far cry from the segmented areas of previous generations. Everything feels alive and vital, like a world you could step into and lose yourself in. This is weather fronts moving across stormy skies, bringing thunder and lightning. This is sand smoothly shifting beneath your feet as you stalk your prey. This is an ecosystem that thrives heedless of your presence. This is hunting.
Doshaguma was my first target, an earth-toned, densely-haired, fanged beast, something of a cross between a bear and a large, really ugly dog-lion-thing. When first tasked to hunt them, it’s not such a simple proposition as in previous games. This time you have to separate the pack or risk life and limb taking on three of these lumbering nightmares at once. Luckily, you have the tools to hand to make light work of a sticky situation. Fire off a dung pod, which is exactly what you might think it is, and the Doshoguma scatter, allowing a much easier time as you chase down the Alpha of the pack for a one on one showdown.
Whilst you could pursue on foot, the newly introduced Seikret is an agile mount for you to ride, allowing for a much faster traversal method. Not only can you mark up the monster and have the Siekret track it for you autonomously but you can craft, sharpen and easily grab items from the world around you with your Slinger as you rush by, whilst your feathery friend does all of the hard work, leaping from boulder to boulder. It also acts as a mobile weapon storage, making the most of another new feature, the ability to carry two weapons per hunter. Gone are the days of having to choose one weapon over another, as you can now have the best of both worlds whilst out in the wilds. It’s a god-send for when you might want to carve off the tail of a Rathian or Rathalos and only have your blunt weapon to hand. Just run over to your Seikret and grab something with a little more bite before setting about your victim and chopping away.
After a lengthy chase across jagged rocks and through craggy caves, I finally came face to ugly face. With my weapon of choice in hand, a rather large hammer (I’m a simple man at heart: Hunt, Beat, Kill, Repeat), I set about battering the poor animal about the head.
Wounding monsters has been a large part of the series for a while and it’s in Monster Hunter Wilds that this has been stepped up a notch. Wounds can now be obviously highlighted in a red glow when entering Focus, a new mode that allows for easier targeting of damaged limbs. I can see this being a huge boon for newcomers, offering an immediate point of focus when attempting to stagger or stun your prey. There are also Focus based special moves for each weapon, allowing you to make the most of the damage that you have already inflicted.
It was a hard fought trade off, but I finally bested the beast and carved away some premium parts. Normally, you would have to travel back to a central hub at this point, the quest now over. This isn’t the case anymore as you can now stay out and continue to hunt, with mobile camps out in the wilderness allowing you to trade, craft, and rest without the need for loading screens to break up the immersion. Just brush yourself off and crack on with the next hunt.
In my case, this is a Chatacabra, an amphibian with a huge tongue that it uses not only offensively but also to lick it’s own forelimbs. Leaving a sticky residue, the spiky frog will stick rock and mud to itself before trying to pound you. Combat feels fluid and lithe as you dodge and roll about, dodging attacks and lunging at openings. The sense of weight that I associate with the series is still as fantastic as ever, with hits feeling huge whether you are the one doling out punishment or the recipient of a rocky fist to the face.
Following a short but brutal encounter, curiosity got the better of me and I wandered out into the world, wanting to soak up the gorgeous vistas whilst I can. I stood and looked across the seemingly endless beauty, blissfully enjoying every second… until Rae Dau, a massive flying wyvern decided now would be a great time to drop out of the sky and onto my head.
The apex predator of the area, this blue and gold dragon-like terror has the ability to harness and make use of the electrical storms in the locale, making not only its size and sheer aggression terrifying but also the threat of being fried by an elemental attack a real issue. It can one-shot you with a single charged up beam of focused energy, should you lose concentration. Fortunately another new feature is to have a visual effect appear on your health bar prior to the formidable attack, allowing you a few precious moments to Superman dive out of the way and recollect yourself for the retaliation.
Thus ended my time in this amazing world, leaving me exhilarated and in desperate need of more. Everything that I have seen and played so far has gone above and beyond even my wildest dreams. Immersion is complete and utter. The combat is brutal yet nuanced. The sights and sounds of the Forbidden Lands are genuinely breath-taking.
Yes, Monster Hunter Wilds lives up to the hype and expectations so far. Yes, February 28th 2025 is too far away. Yes, it’s going to take over my life all over again and yes, this is going to become your new favourite game.
Monster Hunter Wilds is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, and Pc on February 28th, 2025.
