Monster Hunter Wilds
CAPCOM
The unbridled force of nature runs wild and relentless, with environments transforming drastically from one moment to the next. This is a story of monsters and humans and their struggles to live in harmony in a world of duality.
Monster Hunter Wilds takes everything we love about MH Wold and MH Rise while also improving the already excellent gameplay. It’s not a perfect game but, the most recent addition to the Monster Hunter series is a fun and fantastic game that tries to welcome new players to the series. Developed by Capcom, the new game has a brand new story that doesn’t feel too different from the previous titles. It’s very new player-friendly, which does bring a few issues, but this is also the perfect game for newcomers to the series to pick up and play.
After finding an injured young boy in the wasteland, he reveals that he comes from The Forbidden Lands. It’s an uncharted region of the Old World that’s been isolated for over two thousand years due to the Hunter’s Guild assuming it was uninhabited. The boy claims his people were attacked by a previously thought-to-be-extinct monster known as the White Wraith. Naturally, the player and a small group from the Hunter’s Guild are sent to escort the young boy back home while mapping the region.
The NPC group you travel with is predetermined but brings a lot of life to the game. Monster Hunter Wilds is full of NPC character arcs, supported by incredibly animated cutscenes, that only make your companions more likeable. Each NPC is a specialist in different skills which make them crucial to the journey and as battle companions.
It takes at least 15 hours to complete the main game but it can take a lot longer. While the story itself is a little weak, the gameplay is the star of this game.
Pros
Seamless realistic open world
Fluid intuitive combat
Wide range of monsters
Personable and lovable companions
Arachnophobia mode
Cons
Lacks any real challenge
Story is a little bland
Minor issues
Performance issues on low end PCs
Like the other Monter Hunter games, this one is an ARPG played in third-person where the player controls a customised character to take on different quests, slay monsters and complete the mission goal. In Monster Hunter. Players can slay or capture the different monsters they encounter to gain different rewards which can be used to craft new weapons, armour, other gear and beneficial consumables to defeat tougher monsters.
Fighting monsters and exploration are the most important game elements in the series. The 14 weapon types from MH World are still included which gives players a good range of combat style options. Injuring a monster will leave it vulnerable to other attacks and extra damage which is great with Focus mode which lets players specifically target specific body parts. There’s also the potential of environmental hazards which might help you win fights but they can also make it much harder for you.
The AI is pretty decent. Monsters have a predator/prey system where predators will actively hunt prey monsters while others will have herding behaviour to protect themselves. The weather and time of day also affect how monsters behave with some only being visible during certain weather conditions. These ‘small’ things make the game feel much more alive and realistic.
The Forbidden Land is made up of several biomes which blend to form a single, large open world. Players can move between their hunter village and the larger world without hard-loading barriers. Thankfully, there’s a mount players can use to get around.
In conclusion Monster hunter wilds is really fun, and anyone familiar with the series will like it a lot. The gameplay loop hasn’t changed, and Capcom has implemented a ton of quality of life changes that make it more accessible to people who want to hunt more and grind materials less. The best bit for me is that Monster Hunter Wilds supports four-player co-op online multiplayer which also works cross-platform. However the single-player experience is still great and you’ll be given three support hunters to fight with. P.s if your scared of spiders, there’s even an arachnophobia mode to replace models of spider-like monsters with an amorphous blob instead.
If you’re looking for a cheap deal head over to Kinguin. We’re also teaming with them in giving you a chance to win your own copy over on our giveaway page so make sure your entered!
Overall Rating
