Monster Hunter Wilds Review: The Ultimate Beast-Slaying Evolution

Monster Hunter Wilds Review: The Ultimate Beast-Slaying Evolution

By Marcus Chen

March 4, 2025 at 12:41 AM

Monster Hunter Wilds builds upon the successful foundation of Monster Hunter World while introducing exciting new features that enhance the core monster-hunting experience.

The combat system remains engaging with the addition of Focus Mode, allowing players to target and break specific monster weak points for extra damage. All 14 weapon types benefit from this mechanic, adding strategic depth to fights.

A major innovation is the Seikret, a bird-like mount that enables seamless map traversal and gliding. Players can equip a second weapon on their Seikret, allowing for mid-combat weapon swapping to adapt to different situations. This flexibility adds meaningful tactical choices during hunts.

Person faces off against monster

Person faces off against monster

The game world is more dynamic than ever, featuring:

  • Weather changes affecting gameplay
  • Day/night cycles
  • Varied flora and fauna
  • Customizable pop-up camps for fast travel
  • Seamless area transitions

The Hook Slinger streamlines material gathering by allowing remote collection, while the SOS Flare system enables smooth cooperative play with up to three other players.

Horseback rider in forest path

Horseback rider in forest path

While the story serves mainly as a framework for progression, the real depth comes from the extensive endgame content. High Rank missions introduce challenging monster variants and new gear to craft, with planned seasonal updates promising additional content.

Key Improvements:

  • Seamless weapon switching during combat
  • Enhanced exploration mechanics
  • Streamlined gathering system
  • Extensive customization options
  • Regular content updates planned

Drawbacks:

  • Complex control scheme for newcomers
  • Some PC performance issues
  • Basic storyline

Monster Hunter Wilds successfully evolves the franchise formula while maintaining its addictive core gameplay loop of hunting, gathering, and crafting. With hundreds of hours of potential content and upcoming free updates, it's a strong contender for Game of the Year.

Monster reaching out with arms

Monster reaching out with arms

The game excels in providing both solo and cooperative experiences, allowing players to tackle challenges at their own pace while maintaining the series' signature depth and complexity.

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