Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest game in the Capcom franchise , which continues to take players on a journey to hunt and confront giant monsters in breathtaking action sequences. Canaltech received the latest title to bring you our review, as well as what to expect from its release on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
The game’s main goal is to present its key elements in a didactic way for newcomers, while renewing and raising all other standards. Behind the graphical leap, new mechanics, and the new structure interconnected with the story, lies a game that has the potential to captivate as much as the previous chapter: Monster Hunter World (which continues to attract a large number of players).
In other words, even though Monster Hunter Wilds maintains its core gameplay of map exploration, fighting monsters using strategy and environmental resources, cooperating with other hunters, and gathering materials (to create weapons, armor, and items), it goes further and offers fans a larger and more “complete” journey.
Pros
- The blend of story and gameplay creates a good pace.
- Dynamic combat and interactivity are well-designed.
- The artificial intelligence of the NPCs is excellent.
Cons
- The camera significantly hinders performance in combat.
- The difficulty was greatly reduced.
Technical specifications
- Developer: Capcom
- Producer: Capcom
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Release date: February 28, 2025
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, PC
- Multiplayer: Online (Co-op PvE)
- Tested on PS5 Pro using a code provided by the developer.
Freedom guide for Monster Hunter Wilds
Previously a secondary element in the franchise, the story now takes center stage in Monster Hunter Wilds. It guides players through the missions and creatures they encounter: map areas, monsters, armor, and everything else now depend on this factor.
Players now have an open-world map to explore (with interconnected areas that are unlocked as the story progresses). Its entire extent can be traversed, whether to hunt monsters outside of missions, gather resources, or search for “uncataloged activities.”
When we say there are “extra” actions in Monster Hunter Wilds, it means there’s more to do besides the main quests. Much of it involves following the story and events, unlocking equipment and bonuses gradually. However, if you’re feeling confident, you can wander aimlessly and perhaps find monsters not included in these activities, new fishing spots, rare items, and more.
This freedom dictates the path in the experience. There’s absolutely no problem in simply following the storyline, and everything it offers is even “quite generous.” However, Capcom makes room for courageous people who go beyond and do more than the basics. Those who choose to follow this path receive rewards according to what they face, which can lead to a major upgrade of their weapons and equipment.
A more dynamic adventure
All the freedom that the player has in Monster Hunter Wilds is also reflected in the combat. Those who accept missions will continue to follow the patterns of having to return to camp to replenish their item stock or being defeated up to three times before failing the task. However, you will notice instances where you will be very successful, but will only lack a claw, scale, or bone to assemble that cool weapon.
You don’t need to go back to the same mission and do everything again. Just find the monster on the map and go after it. Once you get what you want, you can leave it there and continue your adventure without any problems. It’s that simple. Of course, you won’t receive the money the guild offers for its usual tasks, but you’ll save some very welcome “grinding” time.
The combat is also more dynamic and shows how much more care Capcom has taken with the new features of Monster Hunter Wilds. We all know that it’s not enough to just start hitting the monster and expect it to fall sooner or later. A bit of strategy is necessary. With new options for players, this is expanded.
One of them is the presence of Seikret as a mount. He is extremely useful, especially in combat. By pressing a button, he can grab you in the middle of the fight to create more distance between you and the monster. Or, in drastic cases, give you space to search for and use an item that all the action previously prevented. Furthermore, while hunters previously had to stop somewhere to sharpen their weapon, they can now do so on the move with the “pseudo-Chocobo”.
In addition to the traps created by players, Monster Hunter Wilds also expands the number of natural traps and their creative effects. There are many scattered throughout the environments, waiting to be used and making your battles against creatures easier. In some cases, they are the difference between victory and defeat, making confrontations more balanced in the case of powerful monsters.
Exemplary artificial intelligence
One of the most impressive aspects is the advancements made to the artificial intelligence of the NPCs, whether they are enemies or allies. If you stop and observe any of them, you’ll notice that they have several actions independent of yours, and this adds a greater “spice” to the entire journey.
Regarding your allies, it’s actually quite fun: want to talk to Alma to see the next missions? Or to Gemma to upgrade your equipment? They might be casually strolling through the places you visit. There are even times when they stop, observe, and even interact with other NPCs.
The same applies to combat, with characters that truly help in offline battles. During testing, the Monster Hunter Wilds servers were offline, which led me to test the efficiency of the support team against the game’s AI. And they save lives, by the way. They attack, dodge, draw attention, plant traps, heal you, execute the complete combo, and in a very useful way.
This also applies to the creatures, which have a wider range of actions in the game. None of them stand still (except when they have a negative status effect), they react to every move the player makes and use all parts of their body to win. Furthermore, when battles become more intense, they can become more aggressive or even try to escape your attacks more frequently.
That’s where the fun in Monster Hunter Wilds comes in, since during these escapes they can encounter others and engage in fights that go beyond the player (who benefits from this, logically). There are also cases of others wandering around and being attacked, joining the fight “for free”. And there are no limits; in our test we’ve seen up to four monsters fighting simultaneously.
Details that deserve attention.
It’s no secret that Capcom is bringing the Monster Hunter franchise to ultra-realism, and this is reflected in Monster Hunter Wilds. Even playing in Performance Mode, which offers 60 FPS, it still boasts exceptional graphics that don’t fall short compared to the latest releases of 2024.
There are two battles in Monster Hunter Wilds that stand out in this regard. One is against Uht Duna, which takes place under a torrential downpour in the middle of a lake – creating numerous waves as you move, making it a true visual spectacle. The other is Rey Dau, where you’ll face off while lightning strikes the field, bringing a light show to the experience.
Despite playing before the first update, which should arrive with the launch of Wilds, minor bugs and issues were found within the game. All those observed (whether graphical or performance-related) can be considered “minor,” will likely be fixed in the first patches, and do not hinder the overall gameplay. We guarantee that it was 100% playable from start to finish, something that is very important nowadays.
What continues to frustrate fans in Monster Hunter Wilds is its camera. It’s not just once or twice, but several times when you’re underneath a monster or “trapped” between it and the wall, making it impossible to see what’s happening or where to aim your attacks. Regardless of your experience level with the franchise, this is disruptive and becomes a constant annoyance.
It’s also noticeable that there’s a certain “weariness” in the game’s storytelling. While the beginning features more cutscenes, visits to locations with leisure time, and groundwork, between chapters 2 and 3 the structure becomes similar to that seen in Mortal Kombat: you fight something, return to base for some narrative advancement, then go on to fight another monster – and this repeats until the end.
Too much focus on accessibility.
Monster Hunter Wilds is designed to attract an even larger number of players, but this could become a problem for those who have been following the franchise for some time. If you enjoyed the difficulty of Monster Hunter World and even the difficulty seen in MH Rise, it’s important to know that in the new chapter the battles are much easier.
We mentioned the presence of Seikret and other traps, but it goes a little further than that. Besides being able to ride your enemies to inflict a considerable amount of damage (like in Monster Hunter Rise), repeatedly attacking a part of the monsters’ bodies causes it to glow, allowing you to perform another action that deals even more damage – significantly reducing the duration of battles.
While some battles present a real challenge to players and test their skills, most will be nothing more than a minor annoyance for those who know what they’re doing. There are creatures that impress with their presentation and in-game reports, but in the actual fight they cause less trouble than the first bosses.
Even exploring the Monster Hunter Wilds environment is easier. Not that anyone likes getting lost on the maps, but now you just press a button and Seikret takes you directly to where you want to go. That’s right, you don’t even need the search part of your hunt anymore. Just climb on and it will take you straight to the monster you’re going to face.
Is Monster Hunter Wilds worth playing?
Compared to Monster Hunter World and Rise, Monster Hunter Wilds stands out considerably and offers much more to celebrate than to criticize. It serves not only as a new entry point into the franchise, but as a true celebration of the two decades it has been present in the gaming industry (it turned 20 in 2024).
Not only in terms of graphics and quality, but the inclusion of the story and various other elements within the new adventure has brought a welcome renewal that may offer even more advantages in the future. If you’re expecting DLCs and expansions, the base game itself has a rich post-game that not only continues the events seen in the plot, but also introduces other iconic monsters.
I recommend giving Monster Hunter Wilds a chance, as it truly lives up to its role as one of the biggest releases of the first half of 2025. It opens the franchise to a new generation of fans and technology, and will give you a “small taste” of what to expect for the future of the series in video games.