As a hunter who has played through Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Rise, Wilds not only inherits the familiar hunting feel of the series but also reconstructs a wild world with the RE Engine. Centered on ecological immersion and driven by combat innovations, it delivers an experience that balances hardcore gameplay with modern sensibilities, while still having some flaws waiting to be polished.
Graphics & Optimization: Immersion Comes with Hardware Requirements
Monster Hunter: Wilds excels in visual presentation and ecological detail. The seamless open world, combined with dynamic weather and seasonal cycles (abundance and desolation phases), directly influences hunting strategies, offering unparalleled immersion.
However, this high level of immersion relies on demanding hardware. On PC, 4K high settings struggle to maintain a stable 60 FPS even with mid-to-high-end configurations (e.g., i5-14600KF + RTX 4070 Ti Super), with frame drops in intense battles. Low-end PCs often face stutters and polygon glitches. Console players on PS5 also have to choose between graphics quality and frame rate. Additionally, the game retains the RE Engine’s signature "oily texture," and the overuse of dark scenes undermines some visual expressiveness.
Combat Mechanics: From Combo Spamming to Strategic Hunting
Abandoning the exaggerated mobility of Rise, Wilds returns to the weighty combat feel of World. Its core innovation lies in the Wound System and Focus Mode, which lower the barrier for new players while providing veteran hunters with diverse tactical options.
Sustained attacks on a monster’s body part create a glowing red wound; locking onto and breaking these wounds with Focus Mode triggers high damage, forced flinches, and exclusive finishing moves. All 14 weapons receive targeted tweaks, with new combos and improved recovery times. Difficulty is well-tiered: low-rank quests are beginner-friendly (completable in around 8 hours), while high-rank content delivers the series’ iconic hardcore challenge—though this may leave veterans lacking excitement in the early game.
Ecology & Narrative: A Vivid Wilderness Ecosystem
Breaking the traditional loop of "load quest - hunt - return to camp," Wilds features seamless transitions between camps and the open world. The story, centered on the "White Shadow," focuses on the bonds of the hunter team, with vivid NPCs (e.g., Nata, Alma, Gemma) and cinematic cutscenes that enhance the theme of "protecting nature."
Rich ecological details breathe life into the world: Palicos interact with Grimalkynes and small monsters, footprint lizards only appear in the abundance phase, and territorial disputes between creatures occur randomly. Side activities like collecting rare creatures and documenting monster behaviors add depth, while features like portable cookstoves and persistent buffs deepen the survival immersion.
Social Features & QoL: Trade-Offs in Convenience
Modern QoL improvements streamline gameplay: 100-player lobbies, squad systems (supporting up to 8 squads per player), cross-task weapon switching, smart item usage, and mount auto-pathfinding reduce tedious operations. The refined character creator and gender-neutral armor designs also cater to customization needs.
However, convenience comes with trade-offs. The main story is relatively short (completable in 30+ hours for veterans), and endgame content is lacking at launch—though Capcom has promised free updates with new monsters. Additionally, forced slow-moving riding segments in cutscenes and over-reliance on returning monsters slightly mar the experience.
Conclusion: A New Hunting Chapter of Inheritance and Innovation
With its in-depth innovations in ecology and combat, Monster Hunter: Wilds lives up to its reputation as a spiritual successor to World. It is accessible to new players while offering enough depth for veterans. Despite launch issues like optimization flaws and limited content, its solid core gameplay and commitment to post-launch updates make it a must-play for hunters.
