Experiencing Monster Hunter Wilds Hands-On Impressions
In the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds, you'll be hunting, chopping, and cooking like never before. But this time, you'll put the beast's excrement to good use too! One of the early missions has you flinging a new resource called "Large Dung" at a pack of roaming monsters. This helps to scatter them and makes the "alpha" an easier target as he moves to a solitary clearing.
Whether you're a lone wolf or part of a pack, Monster Hunter Wilds has got you covered. It retains the core gameplay from previous titles like Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Rise, but with some improvements to make the experience more enjoyable. The game drops you in as a hunter, tasked with venturing into the "Forbidden Lands" to do what you do best and maybe even find a lost expedition along the way.
At the start, you'll hop on a new rideable companion called the Seikret. You can fire off weapons or perform simple slashes from this trusty steed, which also allows you to access two weapons without returning to base. It's not as detailed as a horse from Red Dead: Redemption II, but it's more than enough to help you travel from area to area, killing monsters.
The combat in Monster Hunter Wilds is more responsive than ever. You can cancel out of attack animations easily, which saves tons of frustration, especially as you get used to the different combos and weapons like the Longsword or the Insect Glaive. My personal favorite was the glaive, with its epic aerial attacks. But the longsword felt more staid in comparison, offering more combo opportunities but less excitement.
Monster Hunter Wilds also features some impressive atmosphere. The weather, for instance, can dynamically change during combat encounters. A sudden thunderstorm struck me during my playthrough, and it looked incredible. The game has a deep system of timing mechanics, where attacking at the right moment can lead to extra damage. I encountered situations where lightning struck a monster and damaged it significantly. These weather effects may play a larger role in future combat encounters, but they definitely add to the overall experience.
Graphically, Monster Hunter Wilds looks fantastic, with a brown-and-tan color palette that adds to the game's dark and chaotic atmosphere. However, the story and characters aren't as compelling, seeming bland and friendly. The gameplay is the real draw here, especially when playing with friends. Combining weapons and working together to take down monsters is nothing short of thrilling.
Monster Hunter Wilds is set to launch in 2025 on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. And let's be real, nothing says teamwork quite like slinging massive piles of monster poop at your friends. So grab your pals, your weapons, and your sense of humor, because Monster Hunter Wilds is here to bring a whole new level of foul fun to the monster-hunting genre!
- Technology-wise, the weather system in Monster Hunter Wilds dynamically changes during combat encounters, showcasing impressive atmospheric effects.
- In the game's palette, there is a predominant brown-and-tan color scheme that reinforces the game's dark and chaotic atmosphere.
- I found the game's approach to integrating monster excrement, particularly Large Dung, to be especially innovative, as it serves as a unique resource in the game.
- Here's an interesting review point for the future releases of Monster Hunter titles: implementing the weather effects beyond massive damage potential and incorporating more elements from the palette to enhance the overall gaming experience.
