When I started the opening quest of Monster Hunter Wilds, the first thing that struck me was how quickly I became engrossed in the game’s narrative—especially because my character and my Palico companion now had voice acting. Sadly, the second problem was how badly this early preview build performed after I took over. I find Wilds quite exciting as it brings back my favorite aspects of Monster Hunter World and incorporates the excitement of Monster Hunter Rise’s improved mobility. In the few missions I played, it felt like a perfect mix between the two. I regret that its unrefined, in-development performance somewhat hampered my demo experience; however, if Capcom can resolve those flaws before launch the following year, Wilds may be the Monster Hunter I have been waiting for.
It is evident right away that Wilds has persisted in prioritizing the teasing out of some of the historically jagged edges of this series. For example, after being added as an automated option in the World’s Iceborne expansion and then given full control in Rise, rideable monster mounts return. This version tends more toward the latter, letting you take control at any moment while automatically following a target. Travel is made more exciting than Rise’s Spiribird busywork by your dino-bird, dubbed a Seikret, which can scamper across unique trails, glide, and give you time to use or acquire goods.
Convenience is important, but your mount has another feature that lets you switch between weapons while you are riding: a second weapon storage. This did not particularly appeal to me at first because I have always been an Insect Glaive main, but then I learned that you can use ranged weapons like blowguns when mounted. That completely reframed this system, enabling me to fire bullets at a monster that was backing down as my Seikret tracked it down automatically. When it was time to jump off, I could switch back to my Glaive. It seems like everyone is suddenly learning how to use ranged weapons, and I am all for that extra flexibility.
Regarding weapon changes, I can only really speak to my experience with the Insect Glaive, but I was surprised by the changes I noticed there. The majority of the changes appear to be in support of the new Focus Mode option, which allows you to aim your attacks at particular monster parts and special weak points. I discovered that when I attacked, I had a lot more possibilities to dodge or make small modifications. There also seemed to be fewer combinations that would conclude with a move that stopped my momentum and more chances to truly manage how I was dealing damage. Once more, I did not play long enough to fully understand that change, but it seems that the Rise concept of accelerating some of the more awkward aspects of fighting is still relevant, even if you are not flying around on a Wirebug this time. Once more, I did not play long enough to fully understand that change, but it seems that the Rise concept of accelerating some of the more awkward aspects of fighting is still relevant, even if you are not flying around on a Wirebug this time.
Wilds has persisted in making minor adjustments a top priority.
If you do not mind some gushing over Glaive specifically, two significant improvements drastically altered the battle style I was accustomed to. First of all, it was a big drag to find out that landing your airborne attack no longer launches you back into the air for a string of slicing helicopter blades. However, convenience changes more than makeup for the loss of that silly fun. For example, using a special Focus Strike move to hit a weak point will not only deal a ton of damage but will also instantly gather all three Kinsect essences, greatly accelerating the process in the middle to end of a hunt. (Managing that system feels less of a pain overall, and your aiming reticle now has a handy indicator that tells you which essence the monster portion you are aiming will provide.)
During my brief playthrough, I witnessed numerous instances of such small details – elements that enhance the overall Monster Hunter experience without detracting from its challenging and methodical pace. You can use your recovery items quickly to minimize waste, your hook can pick up most items from a distance (even while mounted), gathering points allow you to collect items a bit faster, you can finally pick up bomb barrels after placing them, and if you fire an SOS flare, your team will be filled with AI hunters until real people online can join.
There are a lot of changes that are not groundbreaking, but they all make so much sense that you can not help but wonder why things were not done this way earlier.
It all ran, of course, like a giant, buggy Gammoth in the room. Given that Wilds does not even have a release date beyond “2025” yet, I am prepared to give Capcom a fair amount of leeway in this case because there should be plenty of time to iron out any kinks. That being said, it is still important to note that this demo did not run well. Like, truly, very annoyingly horrible.
The framerate fell to the point where it was very impossible to play during busy times, and the group I was playing with experienced several major crashes. Again, this in-development build is by no means the final version of Wilds, but it is the version that Capcom decided to show us. As a result, I can not help but feel a little worried that, in the best-case scenario, Wilds may be released later in 2025 than I had anticipated, or in the worst-case scenario, Capcom may have bit off a bit more than it can chew.
This is partially due to the extremely impressive and ambitious scope, which seems to be an attempt to keep hunters in the field longer. The second mission I completed was designed more like Iceborne’s Guiding Lands, where you could stay on to explore or start a new mission right away, with world events and other dynamic things happening all around you, rather than sending you back to town after a successful hunt. On the map I saw, there was even a rather huge outpost with NPCs to talk to, instead of just a solitary tent. Although my demo did not give me much of a chance to explore this aspect of Wilds, it might make a big difference in how the fights feel.
Based on my observations, Wilds appears to be everything I had hoped for a Monster Hunter that retains the elements of Rise that made it so much more hospitable while also not sacrificing the grander scope and spectacle that made World the more memorable entry in my opinion. After only a few missions, it is difficult to predict exactly which direction the needle will point—or whether these structural changes will swing it somewhere else entirely—but I can not wait to play more to find out.
