Monster Hunter: Wilds Review

Capcom’s Monster Hunter series has long been a giant of the action RPG genre, enthralling players with its combination of exhilarating combat, complicated crafting systems, and breathtaking monster designs. The release of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28, 2025, marks a significant step forward for the franchise, continuing on the worldwide success of Monster Hunter: World while offering ambitious new features that revolutionise the hunting experience. Monster Hunter Wilds, available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, is a spectacular open-world adventure that immerses players in the untamed Forbidden Lands. Here’s all you need to know about the next-generation hunting adventure.

Monster Hunter Wilds’s most noticeable advancement is a seamless, dynamic open environment known as the Forbidden Lands. Unlike previous editions’ divided landscapes, this unexplored territory has broad biomes—ranging from dry deserts to lush forests—that move smoothly without loading screens. The environment is alive with detail, with weather systems that change radically, from searing sandstorms to torrential rains, impacting both monster behaviour and hunting techniques.

The game features three separate environmental states: Plenty, Fallow, and Inclemency, which cycle naturally. During Plenty, the area is teeming with fauna and lush greenery, but Fallow and Inclemency bring harsher circumstances, causing voracious monster packs to roam in quest of food. This dynamic ecology not only improves immersion but also adds an element of unpredictability to each hunt, requiring players to adjust to the world’s ever-changing moods.

Monster Hunter Wilds improves the series’ hunting mechanics and introduces unique features to keep the gameplay fresh. The 14 famous weapon types—Great Sword, Dual Blades, Bow, and more—return, each with new techniques and improved by the game’s “Focus Mode.” This feature enables hunters to accurately target monster weak places, resulting in wounds that may be exploited for tremendous damage, making battle more tactical and approachable while maintaining depth.

The new Seikret mount, a bird-like companion that replaces the Palamute from Monster Hunter Rise, allows you to take two weapons into the field, which is a game changer. The Seikret not only helps with movement by gliding across rough terrain and smelling out goals, but it also allows players to shift weapons in the middle of a hunt, providing unparalleled versatility. The Slinger, a tool from World, has been upgraded, allowing hunters to acquire objects from a distance or trigger environmental traps, expanding their strategic choices.

Hunting seems more smooth than ever. Quests may now begin in the field when a target is encountered, and hub areas connect to hunting fields without interruption. Monsters engage in sophisticated behaviours, such as pack dynamics headed by alphas or intricate turf conflicts, which add complexity and spectacle to each fight.

For the first time in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds focusses more on narrative. Players take on the position of a customisable Hunter sent by the Guild to explore the Forbidden Lands following the discovery of Nata, a youngster whose tribe had been destroyed by a strange entity known as the “White Wraith.” Accompanied by a cast of fully spoken characters—including Alma, the quest manager, and Gemma, the smithy—the plot examines the delicate balance between humans and the wild, all against a backdrop of gorgeous cutscenes.

The main monster, Arkveld (the White Wraith), leads a lineup that includes new dangers as well as old favourites such as Mizutsune and Gypceros. Each creature is meticulously crafted to reflect its surroundings, demonstrating Capcom’s expertise in monster ecology and motion.

Monster Hunter Wilds maintains the series’ cooperative spirit by allowing four-player online hunts with cross-platform play—a first for the brand. Solo gamers can hire AI-controlled assistance hunters, and the SOS Flare system returns to seek help in the middle of a battle. Capcom has also sought to make the game more friendly, with shortened tutorials and concepts like Focus Mode easing novices into the hunt, but some veterans report a lower difficulty curve compared to previous versions.

Monster Hunter Wilds, which uses Capcom’s RE Engine, is a visual and technological accomplishment. The game’s wide vistas and complex monster models shine on next-generation hardware, but PC gamers noted performance issues at launch, which Capcom is addressing with patches. With over 8 million copies sold in its first three days, it has already become Capcom’s fastest-selling game, solidifying its standing as a cultural behemoth.

The journey does not end with launch. The first free title update is scheduled for early April 2025, and will include stronger monsters and a new social centre. Cosmetic DLC packs are also on the way, including layered armour and Seikret decorations for those looking to customise their experience.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a radical progression of a popular franchise, combining the excitement of the hunt with a live landscape that feels really wild and unforgiving. Its open-ended architecture, better gameplay, and richer storyline distinguish it as a notable entry, even if it occasionally sacrifices some of the series’ customary difficulty for greater appeal. Whether you’re an experienced hunter or a curious beginner, the Forbidden Lands beckon with adventure and the promise of numerous epic conflicts to come.