Monster Hunter Wilds review: Capcom delivers a world beater with hugely ambitious successor

Monster Hunter games have stood the test of time and have proved so popular over the last two decades because they do exactly what they say on the tin so well.

Players hunt monsters in these action role-playing games and earn better equipment and skills to take on tougher foes either on their own or with others online.

Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry into the iconic Capcom series and it delivers a good story as well as building on the series' renowned complex combat and gameplay mechanics.

Capcom has tried to make this entry the most accessible to date without alienating its dedicated fanbase, in the hopes it will get all players to the same place, and it achieves exactly that with flying colours.

Monster Hunter Wilds story and modes (spoiler free)

The stories in Monster Hunter games are usually quite light and basically give a thread for the player to progress, play through its world and take down monsters but it's much different this time in Monster Hunter Wilds.

There is a chapter-by-chapter story here and while the focus is still primarily on the gameplay, the story holds up well.

Players take on the role of a professional monster hunter in dynamic and changing environments where humans and monsters live in a world where there are harsh and unforgiving locations as monsters fight each other for scarce resources and other areas which are vibrant and brimming with life.

A boy named Nata is discovered near the border of the Forbidden Lands which is a region believed to be uncharted.

He recounts how his village was attacked by a mysterious monster and in response, an expedition is launched to investigate with the player assigned to one of the units tasked with looking into a monster called the White Wraith and rescuing Nata's people.

Of course, many other people and tribes are ran into along the way with the Hunter's Guild helping out and working with these.

Without giving away any spoilers (including for those who have not played any of the betas), it starts with a bang before ebbing and flowing in terms of pacing but this is navigated well and the story is good with unexpected twists and turns along the way.

A lot more thought has gone into the story this time around and that really shows; it's truly bonkers in some places but it never loses its charm.

However conversations in the game don't flow as well as they could and feel a bit stop-start in some cases, instead of characters feeling like they're having a normal conversation.

Shortly after the start of the game, there are options to play by joining an online lobby, playing online single player, creating a private lobby or playing offline with full cross play support for online modes.

There's also a Gallery mode filled with all the cutscenes as the story progresses.

Monster Hunter Wilds is simply breathtaking visually / Screenshot from Capcom

Monster Hunter Wilds presentation

Monster Hunter Wilds is quite simply a stunning game.

The locations are incredibly varied, from fairly barren deserts to areas brimming with colour and life, and these all look amazing as players navigate through them.

The environment of each region changes dynamically too and when this happens, it's an absolute feast for the eyes.

Character models are very good although lip-syncing to match voices outside of cutscenes is noticeably lacking a bit.

The enemies look great too and are incredibly varied, as expected in this game, with a focus on frequent big battles.

However it's not quite perfect and although it's not the biggest issue, there are a few noticeable occasions when textures pop through others they shouldn't, with hair and equipment doing this fairly commonly.

indy100 experienced one occasion where after being slain, a monster's tongue pierced through rocks in the environment and came out the other side... That's one strong tongue. Players can also run through certain creatures too.

The mini map in the bottom left corner is a dynamic 3D tool and is really clear.

There may seem to be a lot of text on screen and this could be off-putting to people who haven't played a Monster Hunter game before but it's introduced gradually and it's incredibly useful to see which button does what in the early stages, especially as there's a fair bit to learn, and to see which weapon does what.

Players can follow mission objectives through luminous scoutflies and these stand out, clearly showing the player where they need to go. They do not disappear either so players don't have to keep opening a map, referring to a minimap or clicking a button to see where they need to go.

The accessibility options are really strong too.

The sound is excellent and the soundtrack itself is top notch, it really stands out as one of the best in recent games, enhancing the feeling of what's going on at all times during the game, both in action heavy moments, which there are a lot of, and quieter scenes.

Experiences of fighting different monsters, such as the Chatacabra here, always feels fresh and unique / Screenshot from Capcom

Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay

This is the big one as Monster Hunter games pride themselves on gameplay and Monster Hunter Wilds is simply exceptional.

The gameplay loop is straightforward - hunt monsters, kill them, loot them for better equipment, take on bigger foes, repeat - but the complexity of combat, how varied it is keeps and the different threats each monster poses keep this feeling fresh as the hours go on.

Elements of the game are gradually introduced but they're done so in a way that first-time players will be able to learn quite quickly while taking time to master it and series veterans will be able to speed through without it dragging.

For those who want to spend more time getting to grips with certain mechanics, there are areas to do just that after certain elements are introduced, which is great in making players feel like they can take the game at their own pace.

The game starts out with creating a character and the ability to customise your Pelico, a cat companion, and the customisable options are huge with endless options to pick the exact look and clothing colour palette players want.

Monster Hunter Wilds is littered with amusing cat puns too.

As in Monster Hunter World, there are 14 different weapon types. indy100 primarily used the great sword and dual blade options and it was incredibly fun being able to switch between landing big, heavy hits and blocking and then hitting quickly and managing to easily evade more when speed was necessary.

There are so many options to take down the main monsters through the environment, traps and loads more and each one feels like a climactic boss battle, even the side hunts just to gather more resources.

There's a clue in the word 'hunt' here too - it's not just a case of going to a location and slaying a monster but the player will have to properly track them down and learn their movements in certain situations.

Capcom has revamped quite a few things in Monster Hunter Wilds from previous entries, both in terms of quality of life updates and improved gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to move between different locations more easily and all the 14 weapon types having new combo options.

Wounds and weak points can be targeted using focus mode and focus strikes; pulling off these strikes to deal huge damage to weak points created through repeatedly hitting an enemy in a certain area never got tiresome.

Needless to say, there are some absolutely huge battles in this game.

Monsters can be fought again at any time to get more resources or just because they're so fun to take on.

Monster Hunter World had the series' first truly open world and Wilds' is bigger and better. The different locations are so varied, visually appealing and make incredible environments to navigate and homes to foes.

They're easily navigated through Seikrets (think Chocobos in Final Fantasy) and are useful in battle too as equipment can be stored on them to use when needed.

This is key as there is some maintenance to be done by the player, such as using a whetstone to keep blades sharp to deal the maximum amount of damage and having a portable grill to cook stat-boosting meals on, which is fairly essential and thankfully straightforward to do.

The seamlessness between wanting to play offline one minute and then online another is great as well.

For those not wanting to play online and are worried they may miss out, fear not, there are NPC characters who can join on hunts after SOS flares are sent up for help and they are great in assisting in taking down monsters.

After the main quest has been completed, there is still loads of content, including High Rank being unlocked where monsters that appear and the weather continuously changes.

Missions here will be unlocked as optional quests and side missions are progressed and the Hunter Rank is raised.

There is so much replayability through this game and loads of new content, with lots more to come, meaning gamers will be able to easily sink hundreds and hundreds of hours into this and not get anywhere close to feeling it's repetitive.

Monster Hunter Wilds is the best entry in the iconic Capcom series to date / Screenshot from Capcom

Verdict

Monster Hunter Wilds is the most ambitious title in the popular series so far and Capcom has delivered a brilliant entry once again.

It's the most accessible Monster Hunter game to date. Developers have previously said they want to get newbies and series veterans to the same place rather than delivering two separate experiences and they've brilliantly achieved that.

The story is good but the presentation and gameplay are the true standouts with stunning visuals, stellar combat mechanics and every big monster encounter feeling like a huge climactic boss battle.

For those that really get into it, there is so much on offer to really enjoy here that will keep players busy for a very long time.

9/10

For more from indy100, check out our recent reviews of PGA Tour 2K25 and Avowed.

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