Monster Hunter Wilds Hands-on Preview – Herd Mentality

Gamescom, the world’s largest video game convention, has recently wrapped up in Germany. During events like these, occasionally publishers create their own in-person versions around the world for those who cannot attend the main event. Capcom was one such publisher, who opted to also host their own “Gamescom in Los Angeles” for invited media and influencers. MP1st traveled to Los Angeles to get some hands-on time with the very same games on offer by Capcom. Monster Hunter Wilds was easily one of the biggest names there, and we managed to take the reigns of the latest entry in this venerable franchise for a couple of missions. Find out how the game is shaping up in our Monster Hunter Wilds preview!

Greatest Fidelity Yet

The most noticeable change this time around is the overall look and feel of Monster Hunter Wilds. The game has been built using the RE Engine, only now, it’s only being released on current-generation consoles, alongside Windows. The difference is immediately apparent upon first feasting your eyes on the introductory cutscene. Character models, environmental details, lighting, it all looks much higher-fidelity than we have ever seen in a Monster Hunter game. The build we played was running on a development PS5 system, and the RE Engine seemed to be targeting 30 frames-per-second. While there is no official word yet on whether or not there will be a fidelity/performance graphics toggle as is common in larger games such as this, with no set release date other than 2025, anything is possible this early in development. While I did notice some slowdown from time to time, generally things ran as smoothly as you could expect at a 30 fps target.

Monster Hunter Wilds has a big focus on the last word in its title. I was thrown into the start of the game, and after running through a couple of preset character options, set out on a boat that was crossing a desert, which is a delightfully absurd fictional method of transportation. The epic first mission involved fighting some sand worms that were seemingly crossed with Eldritch horrors, to save a stranger whom the worms were pursuing. We also got a taste of the game’s cutscenes. All were fully voiced, and well-scripted. Most seemed to take the subject matter seriously, though as with a lot of stories there were moments of levity peppered throughout. The reality of living in a world full of large monsters is that there is a lot of work to be done, and people always need help in some form or another. It’s an intriguing world that should easily make for an entertaining story.

A World Teeming With Life

The ”Wilds” part of the title refers to the wildlife on full display in Monster Hunter Wilds. Full herds of animals of all sizes can be seen roaming nearly every biome we encountered. One of the missions we were placed on taught us the importance of breaking up these herds when needed. We were tasked with taking out an alpha version of a large, bear-like creature. The only problem was, they were in a herd of three of them. One on their own is a formidable challenge, so taking on the whole pack all at once would be a suicidal task. By using a large dung projectile, we could cause the creatures to be covered in a smelly residue, which would cause the herd to break up. From there, we used the map to track our prey, and thus began the more traditional Monster Hunter cycle of attacking until the target moves areas, then pursuing them (this time on a mount which could automatically follow the scent of the animal), rinsing and repeating until the creature was either captured or defeated.

Monster Hunter isn’t known for being an easy game, and all of the same systems fans are used to from previous entries are here. You are expected to manage your loadouts before going out on a mission, and anything you forgot you’ll just have to do without, or make in the field with resources gathered while out on your hunt. As you tackle objectives, however, occasionally additional resources will be dropped into a nearby campsite. Each campsite is chosen and built by you, with changing odds of whether or not the campsite will remain safe or even intact. Clearing out aggressive creatures in the area first will help to keep a camp running free of dangers.

Familiar, With Beginner-Friendly Nods

Speaking of familiar systems, Monster Hunter Wilds features fourteen different types of weapons, each with their own specialties, advantages, and disadvantages to ensure there is a weapon for your play style. An especially helpful feature is that you can talk to someone at your camp, and by answering a few simple fighting-related questions, you’ll receive a weapon recommendation. You can practice using the weapon on a nearby dummy model before heading out, too, so the game encourages you to find your perfect tool for the job.

Monster Hunter Wilds also encourages exploration. There are a lot of resources to collect when out and about, from minerals and plant materials, to live bugs that can enhance gameplay, and perhaps other lore-enhancing items that are harder to spot. Fallen animals can also be scavenged – larger foes can have their resources harvested multiple times. If playing in co-op, every player has a chance at scavenging, so there is no rushing to collect everything before your teammates.

A Lot to Look Forward To

Some of Monster Hunter’s best moments occur organically, and even in my short 90-minute session I was able to experience a couple of them. Like the time I mounted the bear-like creature mentioned earlier. I was able to do so when its back was turned to me. Naturally, this enemy didn’t like being climbed upon, so I had to hold on for dear life while it thrashed violently in a futile effort to throw me off from it. After a couple of rounds of this, I managed to slice at its neck and shoulders, before finally being able to perform a finishing move. While this move didn’t kill the creature outright, it did do a decent amount of damage, and looked flashy to boot.

Monster Hunter Wilds looks to catapult the long-running series into the current generation of consoles, with an impressive look and feel to its world. A dynamic and persistent world should make for some unique interactions, and no doubt will lead to memorable fights players will love to share with others. Besides an occasionally choppy frame rate which can likely be chalked up to an early state of development, this is a core Monster Hunter release that fans should feel excited for. So, double-check your equipment and prepare those Whetstones as we barrel towards Monster Hunter Wilds’ release on Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2025.

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