Monster Hunterhas been around since 2004. It has touched almost every console and portable out there including the PS2, PSP, 3DS, Xbox One, and so on. Players may have tried to get on board whenMonster Hunter: Worldcame out in 2018 which did trip up the formula seemingly for the better. Still, it was complicated and Capcom made some more strides into making the series more accessible withMonster Hunter Rise.
This latest entry feels like the culmination of the efforts Capcom made withMonster Hunter: WorldandMonster Hunter Rise.Monster Hunter Wildsfeels easier than past entries, especially for players planning to get into the game solo. Let’s go through why this game is good for beginners.
6Support Hunters
No Longer In Need Of Real Players
Support Hunters are the big new addition that is going to help carry players through the game. Players can go into the settings and choose whether they want just Support Hunters to join the fight or a mixture of Support Hunters and online players. The addition of Support Hunters allows new players to learn the ropes while hanging back.
It’s unclear how much damage these A.I.-based Hunters do, but they certainly distract monsters even more so than Palicos. There are three from base camp who will join randomly including Alessa, Olivia, and Rosso. If only one joins, their Palico will join the fight as well, and overall these Support Hunters makesingle-player a dream inMonster Hunter Wilds.
5Wounding Monsters
Focusing On Monsters
There are no HP bars other than the player’s. Capcom is still under the impression that battle scars and the way a monster walks will be enough for players to see how they are doing in a fight. They did implement one new mechanic to at least damage and subdue monsters faster though.
Repeatedly attacking an area of a monster inMonster Hunter Wildswill open up a Wound. Players can then enter Focus Mode to directly attack these glowing areas to deal critical damage. Hitting these marks will usually cause monsters to collapse, giving players ample amount of time to strike while they struggle meaning it has less time to attack players.
4Crafting Gear
Spend Less Time Grinding
There is another reason why striking Wounds is beneficial to the player. Most of the time they will loosen a piece of material that they can then use to craft weapons orarmor inMonster Hunter Wilds. The gameplay loop, since 2004, has always been pretty simple to follow. Players will go in alone or with a party to hunt a giant monster.
They will attack that monster, kill it for parts, and then go home to craft better gear. The problem was that to complete a full set of armor, players needed to do hunts on repeat, praying for specific parts to drop. With Wounds, players shouldn’t have to worry about grinding a monster as many times thus lessening the exhaustion players can get from repeating the same fights over and over again.
3Money Is Not A Problem
Never Sell Loot
Getting enough monster parts was only one of the problems plaguing the series before this. Besides materials, they also need money, or Zenny which is the Capcom regular currency, to craft gear. Zenny grinding wasn’t too wild inMonster Hunter: WorldorMonster Hunter RisebutZenny is even less of a problem inMonster Hunter Wilds.
If players fight every monster enough to complete every set of monster armor in the low-tier levels and stick with one weapon tree, then they shouldn’t have a problem with Zenny. If players attempt to craft every single weapon of the fourteen available then it may become more of a grind. Overall though, the concept of money grinding is laughable in Monster Hunter Wilds unless players are just really bad at money management.
2Your New Mount
And Mounting Monsters
Mounting monsters became a more focused gameplay mechanic inMonster Hunter: World. It was hard to do because players either had to time jumps from a ledge perfectly or master the Insect Glaive which could give skilled players flight. TheInsect Glaive is still a cool weapon inMonster Hunter Wildsbut there are easier ways to mount a monster now. Mounting monsters, to note, is a great way to create Wounds.
First, Seikrets are a new addition toMonster Hunter Wildsas a permanent mount players can take into battle. With enough momentum, they can jump off their Seikret and attempt to mount a monster. Besides that, there are more grappling points in levels to try and get onto a monster too. Seikrets are also great for getting around maps faster, they have side satchels to store items, and players can even switch weapons mid-fight which helps alleviate the tedium of returning to pop-op tents to switch out gear.
1The Structure Of The World
A True Next-Gen Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter: Worldwas the first game in the series that created a semi-open-world as players could explore biomes without having to go into dozens of loading zones. That trend continued intoMonster Hunter Risebut nowMonster Hunter Wildsis a true open-world experience which is enhanced with the Seikrets. Players can travel from the first zone, the Windward Plains, to the last zone, the Ruins of Wyveria, all on their Seikrets.
With fast travel, that wouldn’t make sense in the game but the point remains true. Overall, the game looks and controls like a proper next-gen entry in the series. While the controls can still feel complicated to beginners, it is smoother between movement and attacking monsters than past entries. With better controls and frame rates, it’s easiest to adjust to the difficulties presented in fights. Plus with fast load times, even dying isn’t that much of a punishment anymore.
