Matthew Bell

I never leave reviews, but this has been one of my favorite series since I first started out with it on the PSP about 20 years ago. It no longer feels like the same game. The game looks fantastic and plays well enough, but the overall experience just isn’t there. The game used to punish you for playing poorly or for not yet being familiar with what monster you’re fighting. It took effort and in turn felt very rewarding when you finally got that last armor piece or killed a monster you’ve been struggling with, but I never got that feeling in Wilds. Everything in Wilds seems to be streamlined and accessible to a point where the core experience no longer exists. Monster hunts take 3-10 mins now and the monsters themselves don’t seem to put up much of a fight (low hp, low damage output, easily stun-able/flinch-able). Decorations and “rare” materials are handed out far too easily and just seem to come as consolation prizes for taking part in curb stomping whatever you’re up against. There’s no real incentive to continue playing after you’ve quickly gathered all the endgame weapons, armor and decorations and what you do gather, you don’t get any real sense of accomplishment from. For newcomers, this is probably a fantastic experience. But as someone who has been a fan of the series for a long time, it just doesn’t feel like Monster Hunter anymore. The food looks great though, 10/10 for that at least

40~ish hours in and after reading so many negative or mixed reviews, I’m convinced I’m playing a different game than they are. The story and narration are quirky and goofy, combat is engaging and fresh, exploration is more than abundant and the looting/crafting system makes the game extremely addictive. Love what these developers, Experiment 101, have come up with and I can’t wait to see what comes next.