I find myself compelled to extend another apology to Yuya Tokuda, the director of Monster Hunter Wilds. Despite investing over 100 hours into the game, I have yet to utilize the innovative weapon swap feature. It’s clear that a dedicated team at Capcom worked diligently to allow players to switch weapons mid-hunt using the new Seikret bird mount, even creating an entire armor skill system to complement this functionality. Yet, I have not engaged with it even once. This, in many ways, encapsulates the uneven experience that Wilds presents.
It’s hard to believe that ten months have passed since I rated Monster Hunter Wilds a solid 4.5 out of 5, a review I still stand by. The game remains on my list of the year’s best for a reason. However, during this time, the excitement surrounding the game has fluctuated unpredictably. Wilds is undeniably a brilliant title, showcasing one of the finest combat systems I’ve encountered, filled with exhilarating monster encounters and beautifully designed equipment. Yet, it is also marred by inconsistencies that have left many players, including myself, feeling somewhat adrift.
Since its launch, Capcom has grappled with defining a clear direction for Wilds, caught between contrasting design goals and the diverse expectations of its player base. The PC port, which has struggled with performance issues for nearly ten months, adds to the complexity of the situation. The initial welcoming difficulty curve seemed designed to attract new players to this flagship action RPG, but as someone who enjoys challenging games, I found myself more focused on mastering weapon combinations than on the threats posed by the monsters. By the time I had acclimated to the various weapons and began to question the ease with which I was defeating foes, Capcom had already introduced tougher monsters through patches. However, these updates have often felt disorganized.
Old dogs, new tricks
The new quests are a mixed bag; sometimes, I can dispatch monsters in mere minutes, while at other times, they seem to test my patience for an hour. Certain creatures feel excessively resilient, while others fall quickly to even a modestly equipped character. While nothing in Wilds feels outright unreasonable, the lack of a consistent challenge can lead to a sense of disorientation. It’s as if Capcom has attempted to cater to both hardcore players and newcomers, resulting in a muddled understanding of what makes a monster truly formidable.
Reflecting on this, I recall something David Gaider from Dragon Age mentioned: that well-crafted hardcore games can convert casual players into devoted fans. Perhaps Capcom needs to take a firmer stance and encourage players to embrace the more challenging aspects of the game.
The changes to the armor system, which now separates weapon and armor skills, also feel erratic. Initially, players struggled to find suitable skills, but thanks to modern armor sets and talismans, we now have High Rank loadouts that surpass even the older G Rank gear. While I appreciate the introduction of tougher monsters to enhance the upper tier of challenges, I can’t help but wonder if Capcom has overcorrected after a rocky launch. The most glaring issue remains the PC port, which continues to underperform across various systems, with players still awaiting promised optimizations.
Moreover, my enthusiasm for Artian weapons has waned since the game’s release. Initially, I was excited by their resemblance to relic weapons from previous titles, but I now see them as tedious craftables that detract from the core experience of transforming monster parts into powerful weapons. The process of collecting uninspiring Artian scraps and hoping to forge the desired weapon type feels frustratingly akin to farming artifacts in Genshin Impact—a comparison that should send shivers down the spine of any game designer. Monster Hunter thrives on two pillars: combat and crafting, and the Artian weapons seem to undermine the latter, diluting the motivation behind many quests. I believe they should be removed, perhaps relegated to cosmetic options, while the core mechanics of the game remain intact.
