Despite its promising debut earlier this year, Monster Hunter Wilds has seen a dramatic shift in player sentiment, now facing an “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating on Steam. Once celebrated as Capcom’s fastest-selling title, the game has become a focal point of frustration for many players, raising the question: how did it fall from grace so swiftly?
‘Monster Hunter Wilds’ Review-Bombed on Steam
As a dedicated player who has invested countless hours into Monster Hunter Wilds, it is difficult to fathom how the game could be perceived as overwhelmingly negative. While some players expressed dissatisfaction with the game’s narrative-driven approach, which offered less exploration than previous iterations, most still acknowledged the solid gameplay and engaging online features. Yet, the current reality on Steam tells a different story, with a significant number of recent reviews reflecting discontent.
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A wave of discontent has emerged from players regarding the performance of the PC version of Monster Hunter Wilds, which has been plagued by issues since its launch. A thorough examination of the negative feedback reveals a common thread: frequent crashes, sluggish server response times, and a host of performance-related problems. Many players have noted that the game demands exceptionally high PC specifications to run smoothly, suggesting a lack of optimization for the Steam platform.
Recent reviews provide a glimpse into the frustrations of players. One user lamented, “After 250+ hours of gameplay, the game will no longer boot up.” Another remarked, “Amazing game with some of the worst performance I have seen in my life.” A particularly exasperated comment simply stated, “One of the best Monster Hunter games. Too bad you need a NASA computer to run it well.” Notably, many of these negative reviews come from players with over 300 hours logged in the game, indicating that this is not merely a case of impulsive review-bombing.
A Great Game That Isn’t for Everyone
Having played Monster Hunter Wilds at launch on PS5, I can attest to its enjoyable gameplay. However, I must acknowledge a significant caveat: my experience comes from the perspective of a casual Monster Hunter player. The game’s streamlined mechanics, designed to cater to newcomers, have drawn mixed reactions from long-time fans. Features such as mounts that allow players to escape boss encounters while their Palico provides healing are indicative of this shift.
While the simplified system may appeal to casual gamers, it has left some veteran players feeling disappointed. At launch, I encountered seasoned Monster Hunter enthusiasts who found the game “too easy” and criticized the campaign for its “hand-holding” nature, which detracted from the exploration they craved. These concerns are valid; however, the crux of the overwhelmingly negative reviews appears to stem from performance issues rather than gameplay design.
As the gaming industry evolves, with companies like CD Projekt Red announcing that Witcher 4 will prioritize console development, one can only hope that future PC ports do not suffer similar pitfalls at launch.
