Most complex games will immediately overwhelm you with endless complicated menus, advanced controls, and minimal instructions. In other words, you’ve been warned. But there are also games that look simple and innocent at first, but later reveal their true colors. The Monster Hunter series falls into the latter category, something I learned the hard way recently.
As a complete newbie with no experience with the series other than the spin-off Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, I was initially at a disadvantage when I sat down to play Monster Hunter: Wilds at Gamescom in Cologne. However, this beginning gave me false hope. Few modern AAA games or Hollywood blockbusters open as spectacularly as the latest chapter in Capcom’s 20-year-old series.
At the beginning of the game, our customizable character finds himself aboard an old wooden boat that can travel on the beach. Soon, we’re introduced to so many characters that it’s hard to keep track of them all. However, they still impress thanks to beautiful character designs that perfectly blend anime-style design with realism, and the facial animations are particularly impressive. Capcom’s RE Engine has never delivered such beautiful results before, which was further illustrated when we briefly exited the ship and jumped onto a bird-like mount.
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What follows is a dramatic journey through the sand as we try to save a little girl being chased by a giant Dune-like sandworm. The ride through the blasting sand was simply spectacular, allowing us to take full advantage of the mount’s jumping power and wings, before ultimately rescuing the poor girl. Along the way, we also learn about a tool that will undoubtedly be very important throughout the game – a hook gun. Hooks seem to have a lot of functionality. It can be used to collect items and resources, or it can (perhaps more excitingly) be used in combat or to perform spectacular jumps from ledges.
I had some time to properly get to know the other characters before I was sent out on my first real monster hunt. Alma, the young archaeologist, gave me my first quest, while Gemma, the energetic blacksmith, instructed me to choose one of the game’s many weapon types, such as the Sword and Shield, Gunlance, and Hammer. I chose Dual Blades, and with instructions from the obligatory mascot Palico the kitten, I quickly tracked my quarry through an underground cave.
It’s only now that I’ve realized that Monster Hunter: Wilds isn’t as simple as I first thought. Even when I combined punches, dodges, and combos, I only did minimal damage. Monster Hunter is all about choosing the right weapons and tools for a specific monster, analyzing its weaknesses and attacking the relevant body parts. All of this takes time to learn, and since conferences like Gamescom are tight on time, I had to resort to another trick. I activated the flare, and three die-hard monster hunters immediately appeared, telling me to take down my quarry. They are controlled by the CPU, but in the full game, it is also possible for real players to come to the rescue.
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Multiplayer is what’s on the menu for part two of this preview. If the opening scene was a wild roller coaster ride, this one was even more like a ride without a harness, and it wasn’t long before two giant mammoth-like creatures made me their prey. A friendly PR rep explained that I was going to prepare some kind of stink bomb to separate the creatures, and soon I managed to weaken the monster enough for it to retreat, allowing me to chase it on the back of my oversized chicken.
Several times I had the monster writhing in agony, but even in multiplayer I couldn’t manage it myself – in fact, despite CPU Monster Hunter’s instructions, I wasn’t able to knock mine down before time ran out prey. In short, Monster Hunter: Wilds is still about preparation, equipment, upgrades, and many of the other deep systems that made the series popular, even if its presentation is reminiscent of mechanically simpler action games. My only consolation is that I still have a little time to prepare, as the full game will be released on February 28, 2025.
