Summary
Monster Hunter Wildswas recently announced at The Game Awards. The teaser trailer revealed that the game will be released in 2025, launching the long-running franchise into its sixth generation of games. This generational leap accompanies a move to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series systems;Wilds' trailer makes it evident that the developers at Capcom intend to take full advantage of the increase in power. 2018’sMonster Hunter Worldbrought the franchise into even greater popularity because of its massive leaps forward in presentation and its environments, and its portable Switch follow-up,Rise, continued to build onWorld’s focus on exploration. To succeed,Monster Hunter Wildsmust double down on its commitment to these themes while implementing other changes.
BeforeMonster Hunter World, the franchise typically thrived on handheld platforms. Not only did players have to load into areas from a hub world, but they had to load between zones within that area.Worldtook advantage of the hardware it was on to eliminate this and build larger regions with more ecological diversity.Risehad less dense regions but focused on movement and let players explore every inch of its areas.Monster Hunterhas never looked better, and these choices have modernized the franchise, but they resulted in fewer changes to other aspects of the titles than previousMonster Huntergames.Monster Hunter Wildsmust build on what madeMH Worlda hit, but it cannot neglect these other elements for another entry.
Bigger Regions or an Open-World
Monster Hunter Worldstood apart from previous entries because of its immersive environments and sense of exploration. The obvious next step is to makeMonster Hunter Wildsopen-world. Alternatively, making each area larger could achieve a similar effect.Monster Hunter World’s zones were some of the series' largest, but given the density of small monsters visible inWilds’s trailer, larger areas with more to discover feel like a must. The flight abilities ofWilds’mount are also indicative that there will be large areas to traverse. An open world or massive regions would putMH Wildsahead ofMH World, and getting one of the two seems like an inevitability.
Better Hub Areas
Whether or notMonster Hunter Wildsis open-world, it needs a better hub area than Astera was inWorld. Astera was large and felt immersive, but navigating it was often confusing for new players, and its fast travel system introduced lengthy loading screens on the console version.Monster Hunter World: Iceborneadded Seliana, a more condensed hub world that solved many of these issues in addition to adding new features.Rise’s Kamura village is also easier to navigate and oozes charm.Monster Hunter Wilds' hub areas need to be practical from the start rather than being fixed in DLC. Kamura Village and Seliana show that these spaces can be functional without sacrificing charm and immersion.
New Weapons and Combat Overhauls
TheMHserieshasn’t had a new weapon type in almost a decade. WhileMonster HunterWorldandRisemade changes to the way some weapons work, the games are long overdue for a new type of weapon to be added. New systems or additional flexibility could also help to flesh outMonster Hunter Wilds' combat more. If the game features larger zones and a more open structure, letting players carry two weapons on a hunt would further enhance player freedom.Monster Hunter’s weaponsare a big part of the franchise’s appeal, so adding more and fleshing out systems around them makes sense.
Bring Back Wirebugs
Monster Hunter RiseintroducedWirebugswhich could be used to move quickly, launch one’s character into the air, or do special attacks in combat. Wirebugs, alongside wall running, madeMonster Hunter Rise’s movement the franchise’s best, and the special moves they introduce are a more balanced alternative toMH World’s clutch claw.Monster Hunter Wilds' trailer shows that its environments will be largely enhanced, andRise’s navigation tools could make exploring them more fun. This inclusion, alongside other enhancements, could makeMonster Hunter Wildsan even bigger step forward for the franchise thanMH World.
