2024 is the year of Monster Hunter’s 20th anniversary. Twenty long years since this Capcom license has become the financial locomotive of the Japanese publisher. Each new episode released in Japan is an event in itself, so much so that some Japanese companies offer employees days off on the launch day of a Monster Hunter. This shows the extent to which Capcom’s license has become a social phenomenon there. However, until a few years ago, Monster Hunter was only a franchise that only interested the Japanese public, internationally, the sauce did not take. The number of times in the 2010s that the Monster Hunter stands at the Tokyo Game Show were ghosted by the Western media, I remember very well. But that was before. Before the date of January 2018, the release date of Monster Hunter World which completely turned the tide, with an episode designed to please Western players, with a reworked formula. More epic, more accessible, more readable too, result: more than 25 million copies sold worldwide. A huge hit that Capcom is capitalizing on, since this Monster Hunter Wilds is in a way the sequel to World, this new beefy episode designed to please all players around the world. It’s coming in 2025, I was able to play it for a whole afternoon at Capcom France and what I can already tell you is that Capcom has gone even further in the formula to galvanize us.
The first thing that really impressed me when I started my Monster Hunter World gaming session was the quality of the animations, of the character of course, but especially of Seikret, this large bird, a perfect cross between an ostrich and a raptor and which many already consider to be the Chocobo of the game. And it is true that said like that, we have the strong impression that Capcom drew its ideas from Final Fantasy. Except that the Osaka publisher went further with his animal, since if a Chocobo remains a kawaii creature, very cute, a bit limited, the Seikret imposes itself directly with its crazy charisma, notably thanks to its very venerated look, its sharp beak, its scales with green-bluish hues and above all its plumage which gives it an aerodynamic appearance. No, clearly, the Seikret commands respect and clearly, it brings a storm to the fragile people of Chocobo. And then, look at the work on his animations, it’s quite stunning. The Seikret is a bipedal animal, but when it needs to sprint and gain speed, it rushes on all four legs, which is definitely stylish.
SHH, IT’S “SEIKRET”
The movements are so fluid that you have the impression that the animal is alive. And then look at the way he leans to go to the right or left, the way he trots, runs or adapts to the terrain with his super strong legs, it’s very detailed in the stages of animation and to direct, it’s also mega satisfying. Moreover, Capcom had the very good intelligence to make our character climb directly on the back of his Seikret when we start to whistle at him. This saves time and not having to press another button as soon as he is next to us, we automatically overlap him. We gain in fluidity and above all it helps to energize the gameplay, since the Seikret will not only be a means of transport, it will also be a valuable aid during combat. Because it is obviously possible to chase other creatures more easily, but also to turn around to jump on their backs for example. Indeed, the Seikret also acts as a traveling weapon reserve, since to change weapons, to “reload” them, you will have to get back on the back of your Seikret to carry out all these maneuvers.
Monster Hunter obliges, the primary objective obviously remains the hunting of monsters which have asked nothing of you, but that is in the order of things, the classic unfolding of the food chain, and then in this Monster Hunter Wilds, there is has a real story to follow, one that should galvanize players, especially Western ones for whom the storyline of a game is as important as the gameplay. It will be a question of going in search of a civilization that has disappeared for 10,000 years and the Research Commission will mandate several groups of hunters to travel the world to find this people who are believed to still be alive, isolated from others. And it is this immersion that Monster Hunter Wilds will try to improve, with this feeling of belonging to a living, evolving world, where fauna and flora live in harmony, or at least in osmosis.
ORGANIC
And indeed, if there is one thing that emerges from these 3 hours of hands-on, it is that life overflows in this open world. Villages crowded with worlds, creatures who roam the plains, whether alone or in herds, and who also interact with each other, since it will not be uncommon to see animals fighting among themselves for their survival, which was the case before, but which seems to have been even more advanced in terms of AI for Wilds. The herbivores are wiped out by the carnivores, the small creatures try to escape the big ones, in short, everything seems organic, like the environments which are also punctuated by meteorological elements such as lightning which will strike the ground, the rain which will begin to fall, or the night will fall a little like magic. This is also one of the big downsides of the game, it is that you go from night to day in the blink of an eye and that you also change seasons in the snap of your fingers. This is clearly a bug that Capcom must resolve to keep this organic side which loses its meaning with such absurdities. Fortunately, Monster Hunter Wilds makes up for it with its well-crafted level design, which gives body and relief to the world we travel through. There is a Dragon Dogma side to all these varied settings and landscapes, even if I know that Dragon’s Dogma was quite inspired by Monster Hunter too. Both are products of Capcom, it is obviously only normal that the two licenses exchange ideas. And to this feeling of a living world is added the absence of loading times, which contributes enormously to the immersion, when the previous episodes displayed infernal loadings and which broke the rhythm of the game a little. It’s over with magical SSDs, especially since Capcom’s RE Engine also works miracles. Everything is fluid and it’s a real pleasure.
CAPCOM’S HARD TARGET
But the 6 years that will separate Monster Hunter World and this Wilds have also allowed the Capcom teams to rethink their game, to evolve it, right down to its mechanics. Among the elements that allow the game to offer a better rhythm is the absence of constant back and forth between each monster hunt. From now on, it is possible to make makeshift camps anywhere, which will allow you to live your hunting experience to the end. Obviously, these temporary camps in no way replace the main camps, which retain their usefulness in terms of resources, socialization and a haven of peace, especially since they can also be destroyed by monsters, but at least we gain time and we can almost play RP. The other addition, and not the least, is the integration of the sling cluster, a kind of more advanced grappling hook, which allows you to collect resources and other items, trigger traps or even interact with elements. of the scenery, while remaining behind Seikret. A really good idea and a considerable time saver.
On the other hand, what does not change is the choice of weapons, still as imposing, especially since you will have to think carefully before choosing the weapon you wish to master. Each type of weapon requires a real investment on the part of the player, who will have to learn to handle them, understand their strengths and weaknesses so as not to find yourself helpless in the face of an imposing creature. Because defeating them will take time and a lot of thought. It’s not enough to spam the attack button to achieve victory, because not only are the critters tough, but they’re never good alone. And attacking a herd is sometimes suicidal. No, in Monster Hunter Wilds, you will have to learn to measure the forces opposite, scare the herd away by throwing dung at them to separate them and thus spot the alpha male. Because you must not forget that the weather and random situations will also affect your battles. A sandstorm will reduce visibility, slow you down in your movements too, the topography will evolve and change, lightning can kill you too, in short, you should never underestimate the weather. Finally, be aware that Monster Hunter Wilds also introduces the focus mode mechanic, which will allow us to aim with more precision at specific places on the monster that appear to weaken them. These are visible wounds in a way. A paw, on the back, the tongue, these are weak points which are highlighted to allow you to better locate the areas where their life points can be reduced. And believe me, it’s not often easy.
