For a game that reached Steam’s all-time top 5 number of concurrent players, why are the user reviews so low? It’s time for a Monster Hunter Wild review to understand what’s going on. With Monster Hunter Wilds, first impressions are creating a lasting effect on how players see the game, and there is considerable attention around it because of the undeniable success of Monster Hunter World. 

Monster Hunter Wilds’ performance issues are a key part of why the game has not received the level of positive feedback CAPCOM was hoping to see with this game, but there’s more to the story than just its slow-loading graphics. Some blame the Denuvo anti-tamper software for its limitations while others have criticized Monster Hunter Wilds’ “soulless” gameplay. 

Despite all this, many reviewers are adding Monster Hunter Wilds to their nominations for game of the year, so it has to be doing something right. Why don’t you decide for yourself if you want to give the game a shot, with an honest Monster Hunter Wilds review?

Monster Hunter Wilds pros and cons

Image: A Monster Hunter Wilds review knocks at your door. Do you take a chance on the new game?

Monster Hunter Wilds Review: Are the Performance Issues a Deal Breaker?

Monster Hunter Wilds is an open-world, action RPG game developed and published by CAPCOM. It was first announced in 2023 during the Game Awards and later released on February 28, 2025, carrying on the legacy of an already successful franchise. The last time we saw a release in the series was back in 2018 when Monster Hunter World made its debut and found its tribe of valiant hunters immediately. 

The 2018 game was one of CAPCOM’s best-selling titles ever despite the popularity of its other existing games, so it’s no surprise that the newly released Monster Hunter Wilds reached 1.31 million concurrent players on Steam, within hours of its release. Its all-time peak player number now sits at 1,384,608 concurrent players.

You also might want to know that Monster Hunter Wilds is priced at $69.99.

Monster Hunter Wilds: First Impressions from Beta Tests

Monster Hunter Wilds began beta testing in November on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, and two additional rounds took place later in February. Players who participated in the beta test were able to transfer their character data into the launch builds, so those who were satisfied with the testing returned to the experience with renewed vigor. 

Many loved the experience of monster hunting but Monster Hunter Wilds’ performance issues were a central part of the conversation. While problems during testing are inevitable, gamers were hoping they would be resolved by launch but that does not appear to be the case. 

Monster Hunter Wilds reviews on the Steam forum continue to criticize the experience, particularly on PC, with many suggesting a VRAM upgrade in order to be able to play it comfortably. Steam user BeepBoop has even said that there is a typo in the spelling of Resolution where it is spelled “Resoltuion” in the game’s configuration files. Simply fixing this will give you a boost in performance. We cannot confirm that this is an active factor in improving your game, but others have validated the claim.

Monster Hunter Wilds analysis

Image: Monster Hunter Wilds’ graphics are impressive in-game.

Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay: What To Expect From the Game? 

At the heart of it, Monster Hunter Wilds’ gameplay is about hunting and killing monsters the best way you can. There is a campaign that sets you and others from the Hunter’s Guild on a journey to uncover the truth behind the mysterious changes that are plaguing the lands. 

Monster Hunter games have never been big on story-building and are more of a hack-and-slash game, but there is a campaign that takes you all the way to a boss fight. Eventually, you enter the High Ranks and that is where Monster Hunter Wilds’ gameplay really hooks you in for the long haul.

The Monster Hunter Wilds campaign has a considerable share of storytelling and slow walking involved in getting through the initial quest. There are beautiful, highly detailed visuals to keep you company, but it does get a little slow. 

As for your role in the story, you play as a Hunter who goes from location to location, equipping and upgrading your gear as you go, taking down monsters as you try to help the locals of the Forbidden Lands. There’s a lot of infantilizing the apparently incapable indigenous locals, but hey, you get to save the day.

Does Monster Hunter Wilds Have Companions?

The game allows you to take some animal buddies along with you on your journey, and their gear and features are customizable to a degree. To be precise, you have raptor-like Seikrets and cat-like Palicos to aid you through your travels. These buddies have different behaviors and specializations that help make the fight experience more note-worthy.

Some Support Hunters or NPCs are willing to come to your aid if you use SOS flares in an emergency, but you can also call other players to your aid, which makes the multiplayer setting worthwhile. 

There are a few AI companions with their own weapons—Alessa (Lance), Olivia (Hammer), and Rosso (Heavy Bowgun)—and they are quite adept at taking care of themselves without dying on you or running ahead to alert a monster to your presence. After you finish the main game and a few other quests, you also gain access to Hunting Assistants Gemma and Werner, who can occasionally appear in a few regions.

Overall, the attention to multiplayer features and in-game companion elements like this stands out as a positive for us in our Monster Hunter Wilds review.

MHW Review

Image: Monster Hunter Wilds’ combat system is better than its predecessor, even if some complain its refinements make it too easy.

Does Monster Hunter Wilds Have a Good Combat System?

A Monster Hunter Wilds analysis would not be complete without a look at the meat of the game—the combat. Monster Hunter Wilds’ weapon system does not offer any new armaments from its predecessor, but it does improve on their usability considerably. The experience of fending off and taking down monsters is the key joy of playing Monster Hunter Wilds and there’s a lot of room to perfect your technique. 

The new Power Clash mechanic really ramps up the experience of fighting beasts for the upper hand, and if you can bring up a Perfect Guard or an Offset Attack, you can set yourself up for a satisfying counterattack that takes the behemoths down. The most engaging of all is perhaps the Focus Mode, which you can use to hit the monsters where it hurts most—their wounds—and deal some amplified damage. Don’t want to kill them? Just wear them out and capture them instead. 

You also have the option of bringing in support or playing in a 4-player party when things get too difficult for you. There’s no shame in calling for backup because the Monster Hunter Wilds’ gameplay can certainly get difficult to solo sometimes. Is Monster Hunter Wilds worth it? Just for the combat experience, we’d say it’s worth giving the game a shot. 

Monster Hunter Wilds Graphics—How Is It?

Monster Hunter Wilds takes you across some incredible landscapes that showcase the full potential of CAPCOM’s team. There are varied terrains and the monsters you fight are just as detailed, giving you a hearty taste of another world every step of the way. You get to witness five different and delicately crafted biomes that are easy to traverse between, and the open-world format ensures you stop and appreciate the little things as you go. Some gamers online have called the monsters ugly, but we see the beauty in their design.

It is not all sunshine all the time as the weather and changing environments impact your experience as you cross the Forbidden Lands. However, this only serves to add another layer of complexity rather than take away any of the appeal of playing the game. In fact, we could have done more of a challenge with regard to the landscape and climate.

It is a visually stunning game, there is no denying it, and there isn’t a single Monster Hunter Wilds review that says otherwise. However, you won’t always be able to enjoy the game smoothly. Monster Hunter Wilds’ graphic-heavy design puts a lot of pressure on the system to keep up.

Depending on your system and luck, you’ll find yourself frequently stuck with drops in the FPS. Some users have had to set their graphics to the lowest level in order to be able to enjoy the game, which defeats the purpose of building up something so detailed. Players will have to look into tweaking their settings—and in the worst case scenario, their physical systems—in order to fully enjoy the game without interruption to their fights.

Monster Hunter Wilds graphics

Monster Hunter Wilds Pros and Cons: Why Should You Play MHW?

From everything we’ve mentioned in our Monster Hunter Wilds review, it should be apparent that there is a lot to love about the game. The story and pacing can get a bit cumbersome at times, but the fights more than makeup for it when you do get to them. The visuals alone will keep grabbing your attention, as long as your PC or console is able to keep up with the game. 

To break down the pros and cons of Monster Hunter Wilds more succinctly, we have a list of why you should or shouldn’t play the game.

Should I Play Monster Hunter Wilds?

There are a few different reasons why the game is worth an investment. The pros of Monster Hunter Wilds include:

  • Engaging gameplay that you can return to time and again, even if you get through the main campaign
  • A robust support system that is extremely efficient. Whether you like to play solo or love a multiplayer experience, you’ll never have to fight alone—unless you really want to
  • A range of creative monsters and weapons that you can fight with. These make it so that you can always change up your play-style and find new ways to take down the beasts
  • Open-world format with seasonal shifts that actually matter. This ensures that you get the most out of the game, no matter where you choose to travel
  • No loading screens and struggles with returning to base camp. Monster Hunter Wilds builds on the backs of its predecessor to ensure a smooth transition between locations 
  • Set bonuses and buildcrafting make a big difference to the in-game experience. The upgrades to your weapons and armor are not arbitrary so you do get something out of finding the perfect fit

Cons of Monster Hunter Wilds

A Monster Hunter Wilds analysis of the best features is easy, but there are cons with the new game, particularly for returning fans. Many of the downsides of Monster Hunter Wilds don’t sound like problems to a casual gamer unfamiliar with the series, but the drop in the level of challenge may hold returning players back. 

  • Monster Hunter Wilds’ performance issues on PC can be very frustrating, especially if your system is one that just about meets the specs of the game
  • The campaign mode may be too boring for those who just want to fight or explore the open world
  • For those who are interested in the story, this isn’t the most engaging or thrilling one out there either
  • The mechanics may be too easy for really advanced players who don’t want support, easy travel, auto-pathing, and other conveniences. You can just choose to turn off support and use a single weapon without switching out, and prepare for hunts with more intention
  • Combat in Monster Hunter Wilds is easier compared to its predecessors, with the weapons more effective and easy to use than before

Is Monster Hunter Wilds Worth It? Final Words on Our Monster Hunter Wilds Review

Despite some complaints, our Monster Hunter Wilds analysis should tell you that this is a game worth investing in. There’s a lot to love, a lot to do, and a lot to look forward to with future updates that will bring new monsters to the game. 

For PC players, the decision to invest in Monster Hunter Wilds will require a more careful assessment of the pros and cons to determine whether you are open to reworking the settings to lower-performance graphics in order to be able to play the game comfortably. For console players, you also have the same dilemma without the solution of a system upgrade.

For $69.99, the downgrade right at the start of a new game is not a good look, but if you have a system that meets the basic requirements, we think the Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay is worth experiencing. Fans more used to advanced combat may be disappointed by how much easier things are with this game compared to the 2018 release, but these quality-of-life improvements make the title more accessible to other gamers. 

You can still choose to play anyway and turn up the difficulty by keeping the AI hunters and other mechanics out of your way. That’s it for our Monster Hunter Wilds review, now it’s time to go back to the Forbidden Lands where we belong.

What were your first impressions of Monster Hunter Wilds? Will you be giving its visuals and gameplay a shot? Let us know what you think of the game and its lingering issues. Subscribe to Technowize for more reviews and updates on the world of gaming.

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