Monster Hunter Wilds looks like exactly the evolution of World I hoped for

GamesRPGMonster Hunter WildsMonster Hunter Wilds looks like exactly the evolution of World I hoped forWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

“Living, breathing world” is a 100% an overused cliche when it comes to games, and I’m not going to tell you that you’ll be so immersed in Capcom’s ambitious Monster Hunter sequel that you’ll feel like you’rereally there. But in a hands-off demo of Wilds at Summer Game Fest, most of what Capcom shared that’s new in this iteration stemmed from a more deeply simulated world, with each detail getting me more excited than the last. The presentation seemed laser-targeted on addressing what I thought were Monster Hunter’s biggest weaknesses, or at least opportunities: making thehuntpart of Monster Hunter as involved and varied as the parts where you smash a creature in the face with a giant sword.

Here’s a smattering of things from the presentation that immediately got me psyched:

A sandstorm lowers visibility, sends herbivores fleeing the area, and causes lightning strikes that can hit the player and monsters.

To give you some perspective on where I sit as a Monster Hunter player: I loved World, my first experience with the series, and played it religiously for months. But I bounced off Rise, because I found it simultaneously a bit too front-loaded with systems I didn’t care aboutandtoo streamlined at the same time. The fighting was great, of course, but I care a lot about the rest of the game surrounding that experience.

Monster Hunter has long since nailed the feel and complexity of its combat, with a frankly absurd number of weapons that all play differently, have roles and techniques to master and match-ups against different monsters that completely change their utility. I’m sure Capcom has changes and additions to the arsenal in Wilds it isn’t talking about yet, but I think it’s a good sign that those aren’t its main promotional focus with this iteration. Wilds is going to be the capital-N Nature Monster Hunter.

Image1of7(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)

Image1of7

(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)(Image credit: Capcom)

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: Open the arsenalMonster Hunter Wilds monsters: Which beasties are backMonster Hunter Wilds preview: Our early impressionsMonster Hunter Wilds new features: What we’re psyched for2025 games: All the other releases coming this year

Monster Hunter Wilds weaponsMonster Hunter Wilds monstersMonster Hunter Wilds previewMonster Hunter Wilds new features2025 games

“There’s a relationship between the herbivores and carnivores that’s going to be interesting,” said game director Yuya Tokuda. “It’s not just, the carnivorous monsters go to a certain spot on the map to eat. They need to find a herbivore to eat if that’s their prey, so you’ll find an interesting domino effect. If a carnivorous monster has become hungry and wants to get food it’ll go attack and eat a herbivore, maybe attack it out of its herd. That’ll cause its herd to scatter or move to a different place for safety. The fact they’ve moved now means that any monster that preys on them is going to be looking to a different location for their food.

“Those monster movements around the map are going to have a great effect on the player’s actions. As you watch this all play out it’ll change how you need to respond and where you go on the map.”

According to Tokuda, the ripple effects of your actions will remain in the field environments even after you leave and return; it doesn’t default back to some generic world state. Though you can’t hunt a monster type to extinction—and preset world states will still exist for quests to ensure the monster you need is available—the world state is persistent. This sounds amazing, even immersive simmy to me, but the demo I saw was far too short to indicate how meaningful those changes persisting will be long-term.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

But if you were sick of following scoutflies in Monster Hunter World every single quest, don’t worry: you won’t be doing that again.

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds

I asked how this focus on the whole ecosystem will carry over to the gear and crafting system. Tokuda said that the proportion of small animal parts in the tech tree will stay roughly the same as in World, so there’s no big change there. But Capcom is finding new ways to make them more significant.

“Endemic life and small monsters play a role beyond just parts to craft with. You may spot this sort of alligator-looking smaller monster; you can actually use your hook slinger to grab the front of its snout off where its teeth are. Rather than that being something that goes into creating a weapon, that can remain attached to your hook slinger and be used to do better attacks with it. So it’s not always strictly feeding into the gear system.”

TOPICSCapcom

TOPICS

More about rpg

A Path of Exile 2 sorceress casting flaming skulls in a hellish landscape

Path of Exile 2 numberlord spends 16 straight days killing rare monsters to prove that a stat that makes loot better makes better loot

Double headed wizard man holding arms up looking sad

LatestThe 11 big FPS games of 2025See more latest►

Latest

The 11 big FPS games of 2025

Doom: The Dark Ages screnshot

The 11 big FPS games of 2025

See more latest►

Most Popular

This bizarre roguelike has a new take on the Vampire Survivors formula: letting you build your own custom weapons out of brains, eyeballs, and chimpanzee spines

18 games the PC Gamer team can’t wait to play in 2025

The Witcher 3’s now 2-year-old bonus quest is our first taste of the ‘vibe’ CD Projekt is going for in The Witcher 4

2024 was the year updates for old games beat out all the new ones for me

Train like you game with this adventure-inspired workout

‘It’s simply impossible to make a difficulty level that’s just right for all players’: How Final Fantasy 14’s lead battle designer has been playing a precarious balancing game for Dawntrail’s dungeons and raids

Please join me in getting super excited for all the cool looking survival games coming in 2025 (and beyond)

Competitive shooters are at a crucial crossroads in 2025: ‘sweaty’ teamplay vs. casual fun

Call of Duty’s $28 Squid Game skins are the perfect crossover for our capitalist dystopia, and Activision knows exactly what it’s doing

These are the 14 biggest upcoming RPGs of 2025—get ready for another amazing year for the genre

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals