I’ve been playing Monster Hunter for a long time—since Tri, to be exact. I’ve played every single entry since then, from 3 to 4U, Generations to GenU, World/Iceborne, Rise/Sunbreak, and now Wilds. I love this series, flaws and all, and I’ve seen what makes each game great (and where they stumble).

At the time of writing this, I have 60 hours in Wilds. I’ve completed the main story (Low Rank) and have moved on to High Rank, where the real game begins.

Let’s get into it.

The Bad – What Holds It Back
As much as I love Wilds, there are a few issues I can’t ignore.

Performance Issues
This is easily my biggest gripe. I’m running an i7-13700F and an RX 6800 XT, playing in 4K at high settings, and while I can mostly hit 60 FPS, frequent dips to 40 FPS and occasional crashes (especially when using 16x AF) make the game feel poorly optimized. I’ve had to lower my settings to 8x AF just to get the game to run more consistently.

For a game that looks this good, I expected some performance strain, but Wilds desperately needs better optimization and stability improvements.

Multiplayer System (Party/Lobby/Link System)
This has been a long-running issue in Monster Hunter, and Wilds hasn’t improved it. The multiplayer setup is frustratingly complicated.

If you want to see your friends and do quests together, you need to be in both the same lobby AND the same link party.
This isolates you from the larger player base, meaning you can’t enjoy both a friend group and the massive lobbies of other hunters at the same time.
It’s an overly convoluted system that makes jumping into hunts with friends harder than it should be.

The Story – Kind Of a Problem
I love how the Hunter is personified in this game. For once, we actually feel like the badass veteran that was specifically called in for an impossible task. There are multiple hero moments that really make you feel like a legend, and those moments are fantastic.

However, I wish the story revolved more around us. While the Hunter gets the big fights and standoffs, much of the story focuses on other characters instead. A lot of the major plot-driving moments are handled by NPCs, with the Hunter mostly standing in the background until it’s time for the next hunt.

It’s not a bad story by any means, but I would have preferred more involvement for the Hunter rather than just being the silent badass who shows up for the big moments.

The Good – What Makes It Great
Now, onto what I love.

Low Rank as Story Mode, High Rank as “The Real Game”
One of the best design choices was keeping the story contained within Low Rank. Once you hit High Rank, the game fully opens up, shifting the focus from cinematic storytelling to pure hunting.

I also love how cutscenes aren’t just static breaks anymore—you can gather loot, ride your Seikret, and interact with the world while dialogue plays out. It keeps the pacing fluid and makes the story feel more immersive.

Gameplay – Classic Monster Hunter, Better Than Ever
This is Monster Hunter at its best.

Combat feels tight, fluid, and impactful—as it should. I play Charge Blade, and the combos feel clean, punchy, and rewarding.
The small tweaks to Axe mode encourage more morph play, which I love.
The fights feel epic, and monster movesets are incredibly well-designed.
Seikrets – A Perfect Addition
I liked the Palamutes in Rise, but Seikrets are next-level. They feel like their own unique feature, well-integrated into the game. And the fact that you can bring both a Seikret and a Palico is just perfect.

Cooking & Gathering – Actually Fun
The portable cooking system is one of my favorite new features. It’s fun, encourages gathering and ingredient hunting, and makes food buffs feel more immersive rather than just clicking a menu option.

Customization – The Best in the Series
Wilds has the best character customization in Monster Hunter history—by far.

Armor textures and details are stunning
Weapons are unique, intricate, and visually incredible
Dyeing options and individual armor piece customization are top-tier
Facial customization is ridiculously deep—you can adjust everything from hair length to bone structure
Palico and Seikret customization is solid (Seikrets a little less so, but still good)
This game lets you craft a Hunter that truly feels like yours.

Multiplayer – When It Works, It’s Fantastic
Despite the party system issues, when Wilds’ multiplayer works, it’s the best the series has ever had.

You can seamlessly transition from open-world hunts to responding to an SOS flare
You can join a random hunt, help someone out, then go back to your own
Lobbies feel alive, with 20+ players coexisting in the same space
It’s a huge step forward in online play—just held back by the frustrating party system.

The Cast – Strong Characters
Alma is great.
Gemma is great.
Olivia is great.
Fabius is awesome.
Rove is awesome.
The Hunter is based.
Werner needs antidepressants, but he’s cool, I guess.

Anyone I didn’t mention, I didn’t like, and I don’t feel like going into it.

I do wish the story focused more on the Hunter, but the lore itself is fantastic, touching on concepts introduced four games ago—and I’m excited to see where the Title Updates take it.

Visuals & Music – Absolute Masterpieces
Straight up, this game looks and sounds incredible.

The models, textures, and environments are insane
The sound effects and orchestral score are next-level
Monster designs, armor sets, and weapons are all unique and stunning
The only downside? I just wish it was optimized well enough so I could see it in full 60 FPS glory.

Final Thoughts – Should You Play It?
Despite its performance issues and clunky party system, Monster Hunter Wilds is one of the best entries in the series. The combat is refined, the world is beautiful, the customization is unparalleled, and the gameplay loop is as addictive as ever.

If you’re a long-time Monster Hunter fan, you’re going to love it.
If you’re new to the series, it’s a fantastic entry point—but be prepared for some technical frustrations.

Final Score:
Gameplay: ★★★★★ (10/10) – Classic Monster Hunter perfection, refined further
Graphics: ★★★★★ (10/10) – Stunning, but dragged down by poor optimization
Performance: ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) – Needs serious optimization and stability fixes
Multiplayer: ★★★☆☆ (7/10) – Fantastic when it works, but the setup is frustrating
Story: ★★★★☆ (8/10) – Great lore, amazing hero moments, but too much NPC focus
Customization: ★★★★★ (10/10) – The best in the series

Final Score: 8.5/10
A phenomenal Monster Hunter game—held back by technical issues but still an absolute must-play.

I’ve been playing Monster Hunter for a long time—since Tri, to be exact. I’ve played every single entry since then, from 3 to 4U, Generations to GenU, World/Iceborne, Rise/Sunbreak, and now Wilds. I love this series, flaws and all, and I’ve seen what makes each game great (and where they stumble). At the time of writing this, I have 60 hours in Wilds. I’ve completed the main story (Low Rank) and have moved on to High Rank, where the real game begins. Let’s get into it. The Bad – What Holds It Back As much as I love Wilds, there are a few issues I can’t ignore. Performance Issues This is easily my biggest gripe. I’m running an i7-13700F and an RX 6800 XT, playing in 4K at high settings, and while I can mostly hit 60 FPS, frequent dips to 40 FPS and occasional crashes (especially when using 16x AF) make the game feel poorly optimized. I’ve had to lower my settings to 8x AF just to get the game to run more consistently. For a game that looks this good, I expected some performance strain, but Wilds desperately needs better optimization and stability improvements. Multiplayer System (Party/Lobby/Link System) This has been a long-running issue in Monster Hunter, and Wilds hasn’t improved it. The multiplayer setup is frustratingly complicated. If you want to see your friends and do quests together, you need to be in both the same lobby AND the same link party. This isolates you from the larger player base, meaning you can’t enjoy both a friend group and the massive lobbies of other hunters at the same time. It’s an overly convoluted system that makes jumping into hunts with friends harder than it should be. The Story – Kind Of a Problem I love how the Hunter is personified in this game. For once, we actually feel like the badass veteran that was specifically called in for an impossible task. There are multiple hero moments that really make you feel like a legend, and those moments are fantastic. However, I wish the story revolved more around us. While the Hunter gets the big fights and standoffs, much of the story focuses on other characters instead. A lot of the major plot-driving moments are handled by NPCs, with the Hunter mostly standing in the background until it’s time for the next hunt. It’s not a bad story by any means, but I would have preferred more involvement for the Hunter rather than just being the silent badass who shows up for the big moments. The Good – What Makes It Great Now, onto what I love. Low Rank as Story Mode, High Rank as “The Real Game” One of the best design choices was keeping the story contained within Low Rank. Once you hit High Rank, the game fully opens up, shifting the focus from cinematic storytelling to pure hunting. I also love how cutscenes aren’t just static breaks anymore—you can gather loot, ride your Seikret, and interact with the world while dialogue plays out. It keeps the pacing fluid and makes the story feel more immersive. Gameplay – Classic Monster Hunter, Better Than Ever This is Monster Hunter at its best. Combat feels tight, fluid, and impactful—as it should. I play Charge Blade, and the combos feel clean, punchy, and rewarding. The small tweaks to Axe mode encourage more morph play, which I love. The fights feel epic, and monster movesets are incredibly well-designed. Seikrets – A Perfect Addition I liked the Palamutes in Rise, but Seikrets are next-level. They feel like their own unique feature, well-integrated into the game. And the fact that you can bring both a Seikret and a Palico is just perfect. Cooking & Gathering – Actually Fun The portable cooking system is one of my favorite new features. It’s fun, encourages gathering and ingredient hunting, and makes food buffs feel more immersive rather than just clicking a menu option. Customization – The Best in the Series Wilds has the best character customization in Monster Hunter history—by far. Armor textures and details are stunning Weapons are unique, intricate, and visually incredible Dyeing options and individual armor piece customization are top-tier Facial customization is ridiculously deep—you can adjust everything from hair length to bone structure Palico and Seikret customization is solid (Seikrets a little less so, but still good) This game lets you craft a Hunter that truly feels like yours. Multiplayer – When It Works, It’s Fantastic Despite the party system issues, when Wilds’ multiplayer works, it’s the best the series has ever had. You can seamlessly transition from open-world hunts to responding to an SOS flare You can join a random hunt, help someone out, then go back to your own Lobbies feel alive, with 20+ players coexisting in the same space It’s a huge step forward in online play—just held back by the frustrating party system. The Cast – Strong Characters Alma is great. Gemma is great. Olivia is great. Fabius is awesome. Rove is awesome. The Hunter is based. Werner needs antidepressants, but he’s cool, I guess. Anyone I didn’t mention, I didn’t like, and I don’t feel like going into it. I do wish the story focused more on the Hunter, but the lore itself is fantastic, touching on concepts introduced four games ago—and I’m excited to see where the Title Updates take it. Visuals & Music – Absolute Masterpieces Straight up, this game looks and sounds incredible. The models, textures, and environments are insane The sound effects and orchestral score are next-level Monster designs, armor sets, and weapons are all unique and stunning The only downside? I just wish it was optimized well enough so I could see it in full 60 FPS glory. Final Thoughts – Should You Play It? Despite its performance issues and clunky party system, Monster Hunter Wilds is one of the best entries in the series. The combat is refined, the world is beautiful, the customization is unparalleled, and the gameplay loop is as addictive as ever. If you’re a long-time Monster Hunter fan, you’re going to love it. If you’re new to the series, it’s a fantastic entry point—but be prepared for some technical frustrations. Final Score: Gameplay: ★★★★★ (10/10) – Classic Monster Hunter perfection, refined further Graphics: ★★★★★ (10/10) – Stunning, but dragged down by poor optimization Performance: ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) – Needs serious optimization and stability fixes Multiplayer: ★★★☆☆ (7/10) – Fantastic when it works, but the setup is frustrating Story: ★★★★☆ (8/10) – Great lore, amazing hero moments, but too much NPC focus Customization: ★★★★★ (10/10) – The best in the series Final Score: 8.5/10 A phenomenal Monster Hunter game—held back by technical issues but still an absolute must-play.