I’ve got to admit, I came relatively late to the party when it comes to the Monster Hunter series. For years, I stayed away, mostly because the games were stuck on handheld devices that never really piqued my interest—and let’s be honest, the performance didn’t look great either.
My journey into the Monster Hunter world began with Monster Hunter World, and it was a complete game-changer. I was hooked, becoming an instant fan. With over twenty hours already invested in Wilds, I’ve eagerly plunged into the main campaign, steering clear of side quests for now. But wow, what a disappointment it turned out to be.
Monster Hunter campaigns aren’t really about deep storytelling or intricate setups. Their primary role is to familiarize you with the numerous systems and mechanics that will be crucial as you clock over 100 hours in the game. Essentially, they serve as a grand tour of the game’s vast creature repertoire.
The storyline typically unfolds as you and your team are on a quest to track a mysterious creature impacting various regions. Along the way, pesky interruptions from other monsters keep you busy until you finally uncover the source of your initial target’s troubles. It all winds up in a big showdown, and just like that, the campaign wraps up, ushering you into High Rank where the real Monster Hunter experience begins.
This overarching description applies to Wilds’ campaign just as much as it does to World’s, though when you dig into the specifics, that’s where one campaign shines and the other just muddles through.
What really set World’s campaign apart was its driving narrative. Introducing Zorah Magdaros—a behemoth of a monster—added a fresh dimension to the series. This creature was enormous, requiring an entire village’s efforts just to slow it down. You could literally battle other monsters on its back with room to spare.
It was certainly a bold move by the development team, aiming to introduce a whole new kind of encounter to Monster Hunter. Sure, it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Battling Zorah Magdaros meant constructing barricades, operating cannons, and engaging in activities that diverged from typical Monster Hunter gameplay.
Personally, I loved it precisely because it broke up the monotony of other battles, adding a narrative drive by linking Zorah’s journey to story progression. Each new area you explored revealed firsthand the impact of Zorah’s migration on the environment, building a sense of mystery with its purpose shrouded until the campaign’s conclusion.
In stark contrast, the Wilds campaign lacks that same looming presence. The flagship creature, Arkveld, makes brief, unremarkable appearances without any urgent explanation, and then it vanishes for hours. It’s not even the final boss—that title goes to a random giant revealed just one mission before you face it.
There’s no grand assembly of diverse groups rallying against a common threat. In some cases, monster encounters feel as though they were shoehorned into missions at random, almost like the development team couldn’t decide how to introduce them naturally.
It feels like pieces of the plot that might have connected different characters were removed, leaving hints in NPC dialogue and cutscenes but never revealing the full picture.
Even the ancient civilization’s story, with its weather-altering tech leading to their downfall, feels more suited to a supplementary lore book than an engaging campaign narrative.
In essence, the Wilds campaign seems to encapsulate many of the core issues present in the main game. In pursuit of accessibility, it loses some of its unique charm and rough edges, possibly missing the mark with its efforts.
As we delve deeper into Wilds’ successes and shortcomings, the campaign itself might fade from memory. Yet, I can’t help but wonder what a genuine sequel to the World campaign might have offered.
