I’ve always seen Monster Hunter as a cinematic game, but not in the traditional sense of big-budget cutscenes. Instead, the spectacle is inherent to its world. There’s nothing quite like witnessing a titanic beast you’re tracking suddenly become entangled in a battle with another creature, like a spontaneous kaiju showdown. With Monster Hunter Wilds, though, Capcom is taking this spectacle to a whole new level. In a 90-minute demo, I experienced the first two missions of this upcoming action RPG, and they were standard hunts against towering beasts, but with a twist. A greater emphasis on thrilling cutscenes and cinematic set pieces took center stage, adding a new dimension to the familiar hacking and slashing gameplay. This evolution elevates Monster Hunter to a new level, unlocking its blockbuster potential.
The demo began with me sailing on a sea of sand with a crew of quirky characters. After receiving instructions on the monster in the area, the dreaded White Wraithe, I was treated to an action-packed sequence. In the distance, I saw sandworms chasing a character, echoing a scene from Dune. My hero leaped from the ship onto a Seikret and joined the chase. Suddenly, I found myself in a thrilling pursuit sequence, dodging leaping worms with my slingshot. It was captivating. The experience immediately drew parallels to the 2020 Monster Hunter film adaptation, particularly the desert setting. It sparked a thought: was Wilds originally planned alongside the film, aiming to create continuity between the two? One could imagine Capcom believing that the poorly received film might have been a chance to introduce players to their next major release. However, thankfully, the similarities end there.
The demo swiftly plunged me back into familiar territory as I was tasked with hunting down a Chatacbra, a frog-like creature. Equipped with an insect glaive, I pursued it across the desert sands until I found it lurking in a damp cave. The slicing and dicing commenced. Despite the grander set dressing, Monster Hunter Wilds retains the series’ fundamental gameplay. Beasts are massive damage sponges, requiring sustained battles to subdue. With each strike, I exposed wounds on my prey, marked as red gashes on its affected limbs. While I couldn’t directly target these wounds, holding the PlayStation 5 DualSense’s left trigger allowed me to focus my slashes. By aiming toward a weakened hind leg, I could eventually throw the Chatacbra off balance and unleash a barrage of blows to its head as it attempted to recover. After a four-minute fight, I triumphed, slaying my foe and collecting its spoils.
In my second quest, I was tasked with hunting down a furry Alpha Doshaguma. I mounted my Seikret and leaped across twisted natural formations to reach the ground. I discovered the docile beast amidst a pack, with two companions by its side. To isolate my target, I loaded my slingshot with a wad of dung and let loose. The pack scattered, and I began my attack, this time wielding my agile dual blades. The core combat loop remained the same, but I started to experience how Wilds infuses its moment-to-moment gameplay with spectacle. The fight unfolded amidst a furious lightning storm. I evaded the Doshaguma’s massive attacks while bolts of lightning struck near me. When it attempted to flee, I leaped onto my mount and fired a flare gun into the sky, summoning nearby hunters to aid me. These were heart-pumping moments that injected adrenaline into the battles.
I witnessed several more similar scenes during my open-world exploration. I engaged in a battle with a sandworm that slithered onto a bony overhang and attacked from above. Later, I encountered an enormous winged beast perched on a sand dune. When it took flight, I gave chase, leading to a small pond where it clashed with a crocodile-like monster – and utterly devoured it. These instances made Wilds feel less mechanical, delivering the same thrill that infused its flashy cutscenes.
You might expect me to talk about how much more approachable the gameplay is compared to previous games, a common refrain with new Monster Hunter releases. However, that’s not the case here. While Monster Hunter Rise provided a smooth onboarding experience, Wilds throws players directly into the deep end. I found myself frantically navigating radial menus, searching for my tools and learning the intricacies of the insect glaive on the fly. It’s as hardcore as Monster Hunter gets, making it feel like a game for veterans compared to Rise. Although it took me a while to grasp its systems-heavy gameplay, I quickly got back into the groove. This allowed me to focus on trying as many weapons as possible. Now, players can equip two different weapons simultaneously. During one outing, I paired my dual blades with a heavy bowgun. In another, I combined a greatsword and a lance. While mounted, I could press right on the D-pad to switch between my chosen weapons during battle. This breaks up the monotony of fights, as I found myself swapping gear whenever a beast escaped.
Regarding combat itself, you should know what to expect if you’re familiar with Monster Hunter. Large weapons like greatswords are slow and cumbersome, demanding players to commit to each strike. Dual blades are much quicker but deliver only minimal damage per slash. This series isn’t known for fast-paced battles, and that remains true here as I slowly slice through beasts using standard attacks, aerial maneuvers, and special moves. While Wilds is a very high-level Monster Hunter game in this sense, I feel that newcomers will find it easier to adapt in other ways. Its cinematic approach offers a familiar experience, and its open-world design encourages more free exploration. Unlike previous games, I’m not booted back to my camp after slaying a monster. My rewards appear on the side of the screen, and I can continue exploring. These adjustments bring Wilds in line with modern games without sacrificing what makes Monster Hunter so special.
I’ll need to spend more time with the game to fully grasp its monster variety and master the nuances of each weapon, but the outlook is excellent. Monster Hunter Wilds feels like a thrilling new chapter overflowing with high-octane moments that bring the series’ inherent excitement to the forefront. If the full game capitalizes on what I’ve seen in just 90 minutes of play, we could be in for one of 2025’s biggest hits. Monster Hunter Wilds is set to launch in 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
