MONSTER HUNTER WILDS: OPEN BETA PREVIEW

PLATFORM: PS5 (VIA PS PLUS)

HOURS PLAYED: 4

Note: This is a preview of the open beta for Monster Hunter Wilds, which does not reflect the quality of what the final product will be.

Last year, I put around ten hours into Monster Hunter Rise, and sadly, it ended up not being for me. It felt like an obtuse experience that I couldn't see myself being able to get immersed in over extended play periods. However, when Capcom announced a limited-time open beta for Monster Hunter Wilds, I decided to jump in to see how they mixed up and evolved the formula. After all, I can understand that even though my previous Monster Hunter experience didn't do it for me personally, there's still a lot to love about this franchise. So, did this open beta convince a skeptical outside observer to go all in for the upcoming 2025 release?

Character creator

Let's start with the character creator. In any game that includes one, I feel like there are two kinds of players: the ones who go all out to create exact replicas of themselves or those who don't care and roll with a pre-made character -- because how often are you going to see your character during combat anyway? I would consider myself in the latter category; however, this time, I was drawn in. The character creator in Monster Hunter Wilds is impressively deep, allowing you to customize everything from the way you stroll to the color of your teeth and everything in between. I spent around 20 minutes creating a slick monster-hunting version of myself with the coolest palico companion I could imagine — and had a great time doing it.

Combat

The open beta lets you play a small slice of the story campaign, which is also used to introduce the combat system. Veterans of the series will find the combat system here incredibly familiar. For me, it felt like a quick recap before getting back into the groove I established when playing Monster Hunter Rise. So far, Capcom have nailed the feel of destroying a wound or nailing a heavy attack on a weak spot, however, the rest of the combat system feels spongy and unresponsive. If I'm not nailing a weak spot, I don't feel like I'm hitting much of anything, even if my shots are technically landing. I support the idea of critical hits feeling more responsive than non-critical hits, but there should be at least some feedback across the board, or else the whole thing feels unbalanced. However, when those critical hits do land, I feel like I’ve punched my way through a brick wall, which feels so satisfying.

I also found myself needing to press buttons multiple times for some actions to occur. For example, calling my mount, healing, and switching weapons seemed to require multiple button presses to activate, and in the heat of intense combat, I felt left out to dry by my own controller. I understand that the combat and resource management systems are meant to be deep and complex, but I should be able to navigate them without delay. If this particular issue can be smoothed out, then these systems will have reached their immense potential.

When it comes to the actual combat encounters, I've got to say, I'm really impressed with how well Capcom have fine-tuned the formula. I spent most of my time in the open beta locked in a battle with a trio of Doshaguma's. The battle started during a calm evening, eventually spilling over into a nighttime lightning storm, where I found myself simultaneously dodging lightning bolts and attacks from the Doshagumas. After separating the trio of beasts with a projectile I crafted out of beast droppings, I went after each of them one by one. Switching between my heavy sword and dual daggers, I steadily and strategically dealt nearly enough damage to take them down. However, just when I thought I had won, it took off and disappeared. While searching for it, I ran into the alpha Doshaguma and engaged in battle with it. After 20 minutes of intense hacking, slashing, dodging, and trap-setting, I took him down.

This combat encounter was not only thrilling and deeply fun, but it was also a test of my mental fortitude as a gamer. These are long, exhausting battles where you constantly need to strategize to get the upper hand. Even without having a ton of experience with this franchise, I can tell that the combat experience in Monster Hunter Wilds is the result of years of meticulous fine-tuning, and the result is one I'm excited to experience more of.

VISUALS

Visually, Monster Hunter Wilds is rough around the edges. Character models feel stiff, making interactions with them feel awkward. The biome I was able to experience, while beautiful, felt somewhat dull. However, I can see the vision Capcom is going for -- making them more than just a battlefield for your hunts. The character designs of the monsters remain the highlight of the visual direction of Monster Hunter. Even though we only got to experience a handful of foes, their designs were striking and fearsome, just what you'd want in a game of this nature. Overall, the visuals shown in the open beta are glowing with promise, and with some polish in the final months of development, Monster Hunter Wilds could reach its next-gen potential.

THE VERDICT

So, has the open beta for Monster Hunter Wilds convinced this skeptical outside observer of the series to jump back in? So far, the open beta has shown us that this game has incredible potential. Its combat, while feeling unbalanced, is deeply immersive, incredibly fun, and demands the best from you as a gamer. While rough around the edges with its character models and environments, the visuals show the potential of looking truly next-gen with some polish that will hopefully be added during the final months of development. So, while there are a number of things I would like to see fixed, this open beta has convinced me to jump back in feet first when the full game releases on February 28th, 2025!

Note: While I do not provide a score for open betas, I recommend fans and newcomers alike check this out!