Is Monster Hunter Wilds a Good Starting Point in the Series?

Monster Hunter is one of the longest-running CAPCOM franchises with several entries across a variety of platforms. It gained steam with the release of Monster Hunter World, followed by Rise, which further streamlined some of its systems. Each entry has served as a standalone title by offering something new.

Does this philosophy of design extend to Monster Hunter Wilds as well? Or are you better off playing one of the previous releases to get a better idea of the series’ mechanics? Here is everything you need to know.

Is Monster Hunter Wilds Worth it for Newcomers?

In short, yes, Monster Hunter Wilds is a fantastic entry point to the series for newcomers. The development team at CAPCOM has taken a considerable amount of feedback from the past two major releases and done a great job of making Monster Hunter Wilds accessible to players who are intimidated by the depth of the series, and its numerous mechanics.

The hunts in Monster Hunter Wilds are a bit simplified, making it easier for players to swap weapons and use different armor pieces that offer new abilities. Similarly, the focus system offers more control over where your attacks are directed and highlights wounds that eventually form as you target specific parts of the monster.

The pacing of the tutorial has been adjusted, and the early hours of the game do a good job of explaining the various systems in the form of tutorial hunts. Combos and available moves are visible in the HUD, which makes experimenting with new weapons feel less daunting.

The radial menu is customizable, making it easy to access things you’d otherwise have to use menus for. The UI in general is highly customizable as well, letting you move around things the way you want. The sheer number of options provided by the game, even at boot-up, is a step in the right direction for both accessibility and onboarding.

Additionally, everything explained in the tutorial is easily accessible if you want to go over something again. Players can also adjust the pace at which the tutorials are displayed, making it easier to digest information, even during tutorial sections.

As usual, the story is completely new and self-contained. You don’t need any pre-existing knowledge. There might be some nods and references, especially regarding monsters, but this is a completely new experience that requires zero background knowledge or lore.

Finally, the elephant-sized monster in the room. Yes, Monster Hunter Wilds is an easier game than its predecessors, but that’s not exactly a knock against it. It still has the core mechanics that make the game special, but the easier difficulty results in less downtime and doesn’t scare away newcomers. If you’re looking for a game that teaches you the mechanics well, you’ll have a great time with Wilds, especially as a newcomer.