Monster Hunter Wilds Brings Back the Series' Fear Factor

Summary

Monster Hunter Wilds maintains the series' fear factor through detailed monsters and dynamic weather.
The game may be easier, but intense moments are created by its pack system and realistic monsters.
Players feel small in a big, dangerous world - a new approach to the series emphasizing unpredictability.

The primary appeal of any Monster Hunter game is undoubtedly the opportunity it gives players to participate in epic, large-scale fights with otherworldly monsters. However, a major aspect of the effectiveness of these clashes has been the Monster Hunter series' fear factor, which has fluctuated over time but is nonetheless a part of the franchise's history. Earlier entries really leaned into a more intimidating atmosphere, where monsters felt overwhelming and unpredictable. Unfortunately, that was largely lost in Monster Hunter: World, as its gameplay became more accessible than any entry to date. Now, Monster Hunter Wilds arrives on the scene with its own take on that fear factor, though it's a non-traditional approach.

When it comes to Monster Hunter's fear factor, Monster Hunter Wilds falls short in terms of difficulty. One thing that factors rather significantly into that fear factor is the challenge that a Monster Hunter monster poses, after all, so Monster Hunter Wilds being on the easier side of things doesn't help it in that regard. However, thanks to the detail and realism poured into Monster Hunter Wilds' monsters, along with the explosive scenarios that the game's dynamic weather and pack systems can create some intense moments, bringing back the series' fear factor in a big way, albeit a different one.

The Unwritten Rules of Monster Hunter Wilds Explained

Monster Hunter Wilds may be the most accessible entry in the franchise to date, but players should still adequately prepare before they set off.

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By Josh Cotts

Monster Hunter Wilds' Hunts Have a Fear Factor the Series Has Lacked

Monster Hunter Wilds' Monsters Are Incredibly Detailed and Realistic

Monster Hunter: World may have departed from the series' fear factor by making its gameplay more accessible, but it doubled down on that by featuring a world that was animated and cartoonish more than it was realistic. Monster Hunter Wilds, on the other hand, while it might lean into that same desire for accessibility, features monsters and a world that are more detailed and realistic than the series has ever been before. As a result, despite the game's fights arguably being a bit easier than past entries, many of Monster Hunter Wilds' monsters are terrifying to behold, especially during their intro cinematics.

Even during a fight with a large monster in Monster Hunter Wilds, players might experience a sense of dread as these massive creatures come barreling across the arena or slam their giant arms down onto the ground.

Monster Hunter Wilds' Weather and Pack Systems Make Fights Even More Intense

Monster Hunter Wilds' weather system also contributes to the game's fear factor, even if its difficulty doesn't. The weather system, for one thing, often brings in storms that feel just as formidable as the monsters players face. As a bolt of lightning explodes on the ground near them or a cloud of sand and dust comes sweeping across the plains toward them, players are likely to feel like they are just a small part of a much larger world that is out to defeat them by any means possible.

Monster Hunter Wilds' pack system is another way it maintains the series' fear factor, as it can quickly turn a fight against one large monster into a clash against five if players don't keep their wits about them. Newcomers to the series, especially, are likely to get a bit frantic once they find themselves in the middle of a herd of large monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds — a panic that, once it sets in, can lead to a quick defeat if players can't get it under control. It's a sense of feeling overwhelmed that the series hasn't projected onto players in quite some time, and one that it really has never been able to, on account of the pack system being a brand-new mechanic.

Despite the game's fights arguably being a bit easier than past entries, many of Monster Hunter Wilds' monsters are terrifying to behold, especially during their intro cinematics.

Monster Hunter Wilds may not rely on difficulty to instill fear in players, but it certainly finds new ways to keep them on edge. Its attention to detail and realism, combined with the unpredictability of its dynamic weather and pack systems, revives the series' sense of being small in a world far bigger and more dangerous than the player. While past games might have made hunters feel increasingly powerful, Monster Hunter Wilds takes its own strides to ensure them that they are still just a small piece on a constantly evolving chess board.

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