Monster Hunter Wilds review: a new open-world design feels fresh and exciting

The most accessible Monster Hunter game to date.

5 Star Rating
Monster Hunter Wilds review; A promotional image for the video game "Monster Hunter Worlds" depicts two monster hunters mounted on creatures, engaged in a battle against a large, formidable monster in a vast, arid landscape.
(Image: © Capcom)

For

  • RE Engine delivers a visual feast
  • Brutally fun monster fights
  • Streamlined game design

Against

  • The story can slow things down

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Monster Hunter Wilds: details

Monster Hunter Wilds creature art; large monsters attack a warrior in a desert, they have fur and scales

(Image credit: Capcom)

Publisher Capcom

Developer Capcom

Format Xbox Series X/S, PS5 (reviewed), PC

Platform RE Engine

Release date 28 February 2025

Monster Hunter has always been a big deal in Japan, but since the phenomenal global success of Monster Hunter: World in 2018, now it’s a big deal everywhere. We’ve had 2021’s Monster Hunter: Rise since then, initially a Nintendo Switch exclusive, then later ported to PC and other consoles, but Monster Hunter Wilds is much more of a spiritual successor to the 2018 title than the Switch follow-up.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Lewis Packwood
Video games journalist

Lewis Packwood has been writing about video games professionally since 2013, and his work has appeared in The Guardian, Retro Gamer, EDGE, Eurogamer, Wireframe, Rock Paper Shotgun, Kotaku, PC Gamer and Time Extension, among others. He is also the author of Curious Video Game Machines: A Compendium of Rare and Unusual Consoles, Computers and Coin-Ops (White Owl, 2023).

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Monster Hunter Wilds creature art; large monsters attack a warrior in a desert, they have fur and scales
How Monster Hunter Wilds was made possible by Capcom's secretive RE Engine
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review; a pirate kicks a monkey
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: not quite gold, but definitely still shiny
Avowed review; a skeleton warrior with flora growing from it, holding a sword
Avowed review: not quite Skyrim, but much stranger
Sniper Elite Resistance review; a man kneels on a roof looking down a rifle scope
Sniper Elite: Resistance review - unexpectedly compelling and moreish
Making Eternal Strands;
How Eternal Strands' complex chaos was made possible
Citizen Sleeper 2 interview; a space person floats in a yellow room
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector review
Latest in Gaming
Monster Hunter Wilds review; knights with large weapons fight a massive monster in grassy field
Monster Hunter Wilds review: a new open-world design feels fresh and exciting
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review; a pirate kicks a monkey
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: not quite gold, but definitely still shiny
Singular 9 Ink Console e-reader game console hybrid
Hybrid e-reader game console design puts a delightful twist on a retro format
A Super Mario edition Nintendo Switch beside an image of Mario looking confused
Oops, it looks like the Nintendo Switch 2 price has been leaked
Avowed review; a skeleton warrior with flora growing from it, holding a sword
Avowed review: not quite Skyrim, but much stranger
Switch 2 Mouse JoyCon
This new Switch 2 Joy-Con patent is perplexing – who on Earth would need it?
Latest in Reviews
Monster Hunter Wilds review; knights with large weapons fight a massive monster in grassy field
Monster Hunter Wilds review: a new open-world design feels fresh and exciting
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra review
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra review: A resin printer that isn't as scary to use as I thought
Acer PD3 portable monitor
Acer PD3 folding portable monitor review: a glorious tallscreen that will be useful for some
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review; a pirate kicks a monkey
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review: not quite gold, but definitely still shiny
The Ergonomic Chair Pro in a home office.
Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro review: This is the best mid-range price ergonomic chair today
3DMakerPro Moose 3D Scanner
3DMakerPro Moose 3D Scanner review: compact device with great results