Monster Hunter Wilds Has the Best Story in the Series — and That’s Saying Something

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Reflecting on it now, I truly value the storyline of Monster Hunter Wilds. Although I completed it two months back, certain plot points continue to resonate with me. It seems as though Capcom put a lot of thought into creating an engaging Monster Hunter narrative, and this is evident in Wilds’ more structured progression.

In earlier Monster Hunter series, particularly the initial three generations, the narrative wasn’t as prominent compared to the gameplay. These games appeared to prioritize endless monster hunts over a compelling storyline. The repetitive structure of “read your quest information, hunt this monster” was appealing because players were more focused on the hunting experience rather than the story at that time.

In today’s gaming world, players look for engaging stories. They seek a compelling reason to invest their time in a game with substantial content, and to grasp the universe they are navigating. This is why Capcom introduced narrative elements in Monster Hunter World, but unfortunately, these attempts didn’t meet with widespread approval.

With Monster Hunter Wilds now, it’s no longer just about slaughtering beasts senselessly; we have a legitimate purpose – hunting monsters that Alma, our Handler, deems as genuine threats, not just for the sake of being ruthless hunters.

Although it has a defined layout, the Forbidden Lands remain unexplored and unmapped territories. Consequently, our Hunter and the Guild have limited influence in this area, as we’ve only recently set up our gathering center, which was just built last week. Despite the presence of numerous monsters, there aren’t any professional monster hunters wielding oversized weapons – instead, it seems that ordinary people are carrying on with their daily lives.

Previously in Wilds, characters were typically nameless and one-dimensional, lacking any significant influence on the story. Many were non-player characters (NPCs) labeled simply as “Smithy” or “Quest Keeper.” Now, we’ve introduced characters with distinct personalities, such as the inquisitive Alma and the clever Gemma.

A lot of gamers seem to have issues with Nata’s storyline, yet I found his journey with Arkveld engaging. Both characters share a common past, having survived a significant catastrophe. I could relate to Nata’s fixation on Arkveld—it represented his fears and apprehensions externalized onto a monster. Ironically, Arkveld, being a monster, doesn’t reciprocate these feelings since it doesn’t care about such emotions.

Deep within the storyline of Wilds lies a rich tapestry of history, dating back a millennium to the collapsed civilization of Wyveria. If Capcom chooses to delve further with upcoming updates, there’s potential for us to uncover even more about this ancient era. There have been subtle indications that Fatalis could make a comeback. At its fullest extent, future expansions might focus on Ancient Wyveria, a location we haven’t explored fully during the main game yet.

Currently, I can’t help but shower compliments on Monster Hunter Rise’s storyline. It’s not just the usual “complete this task, then do that” mission format anymore, and we’re no longer simply shouting “Dragonator!” at each other. Instead, it demonstrates that Capcom is finally giving the series’ narrative the attention it deserves, and I’m thrilled to see the result in Rise.

You can read our full review here.

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2025-04-16 14:42