Monster Hunter Wilds Review — Best in the Series and One of the Greatest Action-RPGs Ever Made

When Monster Hunter Wilds hit Steam in February 2025, it became the store's top seller within days. More than a year later, nothing has changed: the game holds a series-record Metacritic score of 90 on PS5 and remains the benchmark for the action-RPG genre.

What Is Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds is the direct sequel to Monster Hunter: World (2018) and the sixth mainline entry in Capcom's beloved action-RPG franchise. The game casts players as hunters in a living open world where dynamic ecosystems shift based on weather, time of day, and player activity.

Why It's the Best in the Series

Critics unanimously called Wilds "a step forward from World in every way." Key improvements:

Living ecosystems: monsters react to each other as well as to the player; territorial conflicts unfold in real time and change hunt tactics
Weather and biomes: dynamic storm, drought, and flourishing cycles affect monster behavior and rare resource availability
Combat system: preserving World's depth while adding new positioning mechanics and contextual monster reactions
Co-op: multiplayer is far more accessible without sacrificing solo depth

Technical Performance

PS5 version runs at 4K/60 FPS in Performance mode. The PC version (Metacritic 88) features extensive settings and DLSS/FSR support. Xbox Series X/S scores 86 on Metacritic.

What's Missing

Some critics noted the final campaign stretch loses narrative momentum, and certain endgame mechanics need more content for long-term engagement — a recurring franchise issue that Capcom traditionally addresses with large DLC expansions.

Verdict

Monster Hunter Wilds is a rare case where a sequel surpasses the original in every way. If you've been putting it off, now is the perfect time: by mid-2026, the balance and crafting are fully polished. One of the best action-RPGs not just in the series, but in the history of the genre.