Summary
Capcom’sMonster Hunter Wildsis pulling out all the stops to essentially redefine the classic franchise by breaking many of its most recognizable traditions. Firstly,Monster Hunter Wildshas a fully voiced protagonist for the first time in the series, including its spin-off titles. Secondly, there has already been official confirmation of severalnamed NPCs inMonster Hunter Wilds, which is very atypical of aMonster Huntertitle. These two factors alone spell great things for the game’s story — a quality that not manyMonster Huntergames are known for. Even with those major franchise tradition-breakers,Monster Hunter Wildsincludes yet another feature that isn’t entirely new but is still a highly uncommon addition.
Monster Hunter Wilds' Seikret mount is already looking like a big game-changer. It’s not the first time players have been given a mount in aMonster Huntergame, butMonster Hunter Wilds' Seikret comes with several features that no other mount in the series has included. Not only will players be able to carry and swap multiple weapons while on their Seikret but they will also be able to perform attacks from the back of their mount. While the idea of mounted combat in aMonster Huntergame seems like a good time, it must be executed well. If past games with mounted combat have proven anything, it’s that the feature is a very tough nut to crack.
Monster Hunter Wilds' Mounted Combat Needs to Feel Good Enough to Use
Mounted Combat in Gaming Has a Tendency to Make Matters Worse
Mounted combat is far from a new feature in gaming, but it is a feature that is often left out due to how difficult it can be to deliver in a polished state. Many games that include mounted combat have proven the feature’s unreliability, as it is often better to simply fight on foot and then periodically use a mount to evade danger than it is to attempt to do both simultaneously.Horses inThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, for example, are some of the most unreliable mounts in gaming, especially when it comes to mounted combat. Most times, it’s easier to simply run over an enemy with a horse inSkyrimthan it is to attack them with a weapon.
The biggest obstacle with mounted combat is the fact that players are required to control the actions of their character and their mount simultaneously. As there are only two control sticks on a controller and only a certain number of key combinations on a computer keyboard, ensuring both the player’s character and their mount perform desirably can be quite a trick — even more so when the player is under pressure during a difficult battle. On top of that, even games that have managed to make movement on a mount during combat a bit easier, likeElden Ring’s Torrent, still come with disadvantages, such as the inability to control the camera without doing finger gymnastics during a fight.
Monster Hunter Wilds' Mounted Combat Needs to Be Intuitive and Reliable
With all the issues that mounted combat tends to create in a game,Monster Hunter Wildsreally needs to stick the landing and offer one of the most intuitive and reliable mounted combat experiences to date. If it turns out that fighting while on amount inMonster Hunter Wildsis worse or much harder than fighting on foot, many players may simply disregard the feature altogether.
As such,Monster Hunter Wilds' mounted combat will need to figure out how to allow players to easily control both their character and the Seikret at the same time, along with preventing other issues from popping up, like an added fight with the camera. After all, ingames that are as notoriously challenging asMonster Hunter, mounted combat shouldn’t make things more difficult.
Monster Hunter Wilds
WHERE TO PLAY
The unbridled force of nature runs wild and relentless, with environments transforming drastically from one moment to the next. This is a story of monsters and humans and their struggles to live in harmony in a world of duality.Fulfill your duty as a Hunter by tracking and defeating powerful monsters and forging strong new weapons and armor from the materials you harvest from your hunt as you uncover the connection between the people of the Forbidden Lands and the locales they inhabit.The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds.
