Gamescom Asia 2024: I Didn’t Get to Play Monster Hunter Wilds, But I Think I get the Hype (?)

As much as I have played games avidly, my experience with certain titles is, well, non-existent. One of which is the entire Monster Hunter franchise – a game raved by my peers and something I never had the proper chance to get into. Although I did buy Worlds on Steam, so I guess – CAPCOM got my money for free. But that said, I could never understand the hype behind the game, up till recently, during Gamescom Asia 2024, Capcom showcased the Monster Hunter Wilds demo, and I think I got the Hype (?). Let me dive right in.

Gamescom Asia 2024 Monster Hunter Wilds Hype

So, I didn’t get to play the Demo on the Floor…

Blasphemous indeed. But granted we only had a day at Gamescom Asia 2024 and had to fly back to Malaysia, we had to make the most out of the day – but even then, the queue for Monster Hunter Wilds was excruciatingly long and the demo session lasted for 30 minutes per game. By the time I got there, it was too late with all the slots taken. Tried reaching out to the CAPCOM reps but no response either. But thanks to a kind soul on the floor, he gave me access to spectate other players playing the game – where I took my sweet time with it.

Just because I am a Media, doesn’t mean I am going to abuse my power for the sake of it.

Then I Chose to Spectate

What I found out was, that there were different zones for the Monster Hunter Wilds Demo and it’s up to you what would you like to experience. One part of it is the story run and the other part is the Monster Hunting. Now the thing is, with the untrained eye, you don’t know what you are looking for – and this is where I chose to speak to some folks on the floor. Now, the whole element of hunting monsters is the common denominator for the entire franchise. However, this time around, CAPCOM amped up the experience by really giving players the seamless-ness they have been asking for.

It’s Finally an Open World Game

As it turns out, Monster Hunter World, which came out a while ago, was a Closed World game and for some odd reason I thought – because the World seems to have a vast play space, I thought it was an Open World game. However, Wilds is the first time CAPCOM is venturing into an Open World space, making it more realistic as much as possible.

This is where they have changed the entire game. For one, the environment around the game constantly changes and you have a bunch of ecosystems to go for: Deserts, Wetlands or Jungles. And because of the lack of loading screens, you are getting more uninterrupted gameplay as you move from the camp to embark on a journey to hunt.

If you told me on paper that this is an Open World game, I’d probably run the opposite direction because it’s a genre that I quite don’t have a grasp on – because it’s overwhelming for me personally. However, not when these people playing the game though – because trying to truly hunt a monster was a feeling I could resonate with, especially with franchises like Horizon, one that’s near and dear to my heart. Instead of hunting a machine, we hunt “real” creatures instead. However, I get why I wasn’t overwhelmed, because…

The Demo “Kept” Players in the Desert and the Desert only

So, for the most part, every demo kept the players confined in the Desert environment – which happened to be the case when some of our friends from other titles got their first demo hands-on months ago. One particular player, ventured really into the desert, fighting this Blue-Black scaled Dragon, in an environment that was dark and looked like the storm was about to affect things. Initially, I thought this was the only Monster you could fight.

As for the others, most players were experiencing the Doshaguma monster, which is a new monster made for the game – even though I could see the amount of struggle trying to take the Monster down. So, for a “confined” area, that is still a lot that’s going on if you ask me. So, I could only imagine how vast the world is going to be when the game comes out.

Players Seemed to Enjoy the Better Mechanics

One of the other big improvements happens to be the recovery of the player itself. On top of that, you do get some other extra abilities – which I couldn’t recognize any, except for the bomb barrels – which you can now pick up after you have armed them. Not just that – some players pointed out the lack of Classic Controls in Wilds the Player Action Settings is no longer present – which happens to be a thing in Rise. Now sure how true is this and if it’s a good thing – but I guess we just have to wait and see.

After Seeing All of that, I get the Hype I think?

The thing is, who doesn’t like hunting monsters because it’s as simple as that. Hunting Machines in Horizon was a headache for sure, but it was fun as well. I reckon you get the same experience here. Now, with the other factors added to the game which we spoke about surely seems like a game changer, but I can’t quite resonate due to the lack of exposure to the entire franchise. But I do like the story they have chosen to go for with this game – because at the end of the day, the story of a game is crucial for me to get heavily invested in it. So, before Wilds hits the stores, I guess it’s time for me to give World a go at least to get where CAPCOM is coming from, with Wilds at least.

As for the Rest

Don’t let the Monster Hunting fool you, because the game is more than that. The story goes like this: this particular hunter goes on an adventure to investigate the uncharted region, called Forbidden Lands to rescue, Nata’s People (which is the boy that needs help I believe) and hunt for a White Wraith Monster.

As much as I am happy that I got to spectate, it isn’t the same as playing the game by myself as I have not immersed myself in the experience. Part of the reason was, that I didn’t want the public to miss out on it. Now, to be very honest, we aren’t sure we would review this game – or get the chance to do so. But if that doesn’t happen, that’s okay with me too. Eventually, when the time comes, I’ll play it – even if it’s after a certain period since the launch, in the future.

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