Monster Hunter has made a strong return on the latest gaming consoles with its new title, Monster Hunter Wilds. This game introduces a fully open world for the first time in the series, utilizing Capcom’s advanced RE Engine to offer impressive visuals. But does it stand up to the current generation’s gaming standards? Let’s dive into how it performs on different consoles such as the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S.
Starting with the positives, Monster Hunter Wilds excels in creating expansive game environments that feel vibrant and alive. Players can explore vast areas filled with detailed scenery without experiencing too much visual glitches, like pop-in. The game features intricate landscapes like the beautifully designed deserts and forests, showcasing a rich variety of plant life. It generally meets the expectations we have for current-generation graphics, avoiding the rough edges and low-quality textures sometimes seen in older titles.
The game’s monster hunting adventures highlight a variety of unique creatures in engaging settings. The animations of these monsters are well-crafted, making battles dynamic and exciting. This quality is also reflected in the game’s non-playable characters (NPCs), which are beautifully designed and animated. The attention to detail carries through cutscenes and gameplay, making actions clear and responsive.
Lighting plays a key role in the visual appeal of Wilds. At times, it delivers impressive effects with natural light bouncing and occlusion, especially in bright sunlight. The game uses techniques like screen-space ambient occlusion to enhance its graphics. However, there are moments when the lighting doesn’t seem to live up to the potential of the hardware, appearing overly flat and gray in certain areas.
When we compare Wilds to its predecessors, the enhancements become even clearer. Previous games, such as Monster Hunter World from 2018, were limited by older technology and looked noticeably simpler. While Wilds improves on these aspects significantly, some lighting choices seem odd, like overly muted colors that might detract from the experience in certain settings.
There are a few issues, notably concerning brightness and visual clarity. The game often appears too dim, lacking rich contrast, which can lead to a less vibrant overall look. In addition, some lighting effects, particularly in the game’s detailed jungle areas, don’t work as effectively, leaving certain environments appearing unnatural. Even small indoor spaces lack realistic lighting, which detracts from the experience.
In terms of performance on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, Wilds offers three modes: frame-rate, resolution, and balanced. Unfortunately, the frame-rate mode tends to deliver disappointing visuals, with a lower resolution that struggles on 4K displays. While the performance mode mostly runs at 60fps, it sometimes dips during busier scenes, which is noticeable and somewhat disruptive to gameplay.
Conversely, the Series S performs even worse, limited to a single 30fps mode that can drop below that frame rate during action, making gameplay less enjoyable. The graphics on this console are notably inferior, lacking the same visual fidelity as seen on the more powerful consoles.
Despite the differences in hardware, there are concerns across the board regarding the overall image quality and frame rates. The game doesn’t take full advantage of current technology, which could lead to a less satisfying playing experience.
For many players, the complexity of Monster Hunter Wilds could also be overwhelming. With numerous weapon types, intricate combat systems, and a steep learning curve, it often seems aimed at players already familiar with the series, potentially alienating newcomers.
In summary, Monster Hunter Wilds offers a visually appealing experience but struggles significantly with performance and gameplay clarity across all tested consoles. While there are enjoyable elements, issues with brightness, resolution, and frame rates may leave some players disappointed.