17 hours Ago By Erik Hodges
Monster Hunter Wilds has just released with a handful of improved mechanics as well as brand-new systems not yet seen in the franchise. One of these, the Wounds system, helps players to bring down monsters faster by opening up and exploiting weak points on a monster’s body. After getting my hands on the game, I can safely say that this feature on its own dramatically increases the Monster Hunter fantasy by allowing players to exploit the cracks in a monster’s armor that appear throughout a prolonged fight.
Far more than just a great quality of life feature, exploiting a wound during a hunt in Monster Hunter Wilds makes me feel like a clever, calculated hunter, using my knowledge of anatomy and skills with weapons to bring down a monster quadruple my size and a hundred times my strength.If you aren’t familiar with the Wounds system in Monster Hunter Wilds, it is a companion mechanic to the game’s Focus mode, both of which debut with this latest entry in the franchise. Focus mode allows you to manually aim the direction of your attacks, a first in the franchise and an incredible quality-of-life update to the long-running series’ combat mechanics, and just one of many decisions that are contributing to the game’s high Metacritic score.
taking flight after striking the Balahara’s open woundWhile in Focus mode, a monster that has taken prolonged damage during a hunt will occasionally show wounds. In classic video game fashion, these glowing red weak points signal a monster’s weakness to a player and goad them to attack that spot for increased damage. While regular attacks can do the trick, you can also initiate a focused strike, which will instantly close the wound and deal massive damage, often toppling the monster over and opening them up to further strikes.
Monster Hunter Wilds makes pretty versatile use of the wounds mechanic, as not all wound opportunities on monsters come from battle damage, but are instead occasionally used before, during, or after a monster’s special attack, giving players an attentive eye and quick reflexes the chance to exploit monsters during a moment of weakness.The addition of wounds in Monster Hunter Wilds makes the act of hunting monsters far more immersive. Though the franchise has always been great at delivering on the fantasy of hunting monsters, it is far more believable that an experienced monster hunter would identify and target the wounds and weak points on a monster, shifting the lop-sided odds in the favor of the intelligent hunter.
Such a simple mechanic goes an incredibly long way in selling the idea of using wits, reflexes, and anatomical data to overcome an impossibly strong monster.Exploiting the wounds on an icky lala barinaRELATED: 10 Best Items to Craft in Monster Hunter WildsNot to mention, the way each weapon uniquely handles focused strikes adds a lot of flavor and immersion with your hunter and their favored weapon choice. Be it the Long Sword, which attacks wounds with a flurry of focused strikes, or the brutal way in which a Great Sword user drags their hefty blade through an exposed wound; the Wounds system goes the extra mile to immerse players in their hunts and their preferred style of play, and hitting a monster’s wound with a focused strike is always a satisfying mechanic to engage in.
I mean, who doesn’t want to watch their hunter pull off a satisfying special attack while looking damn cool in the process?Some longtime fans of the series have expressed concerns with the difficulty of Monster Hunter Wilds, worrying that the game might be “too easy” when compared to other games in the franchise. This was also echoed by some critics of Monster Hunter World. While I can see how this new mechanic may raise concerns for these crowds, I can say, at least in my own estimation, the Wounds system did not cheapen the experience of a hunt, or make it too much easier.
Rather, I would liken the Wounds system to the interactive environments in the Monster Hunter franchise. Be it angry hornet nests, falling rocks, vines that tangle a monster up, or fights between two rampaging beasts, the Wounds system similarly felt like an optional, interactive element that makes hunts more interesting. Where it makes hunts a bit easier, it often feels worth it for the immersive payoff, and the incredible satisfaction of hitting a monster where it hurts.
The post I Feel More Like a Monster Hunter Than Ever Thanks to This New MH Wilds Mechanic appeared first on ComicBook.com..
