Although the series has never been known for its characters,Monster Hunter Wildsis trying to change that, giving characters names (which were introduced inMH Rise) and distinct personalities to have them more heavily featured in the story. This seems to be a polarizing change, since having a story more deeply steeped in the lore of the Hunter’s Guild appeals to some, while others just want to turn monsters into shoes and go about their hunts the way they want to. There is no doubt that the game is more linear than past titles because of its story.
[Warning: Monster Hunter Wilds main story spoilers.]
Still, the better characterization does provide the game with some benefits. It makesMH Wildseasier to follow compared to past games,provides a better entry point for newcomers(which there are a lot of givenWilds' tremendous sales numbers exceeding eight million), and actually makes the community care about the main cast members. It is also a nice change of pace compared toMH Worldspecifically, since the Handler from that title is hated for being annoying, getting the player in trouble, and being as useful as a quest board while claiming to be the player’s partner.
Monster Hunter Wilds' Hunter Is The Game’s Best Character
They Are Everything People Love About Action Heroes
There’s no doubt thatAlma is a better character thanWorld’s Handler, since she’s less annoying and her role is better defined, making her more useful. Gemma has won many hearts for obvious reasons and Olivia has racked up some popularity for her competence with her hammer, butthe game’s best character is actually the Hunter. While previousMonster Huntertitles have had the player character act as a vacant doll who exists to turn monsters into fashion items, the Hunter inWildshas the demeanor of someone who is cool, calm, collected, and dangerously efficient.
While the Hunter is part of the Avis unit, Olivia is part of the Astrum unit and is a renowned Hunter in her own right with her Palico, Athos.
The Hunter fromWildsis fearless, which I would expect from any Hunter, although Olivia showed that this wasn’t the case in thefight against the Jin Dahaadand I don’t think any less of her for it.Olivia made a few comments in the fight about how ridiculous fighting a monster the size of the Jin Dahaad was, yet The Hunter doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. This is largely how they feel throughout the game, acting as a compassionate yet dangerous monster-hunting machine reminiscent of gaming’s old-school action heroes, and a rock for the Avis Unit.
Small moments with their Palico show their playfulness (like ejecting them out of the tent when the Palico jumps on the hammock a bit too much), and their care for Nata, which many players don’t seem to share, demonstrates a protectiveness that makes them endearing. More importantly,The Hunter’s stalwart confidence in any given situation makes them coolin a way that the central character of aMonster Huntertitle should be. Still, the cool factor isn’t always enough, and the Hunter’s strong partnership with Alma really helps them shine.
Alma & The Hunter Form A Powerful Partnership
Guild Authorization Hits Harder Than It Has Any Right To
What makes the Hunter work as a character is their partnership with Alma and the confidence they have in her decision-making.Alma authorizes the Hunter to deal with monsters throughout the game, doing so on behalf of the Guild, which makes her role more defined than the Handler’s fromMH World. She understands her role well, gets people out of danger, and leaves the Hunter to their job, with the pair demonstrating a trust that players have gravitated to, given how liked Alma is compared to her predecessor.
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The pair also contrast with each other, with Alma being a gentle, warm soul, while the Hunter is no-nonsense and straight to business. Alma often has doubts, especially when issuing the order toslay the Guardian Arkveld, but the Hunter never displays anything but extreme confidence.While this doesn’t make them relatable, it does make them admirableand reminds me of characters like Samus fromMetroid, especially with how they act when ordered. Still, with Alma acting as an issuer of orders, that doesn’t mean the Hunter can’t make up their own mind for the betterment of the Forbidden Lands.
WhileMH Wildstakes place in the Forbidden Lands,Worldtakes place in the New World, hence its name.
The best part of the story comes at the very end with thebattle against the Zoh Shia. Before the fight, it seemed that there was only a choice between putting out the Dragon Torch, potentially devastating the ecosystems of the Forbidden Lands, or letting the Zoh Shia roam free. It is decided that the Dragon Torch must be extinguished and Nata should be the one to do it, but after struggling to go through with it, the Hunter offers an alternative.By their own order (which is the best line in the game), they slay the Zoh Shia instead.
The Hunter Is MH Wilds' Master Chief
Dangerously Competent, Fearless, And Heroic Enough To Get The Job Done
Many comparisons can be made between a character like the Hunter andHalo’s Master Chief. Sure, super-soldier characters exist in both worlds (Hunters and Spartans) butthe Hunter and Master Chief are the best for their fearlessness, sheer competence, simplicity with problem-solving, and defying orders for the better when the situation calls for it. Alma is somewhat similar to Cortana too (her earlier iterations), acting as a guide, source of knowledge, and helping hand outside of fighting, although Chief isn’t the only action hero the Hunter can be compared to.
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It has become a common meme that the only thing stoppingthe Hunter from becoming a Doom Guy figure in theMonster Hunteruniverse is Alma’s authority, since they seem just as good at slaying monsters as Doom Guy is at killing demons. If an expansion ends up putting the Hunter against the Fatalis, then they won’t be far off what Doom Guy manages against the forces of hell, relatively speaking, although it isn’t as though the Hunter is just a killing machine. Their protective nature brings them closer to someone like Master Chief, rather than Doom Guy.
The Hunter’s characterization was a welcome surprise inMonster Hunter Wilds’story, since I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a fully voiced player character, but they ended up being my favorite largely down to their cool factor. Alma definitely helped with the Hunter’s characterization, and their partnership feels like whatWorld’s Hunter should have had with their Handler. Although not all characters were hits (people really don’t like Nata, even though I give him a pass because he’s a traumatized child), the Hunter ended up being one.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds is the highly anticipated follow-up to Capcom’s multi-million seller, Monster Hunter World. Announced at The Game Awards 2023, Monster Hunter Wilds will put players into a sprawling world where they’ll hunt monsters to create new weapons and armor while protecting their home base and uncovering the secrets of unexplored lands with friends or alone.
