After Playing The Beta, Monster Hunter Wilds Isn’t For Me, But That’s Exactly Why It's Great

screenrant.com:

I recently got to try the second open beta for alongside hundreds of thousands of other players. This is my fourth time trying to get invested in a game, as I previously played on the PSP, on PS4 — and later on PC — and on the Nintendo Switch. I've also played plenty of clones, like the ill-fated yet nevertheless creative, all to little success. As hard as I've tried to get into the series and genre as a whole, I've really struggled.

I had hoped that crucial changes to the series' formula would pull me back in. So much of the promotional material suggested that this would be the first time that I'd get and that I could dedicate myself to its complex systems wholeheartedly. I do genuinely want to love this series more than I have any other unbelievably popular-yet-somehow-still-considered-niche series. I mean, what's there not to love about smashing hulking monsters with giant swords? However, as hard as I tried, and I struggled to get along. Fortunately, that's probably a good thing.

I love a lot about the games, from its occasional enjoyable story moments to its well-realized world, great armor and weapon designs, and genuinely terrifying monsters that are a thrill to go up against. However, despite the good, I find there is often too much that I don't gel with, which ultimately prevents me from properly engaging. For example, as someone who typically prefers to play games alone, hunts can grow tedious as I chip away at my target's enormous and invisible health bar. Fortunately, many improvements have seen a lot of my issues fixed.

It has NPC Hunters, which players can call down to help during difficult fights. The open world, which initially divided fans, is more dynamic now than ever before, allowing for more monsters to roam around. The dynamic weather effects and interactable open-world elements also contribute to more lively and engaging exploration, which in turn makes hunts feel more rewarding. Hunting for materials, a chore I hated in past games, is also