Putting beta feedback into action, Monster Hunter Wilds devs show off improved hitstop and reworked weapons that feel how you remember them

gamesradar.com:

After the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta, a lot of you were unhappy with the hitstop and weapon changes, but a new pre-launch community update reveals things are back on track.

One of the biggest complaints following the open beta was the lack of proper hitstop. This is a common mechanic in fighting games where an attack animation will pause for a fraction of a second when you land a hit on an enemy. When done right, it creates a satisfying visual feedback. It's often paired with a sound so that you really know you've landed a strike.

I've never played Monster Hunter myself, but I watched my housemate play it for hours on his Switch, and I was always impressed by how viscerally kinetic the fights looked because of hitstop, so I understand why you were all upset it seemed so bad in the beta.

Thankfully, a new pre-launch community update video shows that it's back with a vengeance, alongside many weapon improvements.

Game director Yuya Tokuda says (via translator Patrick): "It's something we were aware of with the OBT [open beta test] build. When it comes to making those weapons feel more weighty and impactful in terms of hitstop and sound effects we are planning to make further adjustments in the full version of the game."

During our own preview of the game in Osaka earlier this month, Austin noted that the hitstop "is, simply put, back. Weapons cleave through weak spots with greater exaggeration and palpable impact, just as many fans wanted them to after the beta felt comparatively limp-wristed."

A short clip shows off the hitstop in action with the Great Sword's Charge Attacks, and you can really feel the heft of each impact.

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"Even for moves where I haven't changed the damage output, I've heard you guys on things like hitstop, on sound effects, how the moves feel to actually use," Tokuda continues. "Those kinds of adjustments are being made not just on the Great Sword but across all weapon types."

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