Monster Hunter Wilds Looks to Continue My 20 years of Monster Hunting

A Hunter Is Born

I remember the first time I played Monster Hunter. In middle school, my parents bought me a PSP and a game called Burnout Dominator. It also came with a demo disc that included Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. At that time, I didn’t understand what the game was about. The clerk told me I could play as a hunter chasing dinosaur-like monsters.

I loaded up Burnout and played for about an hour when I got home. After that, I decided to try the demo disc. Immediately, the memorable music of Capcom’s Monster Hunter welcomed me, and I was entranced. The demo set me up with gear I didn’t know how to use and set me on the trail of monsters I knew nothing about. Armed only with my gaming instincts and enthusiasm, I set off to slay a beast. It was my first hunt, but not my last, as I had now fallen in love with the Monster Hunter series.

Monster Hunter Through The Years

After that, my passion for Monster Hunter grew, with Monster Hunter Freedom Unite being my main choice. While I didn’t play every version of the series, I did find myself returning to the game that set me on my hunter’s path with each new console, reminding me of good times. Later, I got my hands on Monster Hunter Freedom 2, and while buying a 3DS for Pokémon Y, I found a used copy of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate at GameStop. A few years later I picked up Monster Hunter Generations, a game that helped me stay grounded during my busy college years.

After college, I focused on my career as a cook, leaving me little time for gaming. But once a gamer, always a gamer. In 2018, I returned to gaming with the launch of Monster Hunter World, along with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. I spent hundreds of hours hunting monsters after work as if it were my second job. Monster Hunter World was the first time I felt like a part of the Monster Hunter community. Before, I mostly played alone. Now, I was teaming up with other hunters on quests and learning to use weapons I hadn’t enjoyed before, like the Charge Blade and Switch Axe.

When the pandemic hit, Monster Hunter World was a mainstay for me. I had switched to PC gaming, keeping consoles mainly for exclusive games like Monster Hunter Rise, which started as a Nintendo Switch exclusive but gave me another reason to play the console for something besides Pokémon or Metroid. While Rise wasn’t as community-focused as World, it was still enjoyable and reminded me of my time as a solo hunter. Especially, since I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve hunted in a party. Rise gave me many enjoyable hours as I hunted monsters and collected materials to craft better equipment. Monster Hunter is an important game for me, connecting my childhood and adulthood. Sometimes, I still feel like that kid playing Freedom Unite for the first time, excited to complete a hunt and craft new gear.

Preparing For The  Wilds

With 2025 upon us, I’m looking forward to Monster Hunter Wilds. My excitement is growing as I think about my upcoming journey. Even though it’s only been a few years since Rise for me, it feels much longer, especially after returning to a normal lifestyle after recent events. The trailers for Monster Hunter Wilds have thrilled me; they hit all the right notes for excitement. I even bought Monster Hunter Rise for PC to prepare before Wilds launches on February 28th.

I am eager to explore The Forbidden Lands, hunt new and familiar monsters, craft better weapons, and improve as a hunter while working with other great hunters. 

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