The milestone success ofMonster Hunter Wildsshould come as no surprise to anyone who has been watching the franchise’s meteoric rise to popularity followingMonster Hunter World.World’s innovations went a long way toward making theMonster Hunterseries its most accessible to newcomers, which was somethingMonster Hunter Risebuilt upon to positionMonster Hunter Wildsas a record-breaking title. But one of the newer mechanics fromMonster Hunter Riseis missing fromMonster Hunter Wilds, and its absence is sorely felt. DespiteMonster Hunter Wildsfeaturing arguably the best monster mounting mechanics in the series,Rise’s Wirebug is nowhere to be found.
One of a small handful of new gameplay mechanics that were introduced inMonster Hunter Risethat remain exclusive to that 2021 series entry, theWirebugwas a useful traversal tool that served several different functions in the context ofRise’s gameplay. Thanks toRise’s environmental design and its shift toward verticality, the Wirebug was an indispensable tool for quickly reaching elevated areas or getting out of harm’s way. But the Wirebug was equally as important in combat, allowing for players to execute midair attacks and easily mount monsters, and it would have been a natural fit inMonster Hunter Wilds' gameplay.
Monster Hunter Wilds Makes Mounting Large Monsters Easier Than Ever
Contrary to previousMonster Huntergames, players can easily jump onto the backs of large monsters from their Seikret mount, as long as there’s enough of a height differential between them and their prey when they dismount. Once players are on top of a large monster,Monster Hunter Wildsdoes away withWorldandRise’s mounting mechanics in favor of a new system where players can easily hop from one part of the monster to another, dishing out damage until creating a Wound and then exploiting it withFocus Attacks.
Without the inclusion of the Wirebug, mounting monsters inMonster Hunter Wildsis both easier to pull off and more satisfying. But it’s hard to not feel like its absence marks a missed opportunity to encourage players to utilize the new mounting system more. Wounds and Focus Attacks are cornerstones ofMonster Hunter Wilds' new combat innovations, and, surprisingly, Capcom didn’t actively encourage players to mount large foes more often to exploit those systems.
How the Inclusion of the Wirebug Could Have Enhanced Monster Hunter Wilds
From a level design perspective, it makes sense that the Wirebug doesn’t reappear inMonster Hunter Wilds. WhileMonster Hunter Rise’s verticality and multiple-floor maps made the inclusion of a tool like the Wirebug a necessity, the same can’t be said aboutMonster Hunter Wilds. Comparatively,Monster Hunter Wildsplaces a much greater emphasis on scale and density in its interactive spaces. Combined with the ability for players to use the environment to serve as a dynamic part ofmonster hunts, the inclusion of the Wirebug may have had the potential to upset the game’s balance.
ButMonster Hunter Wildsis already fairly approachable for newcomers in comparison to the rest of the series, and the inclusion of the Wirebug could have gone a long way toward encouraging players to mount large monsters more often. The newmounting system inMonster Hunter Wildsis a unique departure from how the mechanics were handled in bothMonster Hunter WorldandRise, and including the Wirebug to help facilitate it would have had the power to transform encounters with large monsters that stay mobile.
