Monster Hunter Wilds has already come a long way since its release, introducing several new challenge modes and the ever-popular Mizutsune for hunters to face off against. Addressing the difficulty complaints of its initial launch, Capcom has significantly raised the stakes for Wilds, with plenty of difficult hunts to test the skills of even veteran players. While Arch-Tempered Rey Dau and Tempered Mizutsune are just the difficulty spike I've been waiting for, there's still one aspect from Monster Hunter World I'm hoping makes a full return in the future.
While Invaders might not have been the most popular inclusion in World, there's still significant demand for the feature to make a return in Wilds. Now that Monster Hunter Wilds' first seasonal event is coming to a close with the end of the Blossomdance festival, it's a great time to look towards what could come next for the series, and what potential its current monsters already have. Even if it will be some time before the next major update for Wilds releases, one surprising monster already has me wishing the next addition to Wilds' roster will be an invader.
Jin Dahaad's Attacks Look Incredible In Different Environments
A Missed Opportunity For Such A Ferocious Monster
Thanks to the efforts of mssquadofficial on X using external tools, players were able to see what Jin Dahaad's ultimate freezing attack looks like in any environment in the game to a surprisingly gorgeous effect. Despite Jin Dahaad not being designed to be fought outside its specialized arena in the Iceshard Cliffs, the environmental AoE attack effect just as excellently in any environment, with the freezing effect gorgeously contrasting the searing desert or lush forests of the Forbidden Lands. While monsters like Jin Dahaad can't become an invader, it's hard not to imagine their potential when realized in-game by fans.
With how surprisingly well the freezing effect works on different biomes, it almost feels like a missed opportunity for Wilds not to let more monsters like Jin Dahaad roam further out of their normal habitats on occasion. Unfortunately, there are more than simple lore reasons holding certain monsters back, with Jin Dahaad's hunting mechanics heavily relying on elements in the environment for the battle to even work. Compared to the AoE ultimate attack relying on boulders for cover, few other monsters share the same limitations, with aggressive monsters that go out of their way to challenge players offering more replayability.
Invading Monsters Are Still A Sorely Missed Addition From Monster Hunter World
Keeping Hunters On Their Toes With Sudden Challenges
The biggest draw of Invader-class monsters is how they are capable of transforming a routine hunt into an excitingly chaotic battle as you try to divert your attention between the two monsters, or simply fleeing from the dangerous new foe chasing you down. Adding a level of unpredictability and challenge to Monster Hunter World's hunts helped it feel fresh while offering countless memorable moments. To this day, I still shudder when hearing the distinct roar of the divebombing Bazelguese, not to mention the fright of being chased down by a Savage Deviljho or a Furious Rajang for the first time.
While Rise technically included invaders like Rajang and Bazelguese, their effect on hunts was drastically reduced.
Unfortunately, with how much I miss their inclusion, not everyone was a fan of monsters randomly deciding to interrupt your hunts and terrorize unsuspecting players. This backlash and concerns over the difficulty-based barrier of entry likely contributed to Capcom hastily removing the feature from Monster Hunter Rise, especially with how overpowered they would have made the mounted fighting systems. While Rise technically included invaders like Rajang and Bazelguese, their effect on hunts was drastically reduced, as they no longer chased down players or interrupted quests unprompted.
Monster Hunter Wilds Avoiding Elder Dragons Could Make Its Expansion Special
Monster Hunter Wilds has been avoiding adding Elder Dragons, which could be saved to help make the eventual expansion feel special when it releases.
While I still want the classic invaders from Monster Hunter World to make a return to Wilds, invaders like Bazelguese and Rajang staying behind could offer the perfect chance for Capcom to design a brand-new, and just as iconic, invader monster to take center stage. Although it took me a while to notice, given its role in the story, Monster Hunter Wilds technically already has a monster with the Invader classification, that being its very own flagship, Arkveld.
There's still room for Invaders and other unique monster classifications in Monster Hunter Wilds.
While Arkveld's gameplay role might not be as instantly recognizable as its distinct invader counterparts, it will still go out of its way to target and pursue players, on top of being the only monster capable of visiting every location in Wilds. With Capcom showing there's still room for Invaders and other unique monster classifications in Monster Hunter Wilds, I have high hopes that the concept will be revisited in future content updates, although we might have to wait until the DLC expansion to see Invader monsters become fully realized in the next generation of Monster Hunter.
Source: mssquadofficial/X
Your comment has not been saved