While the franchise has never exactly been known for its gripping storylines, Monster Hunter Wilds aimed to deliver a compelling narrative that's praised as one of its key selling points by Capcom. While not everyone took to the new storytelling mechanics, Wilds seems to be the start of a more story-based push for the series, with the hunter being the key element to the change. Although the methods of forcibly railroading players and an unorthodox progression system slightly stunted the experience, the story of Wilds has several implications that offer the perfect chance to expand upon in future DLC.

[Warning: this article contains spoilers for the ending of Monster Hunter Wilds]

Even without a groundbreaking story, the history of Monster Hunter is filled with moments of fantastic world-building and interesting ecology, creating living environments that shine brightest in Monster Hunter Wilds​​​​​​. With each explorable area of Wilds being filled with hidden features, mechanics, and personality, the hunter is the perfect character to explore the new lands with. While it may not have had the warmest reception at first, the changes in Monster Hunter​​​​ Wilds' voiced protagonist might go down as one of its best yet.

A Voiced Protagonist Was A Controversial Move For The Series

Not Everyone Was Pleased With The New Change

Although the concerns weren't as widespread as the reaction in other fandoms, there was still backlash from those who didn't feel like a voiced protagonist would fit with Monter Hunter's style of gameplay. Coupled with many features being overhauled and changed in Wilds or through recent entries, there was understandable concern that Monster Hunter may have gone too far from its roots. Given the much-needed improvements made to the story and the development of its unique cast of characters, the voice acting in Wilds didn't feel too out of compared to its predecessors.

Monster Hunter Rise had already introduced the concept of a voiced protagonist before Wilds.

Despite concerns about Monster Hunter Wilds' fully voiced protagonist and Palico, Monster Hunter Rise had already introduced the concept of a voiced protagonist before Wilds​​​​​​, albeit to a much lesser degree. Rather than having full-on conversations with NPCs through cutscenes and dialogue-heavy segments, most of the character voices in Rise were delegated to simple phrases said during gameplay. Similar to Wilds, players also had control over choosing the voice types and style of their customizable characters, which was further developed as one of the many improved features in Wilds.

The Personality Of The Hunter Shines Through Their Dialogue

Offering More Choice For Meaningful Character Interactions

Despite the voiced protagonist being a massive shift for the series as a whole, the hunter's dialogue never feels too overpowering, finding the right balance between player agency and being an identifiable character. While most of the hunter's characterization comes in the form of its pre-rendered and in-game cutscenes, the optional dialogue also helps to simultaneously develop the ing cats of Wilds​​​​​​. Rather than simply being talked at and responding through grunts or nods, the main hunting party feels like a dynamic team of newfound friends working towards a common goal in a strange new land.

Finding the right balance between player agency and being an identifiable character.

Throughout multiple segments of Monster Hunter Wilds' story, you're given the chance to talk with NPCs, learning new perspectives on recent events alongside their personality and history. One of the best examples of this is seen with the hunter's optional dialogue with Genma, allowing the hunter to learn more about her backstory and the inspirations leading to her becoming the sole Smithee of the Forbidden Lands expedition. While these discussions serve to learn more about the other characters in the world, Wilds surprisingly included dialogue choices as well, allowing for enough slight variation to make each interaction more impactful.

The improved characterization in Wilds doesn't just extend to the newly developed hunter either, as even the handler, Alma, is a significant upgrade from World. Providing useful insights during monster expeditions and following close behind the hunter, Alma is an incredibly valuable companion who rarely overstays her welcome. Even the pre-made storylines and cutscenes for Wild help bring the hunter to life as a unique perspective for the series as one of Wild's best characters, no longer being a faceless rookie thrust into fighting god-like Elder Dragons through a combination of luck and skill.

A Veteran Hunter Feels Like A Natural Progression For The Franchise

A Satisfying Continuation From Previous Entries

One of the best changes to the hunter that makes the transition into a fully voiced protagonist much more seamless is the decision to have them be a veteran hunter, rather than yet another rookie fresh to a new village. Being an experienced hunter at the forefront of a brand-new expedition, Wilds' protagonist has a much higher level of confidence and trust from their allies, which greatly shifts the dynamic of the story. While the change offers plenty of satisfying moments on its own, Wilds' story feels even more fantastic for returning veterans of the series.

Wilds' story feels even more fantastic for returning veterans of the series.

Even if you've only played one entry in a franchise, like World, the ambiguous yet experienced background of the hunter is the perfect fit to act as a continuation of their storyline, being a great template to fit your previous character into. Despite still acting as a customizable blank slate, the hunter in Wilds has a dynamic personality that can fit more comedic moments while still delivering impactful lines during tense parts of the story.

The introduction of guild authorization also helps to make the hunter feel like an unstoppable monster-hunting machine, with Alma being the only person holding them back from wiping out entire ecosystems of otherwise deadly monsters. Coupled with unlockable layered armor later on, the coolest cutscenes in Wilds have an even higher cool factor that far sures the franchise expectations of a low-rank experience. While it's unlikely to be related, the sheer level of experience the hunter has could also help explain why Wilds' monsters die so quickly, with the difficulty scaling in the future to match their prowess.

The Perfect Foundation To Reach Even Greater Storytelling Heights

Tackling Climactic Hunts With A Newfound Confidence

While Monster Hunter Wilds' unorthodox progression left its most climactic experiences behind too early, this problem is likely to be expanded upon soon with future updates. Having confidently tackled the devastating and civilization-destroying Zoh Shia inspired by the likes of the devastating Fatalis, the hunter in Monster Hunter Wilds has the potential to take on even deadlier threats that could sur past expectations for the series. Making these hunts even more climactic is how confident the hunter already is, no longer hiding behind allies or only facing threats as a team, but a singular duo with their trusty Palico.

One of the ways that Monster Hunter Wilds could easily sur the deadliness scale of its predecessors is by incorporating the previously rumored Final Fantasy 14 Bahamut collaboration. While another Final Fantasy crossover wouldn't be too unlikely given the apparent closeness between the two studios, Wilds still has plenty of unexplored story beats that I can't wait to see in their final form. From introducing more guardian forms of previous monsters, brand-new Elder Dragons, and even the fully realized form of the artificial Zoh Shia, there's plenty of potential for Monster Hunter Wilds to provide one of the best experiences the franchise has to offer.