At the beginning of last month Wild monster huntersthe latest main entry in the long-running series, it had an open beta on all platforms to give players an early taste of the action (and the developers some much-needed feedback). While the beta was well-received, many players agreed on one thing: something about the combat felt… off. Things were a bit iffy and the culprit quickly revealed itself: a almost complete lack of hitstop.
For the uninitiated, a “hitstop” is a period of frozen frames that games and animated media employ during a substantial hit to really sell the severity of the hit. It looks unrealistic, but is extremely rewarding when done right Monster hunter staple.
Newer previews from the latest playable version of the game has already reported significantly improved hit retention, making combat feel harder and more satisfying. Speaking of combat, some weapons are getting better “big changes” before the premiere, these are: Insect Glaive, Switch Axe, Lance and Sword & Shield. As a player who has heard not-so-positive things about the open beta, I’m very content about it.
I wish I could add my two cents to this review, but unfortunately I was out of town during the open beta. From the sound of it, I too would have been disappointed with the more up-in-the-air combat, but I’m almost glad I was spared that month of gnawing anxiety before learning about these positive changes. Mour star Hunter Wilds is shaping up to be a great series, thanks in gigantic part to the team’s enthusiasm for receiving feedback.
