Capcom is punishing me for wanting to play Monster Hunter Wilds with my friends

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Upon the late-February release of Monster Hunter Worlds, I eagerly looked forward to collaborating with friends in our quest to accelerate the extinction of all formidable creatures we met along the way. My aspirations were grand, filled with violence and severed tails. However, Capcom seemed to have different plans.

As a gamer, I’ve always struggled to enjoy cooperative play with friends in the Monster Hunter series. In today’s age of live-service popularity, I naively assumed that Capcom might have made an effort to enhance this aspect. Alas, it seems they haven’t – and it looks like we’re still dealing with the same old challenges!

Instead, it seems like extra complications have been intentionally piled up, making it appear as though the game is hiding one of its most appealing aspects. This complexity becomes so overwhelming that even starting a multiplayer game feels like a research project and an experiment. By the time you finally get to hunt the wildlife, you’re likely tired of dealing with this cumbersome system.

It might seem logical that creating a lobby with your friend would allow you both to embark on adventures together, considering its prominence in the main menu. After all, if you join a lobby with others, it implies you want to play alongside them, correct? So when my buddy and I launched the game, we assumed creating a private lobby was the final step for us to do so.

In simpler terms, we were quite inexperienced. Lobbies, in essence, are peculiar spaces designed for collective gaming, but they follow a highly structured system. Entering a lobby allows you to spot other players at their campsites, but once you leave the camp, you’re essentially alone in your own virtual world. When you start a mission or quest, however, fellow players in the same lobby can view it through the quest menu and decide to join you, which transports them into your instance.

It’s puzzling why someone would prefer socializing exclusively with fellow hunters at the camp, as there’s not much to accomplish there jointly. Similarly, it seems odd that a gathering of friends in a lobby can’t embark on an adventure without having to follow extra procedures first.

I just stood there, trying to make him look at my hideous palico chum, but to no avail.

Despite my co-op partner being unable to spot me in the camp, I could still see him. However, I remained unseen, like a hidden observer. I tried to get his attention so he’d notice my unsightly Palico companion, but all efforts were fruitless. It wasn’t until we encountered various lobby restrictions that we understood this wasn’t the cooperative gaming experience we had envisioned.

While trying to understand why I was becoming invisible, we stumbled upon something unusual – link parties. These are distinct from lobbies and allow you to form groups with your friends, even if they’re in different lobbies. It seemed like this might be the solution we were seeking, albeit a bit naively.

It appears that link parties aren’t always ideal. Instead of continuously playing together, you often find yourself waiting for a party member to start a quest, then being invited to join. Essentially, it functions much like a lobby, but without the need to physically visit Alma. Your friend’s latest adventure can reach you through a notification, making things more convenient and accessible.

Irrespective of the approach you choose for social interaction, there’s always one consistent truth: engaging in story quests becomes an utter nightmare for many players, as this is primarily what they are focusing on at present.

When my friend started a new adventure as we were connected, nothing occurred initially. I spent time idling, waiting, and waiting, until eventually he fought the monster of the quest. It was only then that I received a notification, enabling me to participate – hastily leaving my camp for the battlefield, where he had been fighting alone.

Once more, this is truly poor quality. It’s simply dreadful, shoddy workmanship. Rather than enjoying a joint experience, one of us was consistently relegated to the sidelines—standing by until called upon. As my friend explained each step he took, I found myself idle, missing out on our shared journey.

Tucked away among the menu choices lies another option: environment links. At last, we found a method for us to enjoy cooperative play, two friends exploring the environment side by side. Ideally, this feature should be the standard setting, not hidden until you discover the need for a link party instead of a lobby. Or it would have been an excellent default choice if it hadn’t been, like all the multiplayer options in this seemingly cursed game, less than satisfactory.

Although an environment link enables you to traverse wilderness collectively, its functionality is limited solely to that. You can wander about, encounter random battles with monsters, but that’s the scope of it. If you aim to engage in quests or investigations jointly, you must disband the environment link and return to idling at camp.

What user finds satisfaction with a cooperative setting that hinders substantial advancement, necessitating disabling the feature to engage in quests, ultimately encountering various restrictions?

Who wants this?

It seems impossible for multiple games to work together smoothly without any issues. And it just doesn’t make sense that it should be this way. By merging the abilities of each individual multiplayer platform, we could have a more standard, complete experience for cooperative play – like the good old days! All the elements are present, but right now they’re divided and burdened with unnecessary restrictions.

In simpler terms, it seems that Capcom has constructed a multitude of complex mechanisms, yet these systems fail to deliver what most cooperative players truly desire. Additionally, they have introduced squads, similar to clans, allowing teamplay within a squad room, mirroring the constraints of a typical room. Furthermore, there’s an option called SOS flares, which enable calls for aid from other hunters browsing the relevant menu, regardless if you’re not in a room.

You have more than double the number of systems required for your game, but they all do the same thing and none of them work well enough on their own. Given that your series is so old, emphasizes multiplayer, and goes up against numerous games with flawless multiplayer experiences, this isn’t merely poor quality. It’s inexcusable.

Essentially, Monster Hunter Wilds is a deeply flawed system that turns out to be an unsatisfying experience for anyone not solely interested in fighting monsters with strangers. Over the years, I’ve tolerated numerous frustrations related to multiplayer, recalling the long hours spent configuring ports and tinkering with firewalls just to play with friends. However, even after all the hassle was over, we could genuinely collaborate in those past games. Instead, Capcom asks you to waste your time on needless fiddling without any significant payoff at the end.

If you’re seeking games for close-knit groups to enjoy cooperatively, it might be worth skipping Monster Hunter Worlds this time around. Regrettably, despite being an exceptional title overall, it truly shines when played alongside friends while hunting its formidable creatures together.

1. Monster Hunter Wilds Handbook: Gathering All Our Tips in One Spot

2. Collaborative Hunting in Monster Hunter Wilds: A Guide to Multiplayer Mode

3. Diverse Weaponry in Monster Hunter Wilds: Constructing Many Builds

4. Protect Yourself with the Best Armor in Monster Hunter Wilds

5. Advanced Equipment in Monster Hunter Wilds: Artian Weapons for Endgame Players

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2025-03-06 19:59