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Monster Hunter Wilds, a third-person action RPG, has quickly become one of the most talked-about releases of 2025. Although the Monster Hunter franchise has seen plenty of attention recently, it’s been some time since Capcom developed a title specifically for home consoles. The last big console entry was Monster Hunter: World in 2018, and now, Monster Hunter Wilds serves as its direct successor. While Monster Hunter Rise, released in 2021, launched exclusively on Nintendo Switch and was well-received, fans of console gaming have been eagerly anticipating this latest installment.
As reviews started rolling in just days before its official release, Monster Hunter Wilds has been showered with praise. On OpenCritic, it’s achieved an impressive 89/100 Top Critic Average, with 95% of critics recommending it. Over on Metacritic, it boasts a 90/100 rating for the PlayStation 5. Currently, these scores have cemented Monster Hunter Wilds as the top-rated game of 2025, narrowly edging out Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 by Warhorse Studios. Despite its success, Monster Hunter Wilds hasn’t yet claimed the crown as the highest-rated game in the franchise.
The Monster Hunter series has been captivating gamers for over two decades, standing as one of Capcom’s most prolific creations. Out of 17 titles (excluding expansions and re-releases), Monster Hunter has consistently excited fans, especially in Japan. However, its initial entries struggled to capture the Western market, often resulting in mixed-to-positive reviews. The original Monster Hunter from 2004 only achieved a 68/100 on Metacritic, whereas Monster Hunter Freedom 2 on the PSP scraped a 72/100.
It wasn’t until 2009 with Monster Hunter 3 that the series gained significant acclaim in the West, receiving an 84/100 on Metacritic. Following it was Monster Hunter 4, which didn’t initially launch worldwide but saw its enhanced version, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate, released globally in 2015. This particular installment scored 86/100 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic. Around the same time, Monster Hunter Generations entered the scene, earning a high score of 85/100 on both platforms as well.
A look at the review scores over the years highlights that Monster Hunter: World, released in 2018, remains the highest-rated in the series. When it debuted on PS4 and Xbox One, it was a game-changer—garnering a 90/100 Top Critic Average and a 96% recommendation rate on OpenCritic, matching its 90/100 on Metacritic. The Iceborne expansion kept up this level of acclaim, nearly mirroring the success of the base game.
Despite Monster Hunter Wilds approaching the acclaim of World, it hasn’t yet surpassed it overall. On Metacritic, both share a 90/100, but Wilds falls just short on OpenCritic by a single point in both top critic average and recommendation rate. Still, as the second highest-rated game in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds promises to stay relevant, potentially becoming a strong contender in Game of the Year discussions as 2025 progresses.
