Shadow of the Erdtree brought a formidable new twist to Elden Ring, challenging players with a fresh, intense experience. This approach sets a precedent that Monster Hunter Wilds might benefit from following. Many players feel that Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t quite match the intensity of earlier entries, sparking discussions about introducing a more demanding expansion to satisfy longtime fans and regain their trust.
Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion has rightfully earned its place among the most acclaimed DLCs, boasting an impressive 94 on both OpenCritic and Metacritic. Its success stems from the feeling that it is essentially an entirely new game, packed with an expansive map, numerous weapons, talismans, spells, and armor sets. Yet, there’s something more the expansion did that Capcom might want to take note of when developing any future content for Monster Hunter Wilds.
Although officially unconfirmed, it’s widely anticipated that Monster Hunter Wilds will eventually receive a substantial expansion, mirroring the paths taken by Monster Hunter: World with Iceborne and Monster Hunter Rise with Sunbreak. Once this expansion comes around, it would be a missed opportunity not to reflect on Shadow of the Erdtree’s achievements and how it addressed early critiques of Elden Ring. While Monster Hunter Wilds has been performing well since its debut, it hasn’t quite escaped the criticism that Elden Ring initially faced—a criticism that a bold, challenging expansion could potentially resolve.
Elden Ring itself is a remarkable game with a legacy that continues to flourish. FromSoftware didn’t stop there; they expanded the universe with Shadow of the Erdtree and the forthcoming Elden Ring Nightreign. However, despite this success, the game initially faced backlash from some fans who felt it was overly accommodating to newcomers, potentially at the expense of seasoned players.
Shadow of the Erdtree tackled this head-on by ramping up the difficulty, effectively silencing some of those early criticisms. Nevertheless, the expansion’s challenging nature sparked a new debate over whether it was perhaps too difficult, illustrating that FromSoftware was responsive to feedback, even if it meant igniting fresh controversy.
Monster Hunter Wilds is treading a similar path to Elden Ring’s early days. It stands as one of the most accessible installments in the series, igniting debates between loyal fans and new players akin to those sparked by Elden Ring. Historically, Monster Hunter games have built their reputation on challenging gameplay without traditional difficulty settings, relying solely on the inherent toughness of the monsters. True fans thrive on mastering these challenges and evolving with each encounter.
In contrast, Monster Hunter Wilds makes the franchise more accessible than Monster Hunter: World, which had its share of controversies upon release for the same reason. Considering this, it might be time for Monster Hunter Wilds to have its own moment to shine—a Shadow of the Erdtree experience that restores faith among veteran players by delivering the challenge they’re accustomed to. Whether or not Capcom decides to go down this path remains to be seen, but an expansion that seeks to push the envelope is almost a certain possibility for the franchise’s evolution.
