Monster Hunter Wilds' Most Anticipated Feature Has A Massive Downside

Out of all the features coming to Monster Hunter Wilds with its second title update, some additions stand out above the rest. From massive monster reveals to smaller quality of life improvements, the second title Update for Wilds has plenty to offer new players and returning veterans alike. Even if Capcom still has some work to do before reversing Monster Hunter Wilds‘ mixed review score, the latest changes are off to a great start, albeit with some caveats.

The Monster Hunter franchise as a whole has undergone some significant changes in recent years, with Wilds finally realizing the open world concept that Capcom has envisioned since the series’ inception. While there have been plenty of improvements to the Monster Hunter formula in Wilds, some changes feel more like a sidestep than a direct upgrade from Wilds‘ predecessors. Alongside a mechanic that hasn’t been seen in over 16 years, one returning feature has some notable changes from its previous iterations.

Layered Weapons Are Finally Coming To Wilds, With One Downside

Requiring A Significant Resource Investment To Reap Their Rewards

After months of waiting, Layered Weapons are making their way to Wilds with its second major title update. Rather than being able to slap any weapon on top of another, you’ll need to fully upgrade a weapon to its highest available tier of Rarity 8, after which you can overlay it onto any weapon of your choosing. Both standard and Artian Weapons will also let you choose between previous upgrade forms as well, offering much more flexibility in how your weapons look than before.

For Artian Weapons, the layered functionality will be unlocked after fully reinforcing the Rarity 8 version of each weapon.

Given how much Monster Hunter Wilds‘ end-game meta relies on the use of powerful Artian Weapons compared to previous entries, the inclusion of a Layered Weapon system is a much-needed improvement that I can’t wait to try out. Despite my excitement, the sheer amount of resources required to unlock a layered weapon presents a significant hurdle to actually obtaining it for yourself.

I’m Still Sad About Monster Hunter Wilds Cutting One 21-Year-Old Tradition

Monster Hunter has come a long way over the years, but I can’t help but be confused over the sudden removal of a core part of the series’ identity.

While it’s likely that you already have more than a few fully upgraded weapons with how much variety there is in Wilds, unlocking a brand-new weapon solely for its cosmetic use will be a hefty investment, wasting resources that could upgrade other powerful equipment instead. The new Layered Weapon system in Monster Hunter Wilds does have the benefit of accessing your existing weapons at no extra cost, but the lack of freedom for quickly applying designs still feels like an oversight. Thankfully, unlike Wilds‘ ongoing performance concerns, Layered Weapons are one feature that will likely be overhauled in the future.

Monster Hunter Rise Could Hint At What’s To Come For Wilds

Wilds Has Been Borrowing Plenty From Previous Iterations In The Series

Despite being a spiritual successor to Monster Hunter World rather than the most recent Monster Hunter Rise, the latest entry in the series seems to be more closely following the release schedule of its Switch-oriented predecessor. From bringing back Akuma once more with its latest Street Fighter collaboration and the dastardly Seregios making another return, it’s more than likely that Wilds will feature even more inclusions or mechanical improvements from Monster Hunter Rise than it already does.

Compared to Monster Hunter Wilds, Rise was even more limited in its Layered Weapon, as it only let you overlay your weapons over its Rampage tree for each weapon class. This all changed with the release of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, which allowed you to craft any weapon in the game as a separate layered form using rare materials and quest vouchers. Even Monster Hunter World had similar functionality, adding Layered Weapon crafting from its subsequent Iceborne expansion through farming in the Guiding Lands.

Hunter using a hammer against a lightning monster.

Monster Hunter Wilds May Be Repeating This Recurring Flaw From Previous Games

Monster Hunter Wilds may repeat the same franchise wide expansion cycle that leaves the initial endgame experience feeling like a major pain point.

While these systems require their own time and resource investment to craft all the layered weapons you want, each often takes less time to make than a fully upgraded Rarity 8 version of a weapon in Wilds. It’s more than likely that Wilds will expand Layered Weapons even more in the future, offering more flexibility in using the weapons you want, rather than what you already own. Even if there’s still plenty of time before Monster Hunter Wilds‘ inevitable Master Rank Expansion, it might be worth holding off before crafting as many Layered Weapons as you can for now.