Part of the appeal of the recent Monster Hunter Wilds comes from all the unique ways it expands on existing mechanics while adding plenty of new features to experiment with. From reworked weapon moves, new mechanics, and the largest maps the series has ever seen, there’s plenty of content to appreciate in Monster Hunter Wilds. Although Wilds is offering even more content in the upcoming title update, so long as your system can handle its ongoing performance issues, several features aren’t coming alongside it.

The map sizes alone are easily one of Wild’s most impressive feats, creating the seamless world design the series has strived for since its inception, albeit with a few problems during multiplayer. The drastically expanded ecological systems, similar to Monster Hunter World, make these maps feel even more alive, creating a truly immersive world that encourages exploration. Although Wilds offers some of the best moment-to-moment gameplay in the series, there’s still one feature I can’t help but notice: the unfortunate absence of a major monster feature.

Monster Hunter Wilds’ Pack Mechanics Feel Incredibly Underdeveloped

Missing The Mark On What Initial Trailers Had Promised

Being front and center of the very first reveal trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, it seemed like Alpha variations of monsters and pack mechanics would be a major feature moving forward. While monsters like Yian Kut-Ku, Hirabami, and Balahara are still more than capable of traveling in large groups, the only pack monster with an Alpha variation is the Doshaguma.

While you can still slay non-Alpha Doshaguma, Alma won’t be able to make a quest for them, eliminating any of the additional rewards you get at the end of a successful hunt.

Making this decision even stranger is that the regular Doshagma following behind their Alpha leader aren’t even classified as their official monster in-game, with Wilds heavily discouraging you from trying to hunt them. Although there’s still plenty of monster variety and interesting mechanics like Frenzy and Tempered monsters to keep hunts fresh over time, I can’t help but feel like pack monsters are another majorly missed opportunity for MH Wilds.

Alpha Monsters Could Have Offered More Player Freedom In Hunts

Plenty Of Potential For Creating Meaningful Decisions On The Go

My first thought after seeing the Alpha Doshaguma was how packs and hunting monsters would change in Wilds, encouraging players to think while they hunt by making tactical decisions about their targets on the fly. Once encountering a pack in the Wilds, players could have chosen whether they wanted to attempt to scare off and chase down one of the weaker monsters, or take on the greater challenge of the Alpha for even better rewards.

Although there’s no official system in place for this kind of gameplay with packs, the higher number of monsters per area allowed me to experience a portion of what it could have looked like as a fully fleshed-out mechanic. Several times, I’ve encountered several Rathalos and Rathian in the same area, creating an incredibly chaotic but engaging hunting experience, or encouraging using a well-aimed dung pod. While these kinds of moments offer some of my most memorable experiences playing the game, I can’t help but wish there were more Alpha versions of even more monsters throughout Wilds​​​​​​.

Packs of large monsters felt like a natural progression for the series.

While monsters like Balong and Congala could technically be seen as Alpha in their own right with weaker versions of themselves following close behind, the concept of small monster types following around similar larger counterparts is nothing new for the series. Taking advantage of Monster Hunter Wild’s ambitious scope, having packs of large monsters for the very first time felt like a natural progression for the series that takes advantage of its greatest strengths.

There’s Still A Chance For Future Monsters To Take Advantage Of The Pack Mechanic

Future DLC Could Easily Revive The Alpha Monster Concept

While I was more than happy with Monster Hunter Wilds at launch, aside from its significant performance issues, the sheer amount of content missing from the start that is being added in the MH Wilds‘ first title update gives more reason to believe the theory that Wilds may not have been finished on release. Despite Monster Hunter Wilds‘ potentially troubled development, I was still happy to see some of my favorite features, like the gathering hub and cooking Palico’s, make a grand return, alongside some incredibly iconic monster reveals.

Despite my excitement from watching the trailer, it felt like Wild‘s first title update would have been a great chance to unveil a new monster to take advantage of its pack mechanics or add an Alpha deviant of a familiar monster. Currently, Alpha monsters still have plenty of potential for creating unique hunter experiences that deserve much more than being a simple one-off monster gimmick.

Wild‘s first title update would have been a great chance to unveil a new monster to take advantage of its pack mechanics or add an Alpha deviant of a familiar monster.

I can’t help but imagine how terrifying a pack of Tigrex or a similarly aggressive monster would be when faced off in a pack, with an Alpha version making an even more memorable way to bring back classic monsters with a unique twist. Using fewer resources than adding entirely new monsters, upgrading an existing pack monster with an Alpha version that hunts in packs could be a great way to pad out Monster Hunter Wilds‘ roster between significant updates.