With Monster Hunter Wilds just around the corner, fans have been looking back at older games and realizing just how much the series has evolved. A recent Reddit discussion asked players which outdated mechanics they are happiest to see gone, and the responses made one thing clear: Monster Hunter has come a long way!
The Biggest Quality-of-Life Improvements
Let’s get right into it! Here is a breakdown of the most common QoL improvements hunters (a.k.a. players) are happy about:
No More Loading Screens Between Areas
This one is a huge upgrade! Older Monster Hunter games had separate zones with loading screens in between, which led to frustrating moments like getting knocked into another area mid-fight or losing track of a monster entirely. Seamless open maps were one of the best changes in World, and Wilds is only improving the experience further.
No More Carrying a Map
Believe it or not, older games made you pick up a map at the start of every hunt, and it even took up inventory space. Now, the map is always there, just as it should be.
Gathering Makes More Sense
Gone are the days of randomly digging through a bush and somehow pulling out a mix of herbs, mushrooms, and bugs. Now, gathering spots actually match what you are picking up, and you do not need tools like pickaxes or bug nets taking up inventory space.
Crafting & Inventory Management Is So Much Better
Older classic games had a Book of Combos that you needed to increase crafting success rates, because yes, item crafting could fail. That is thankfully a thing of the past. Also, modern Monster Hunter separates materials from consumables, so you will not run out of space just because you brought some potions and a few extra monster parts.
Monster Drop Info Is in the Game
No more needing to check a wiki just to find out where to break a monster for a specific drop. Modern games actually tell you what to expect, making it much easier to target the parts you need!
Weapon and Armor Menus Are Not a Mess Anymore
Classic, older Monster Hunter games made planning builds painful. Weapon trees were not visible in-game, armor stats were spread across multiple tabs, and you basically needed a notepad (or a database site) just to keep track of things. Now, everything is way easier to navigate.
Skills and Armor Perks Are More Flexible
In classic games, you needed to reach a certain point threshold before a skill even activated. That meant if you had 9 points in Attack Boost, you got nothing until you hit 10. Modern Monster Hunter gives you benefits at every level, making build-crafting much more flexible. Of course, Wilds has only refined these systems further!
Palicos Over Shakalakas!
A personal preference for many, but hunters overwhelmingly prefer their Palico cat companions over the goblin-like Shakalakas from Monster Hunter 3 and 4.
Some Players Miss the Old Ways… Sort Of
While most of us hunters agree these changes were for the better, there are a few things that some players actually miss:
- Limited Whetstones, Paintballs, and Other Old-School ‘Hunting Prep’ – Apparently, some veteran players enjoyed managing supplies, manually tracking monsters, and carefully preparing for each hunt. Others are happy to never deal with breakable pickaxes or forgotten paintballs again.
- The ‘Potion Flex’ Animation – In older (classic) games, your hunter would dramatically flex after drinking a potion, locking you in place. It added risk to healing, but let’s be real—most players are fine with it being gone.
- Camp Restocking and Item Loadouts – Some think modern Monster Hunter made things too convenient, especially with mid-hunt restocking. But most of us agree that it just removes unnecessary frustration.
What Do We Mean by ‘Classic Games’?
Whenever we talk about “classic Monster Hunter,” we are generally referring to pre-World titles. Specifically the older-generation games with more rigid mechanics and QoL limitations. This includes:
- 1st Generation (Monster Hunter (PS2), Monster Hunter G)
- 2nd Generation (Monster Hunter Freedom/Freedom 2/Freedom Unite, Monster Hunter Dos)
- 3rd Generation (Monster Hunter Tri, Portable 3rd, 3 Ultimate)
- 4th Generation (Monster Hunter 4, 4 Ultimate, Generations, Generations Ultimate)
These games had things like paintballs for tracking, loading screens between zones, fixed animation locks, manual gathering tools, and more restrictive skill systems.
Once Monster Hunter World (5th gen) launched, the series introduced open maps, scoutflies, radial menus, infinite whetstones, and other modern conveniences, which makes older games feel much more “classic” in comparison.
What Is Next for Monster Hunter Wilds?
MH Wilds is already changing things like ammo, food buffs, and tracking, so it is clear Capcom is still figuring out what works best. Monster Hunter has always walked the line between challenge and convenience, and that balance keeps shifting. But if there is one thing we fans can agree on, it’s that this series never stops evolving!
What QoL change are you most grateful for? Or is there an old-school feature you secretly miss? Let us know on Twitter/X! And if you want to see the mentioned Reddit thread yourself, head here: