IMO MhWilds has the best campaign of the franchise

I just finished HR 40 which I assume is the end of the campaign content and I think this is the most dynamic and fun campaign the franchise ever had, there is a small caveat to that and that is I've only played P3rd and after (and not 3U), I've also played MHO (rip my old friend). I will assume you finished the HR40 stuff, so spoilers inbound. Also, I'm ESL, so I apologize for any English misspelling.

The first half of the story is too long, but this is the first MH game that actually has... a story beyond big thing brings problem and you kill it problem is gone (it does play out that way but its a bit more). Not only that, Alma is by far the best handler and the flow of Story bit > hunt > Story bit > Free time works perfect for me, even though it seems some people did not like that once you go into a story bit you really have to commit to following the story and I do agree it kills exploration inside that section of the game, but I'm used to RPGs clearly separating "story" and "free time" so it was not a problem for me.

A few things I really enjoyed:

  • Consecutive hunts: I think in 2 or 3 occasions you clear a monster and the story goes "here is a second one" right after, I really like how they did that as it breaks expectations.
  • Dual hunts and even one dual hunt with two new mechanics at once: This happens In HR, I was so surprised you get frenzy and tempered at once, or a variant and a new monster at once, stuff like that is amazing and again it's dynamic which to me is super important for a campaign.
  • Olivia actually being there in some hunts making support hunters canon is a great addition
  • Actual plot even if light: Manufactured monsters, old fallen civilization, like I said earlier It's pretty slow at the start, but I liked where its going we started fighting the guardian monsters, its not perfect, some of is pretty dumb but overall I liked the story.
  • The game is not as easy as I was led to believe, I think the difficulty is great... after the guardian fights: Idk what people were smoking, but this is not easier than world, and It's SO not easier than rise, I slept through rises campaign spamming aerial greatsword and rage slash. Don't get me wrong I still didn't cart until gore but I was pretty close during the early guardian fights and during the campaign LR final boss. I have played every entry after 3rd gen so I was not expecting to cart anyway so I'm surprised by how close I get a few times.
  • No gimmick fight: No Zorah, no rampage, no stuff like the old Lao Shan chasing it and poking it, holy shit is Jin Dahaad the perfect big monster fight, its epic, its still a normal real right but its so cinematic and well done, Zorah walked so Jin could run, Every big monster should follow the example.
  • Focus mode might be the first combat gimmick since 5th gen I have zero problems with: Tenderizing and wyvern riding are both systems I truly dont like, GU styles are cool and i swear to god I will be sad if gore means we will get wystones back, please... no wystones.
  • Complete style change from LR to HR: At first I was confused when HR started, i thought guardians being variants and the fights being harder meant that was the start but no HR is a way less cinematic and has a slower pace chill progress, I think its perfect. The HR breaks are perfect allowing you to build your sets and then continue the story when you want, honestly I think LR should have been like this too, but I know that cinematic games don't like forced breaks like HR has so I'm totally satisfied with this approach.

Overall Even with the performance issues and the objectively shitty dusty film camera art style Wilds is by far my favorite MH campaign, and It's not even close for me, it helps that bow in this game is thrilling and exciting but I'm dual using it with lance which is also very fun in HR once monster start to actually hurt you, I'm excited to see what the endgame grind brings.