Monster Hunter Wilds title update 2 is finally here, and it's hopefully the start of the RPG's much-needed performance improvements on PC. Capcom is using the patch to fix several issues with Wilds' VRAM usage, which should lessen the number of crashes and optimization problems on Steam. That's not all that TU2 offers, though, as it's also packed with plenty of reasons to come back for another hunt, with new monsters and ways to deck out your hunter.
If you've spent any time on the Monster Hunter Wilds Steam page recently, you'll know that it doesn't look good. Lifetime user reviews sit at 'mixed', as nearly 150,000 players give their opinion on Capcom's latest. Reviews from the last 30 days are even worse - just 12% of the nearly 15,000 ratings are positive. This score was at 18% a few days ago, meaning Wilds currently sits at an 'overwhelmingly negative' reception on Valve's storefront.
So, what happened? Players have been taking issue with Wilds' PC performance since launch, but that's now hit a boiling point. Many report that poor frame rates, a lack of optimization, and consistent crashes are making the game almost unplayable. Monster Hunter is a series that would usually make it on our list of the best RPGs, but Wilds is suddenly nowhere near the quality most have come to expect.
With title update 2, however, Capcom is releasing some fixes that should hopefully improve the experience on Steam. The studio is optimizing Wilds' VRAM usage, which should be a huge help. Capcom says it has "adjusted the amount of VRAM used with texture streaming, resulting in reduced overall VRAM usage."
The team adds that it has "fixed an issue where the estimated VRAM usage in the display/graphics settings was calculated lower than the actual value.
"As a result, the estimated VRAM usage will appear higher," Capcom says, "but thanks to a separate optimization, actual VRAM usage has been reduced, so the current minimum and recommended system requirements remain unchanged."
There was also a problem where "the VRAM usage displayed incorrect values for the distant shadow quality option in graphics settings," but this has also been fixed. All of these improvements mean that, depending on your hardware, you should now experience less stuttering, fewer crashes, and better framerates while you play.
As for the rest of title update 2, Capcom has introduced two more monsters. First up is Lagiacrus, which finally comes to Wilds after Capcom struggled to bring them back for MH World. The golden flying wyvern Seregios is also back. Boasting some particularly nasty slide tackles, you'll want to be extra careful if you're taking them on.
Even bigger than the new monsters, however, is the addition of layered weapons. You can now change the appearance of your favorite weapons without altering their stats or abilities. The feature finally joins layered armor in Wilds, which means you can fully deck out your hunter in whatever glam you'd like.
Capcom has also made plenty of changes to the game's weapons and quests, while fixing bugs across the board. You can check out all the improvements courtesy of Capcom's patch notes.
With new challenges to face in title update 2, you'll want to be prepared. That's why we've got all the best Monster Hunter Wilds weapons and Monster Hunter Wilds armor sets broken down for you.
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