Games Like Monster Hunter Wilds - 12 Best Co-op Hunting and Action RPG Picks

Quick Answer: Start with Wild Hearts if you want the closest “hunt, carve, craft, repeat” loop with one big twist. Pick Monster Hunter World: Iceborne if you want the modern Monster Hunter foundation that Wilds builds on. Go with Monster Hunter Rise if you want the same loop, but faster, lighter, and more acrobatic.

Why These Games #

This is not just a list of games where you hit large animals until loot falls out. The real question is: what part of Monster Hunter Wilds are you chasing? The scouting? The weapon mastery? Reading tells? Breaking parts? The co-op chaos? The crafting treadmill? Or just that feeling of being tiny in front of something that can flatten you?

So this ranking starts with the purest hunting games, then moves into open-world weak-point combat, co-op boss grinding, hardcore weapon study, and finally the full “fighting a colossus” fantasy. Dauntless is still a free, clean entry point into beast hunting, and Elden Ring turns roaming for terrifying enemies into its own epic thing, but they sit just outside this ranked list.

Top Picks #

1. Wild Hearts #

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A Kemono crashes through the trees, the ground buckles, and suddenly you are not just dodging claws — you are throwing up walls, springs, zip-lines, and traps in the middle of the fight. That is the big swing in Omega Force and Koei Tecmo’s 2023 hunt through Azuma, a fantasy Japan overrun by nature-fused beasts. The familiar Monster Hunter rhythm is here, but Karakuri building turns the arena into a toolbox.

• Closest match: The hunt, gather, carve, craft, and upgrade rhythm lands almost exactly where Monster Hunter players expect it to.
• The twist: Karakuri construction adds a tactical building layer that Monster Hunter Wilds does not have.
• Play this if: You want the nearest substitute, but with one genuinely new combat system.

2. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne #

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Before Wilds stretched the horizon, Capcom had already rebuilt the modern Monster Hunter language in Monster Hunter World in 2018, then deepened it with Iceborne in 2019. The New World maps are smaller and more segmented than Wilds, sure. But the ecology, weapon feel, preparation, tracking, and endgame grind are all there, like the skeleton under the new armor.

• Why it fits: This is the direct modern predecessor, with the most authentic version of the same hunting loop.
• Where Wilds moves on: No Seikret mount, no Focus mode, and less of that seamless open-field flow.
• Ideal for: Players who want to study the roots of Wilds, or want a slightly easier PC target.

3. Monster Hunter Rise #

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What if Monster Hunter stopped walking everywhere and started springing off the walls? Capcom’s 2021 Kamura Village entry, later brought to PC, answers that with Wirebugs, yokai flavor, and a much sharper tempo. You recover faster, move faster, launch into attacks faster, and Wyvern Riding turns monsters into weapons instead of just targets.

• Shared bones: The hunt, carve, craft, and weapon-learning structure remains pure Monster Hunter.
• Different flavor: Snappier, more portable-feeling, and less invested in the heavy expedition mood of Wilds.
• Best pick when: You want Monster Hunter in shorter, faster, more agile sessions.

4. God Eater 3 #

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The Ash Lands are a mess of ruin, teeth, and melodrama, which is exactly where God Eater 3 wants to be. Bandai Namco and Marvelous’ 2018 action hunting game gives you the God Arc, a weapon that flips between blade, gun, and devour mode. Monster hunting becomes less campfire prep and more anime thunderstorm.

• Overlap: Huge enemies, material gathering, and better gear keep the hunting structure intact.
• Departure: More story-heavy, more anime, and much faster than Monster Hunter Wilds.
• Go here for: Hunting structure with air combos, style, and melodrama.

5. Toukiden 2 #

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Older, rougher, and more niche, Toukiden 2 still has a sturdy hook. Omega Force’s 2016 demon-hunting game sends you through a semi-open mythic Japan to fight giant Oni, collect souls for upgrades, and yank monsters around with the Demon Hand. Not as slick as the big names, but it has grit under its fingernails.

• Common ground: Large-target hunts, material gathering, and long-term character strengthening.
• Its own lane: Smaller in structure, more niche, and built around Japanese demon fantasy.
• Worth it for: Players who like yokai horror and want a lesser-known Monster Hunter cousin.

6. Horizon Forbidden West #

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Metal replaces muscle here, but the hunting brain stays switched on. Guerrilla’s 2022 open-world sequel, released on PC in 2024, asks you to scan machine beasts, tag weak points, lay traps, tear off components, and turn those parts into stronger gear. Different skin, same pleasure of pulling a fight apart piece by piece.

• Monster Hunter mindset: Scouting, weak-point reading, part breaking, and crafting line up neatly with Wilds.
• Main difference: A story-led solo open world with ranged combat and robot prey.
• Choose it if: You want the hunting brainwork inside a polished single-player adventure.

7. Dragon's Dogma 2 #

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A griffin takes off while you are still clinging to its back. That physical panic is where Capcom’s 2024 fantasy RPG comes closest to Wilds, helped by some of that same RE Engine family feel. The actual fantasy is different, though: you climb ogres, chimeras, and griffins, stab weak points, tumble off cliffs, and trust AI Pawns instead of human hunting partners.

• What carries over: Climbing huge enemies and attacking weak spots gives it similar body-to-body drama.
• What does not: This is a single-player RPG, not a co-op hunt-and-craft game.
• Right audience: Players who love the sheer scale and physicality of fighting huge monsters, but want open-ended adventure over repeat hunts.

8. Remnant II #

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Not every hunt needs a greatsword. Gunfire Games’ 2023 co-op shooter swaps carving knives for firearms, then sends three players through strange generated worlds full of oversized bosses, rare drops, and builds that only click after a dozen little adjustments. The shape is different; the itch is familiar.

• Similar pleasure: Co-op boss killing, loot chasing, and build crafting hit the same long-term loop.
• Different tools: Third-person shooting and procedural levels replace the melee hunting sandbox.
• Pick this when: You want boss farming and build depth, but prefer guns to greatswords.

9. Nioh 2 #

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Weapon mastery is the reason Nioh 2 belongs here. Team Ninja’s 2020 hardcore action RPG makes Ki Pulse, stance switching, Yokai abilities, and brutal bosses feel like homework at first. Then the timing settles into your hands, and suddenly the weapon feels less like equipment and more like a bad habit you have perfected.

• The shared satisfaction: Truly learning one weapon feels very close to Monster Hunter.
• The hard split: This is a Soulslike action RPG, with harsher punishment and no hunting-crafting loop.
• Made for: Players who love drilling combat systems until they become second nature.

10. Warframe #

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Since 2013, Digital Extremes’ free-to-play sci-fi action game has grown into something less like a single game and more like a second home. You farm materials, build weapons and Warframes, mod everything, and blitz through missions with other players at ridiculous speed. The grind is the engine, humming constantly under the chrome.

• Familiar grind: Farming parts, crafting gear, and refining builds are the whole long-term appeal.
• Major swerve: Lightning-fast sci-fi shooting, not slower large-monster hunting.
• Best fit: Players who want a free, endless co-op grind with deep buildcraft.

11. Code Vein #

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Code Vein walks in from the dungeon side of the map, not the hunting camp. Bandai Namco and Shift’s 2019 anime Soulslike still earns a mention because fighting dangerous enemies with a companion creates a similar pressure-cooker rhythm. The Blood Code system also lets you swap builds freely, which keeps experimentation moving instead of trapping you in one setup.

• Connection point: Powerful enemies, companions, and anime action make sense for God Eater fans too.
• Not the same loop: Story-focused Soulslike structure replaces material hunting and crafting.
• For players who want: Anime action, AI partners, and forgiving build flexibility.

12. Praey for the Gods #

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Cold wind, empty snow, and something enormous moving in the distance — Praey for the Gods understands scale. No Matter Studios’ 2021 indie survival adventure sends you across a frozen island to climb gigantic guardians, search their bodies for weak points, and bring them down one by one. Not Monster Hunter in structure. Absolutely connected in awe.

• Shared fantasy: Climbing giant beings and stabbing weak points captures the “small hunter, huge target” feeling.
• Clear difference: A small solo survival adventure, with no co-op hunt or crafting treadmill.
• Play for: The lonely, mythic colossus-killing mood.

Comparison Table #

Game	Similar because	Different because	Best for
Wild Hearts	Nearly the same hunt, gather, carve, craft, and upgrade loop.	Karakuri building adds battlefield construction, and the maps are less vast than Wilds.	Players who want the closest Monster Hunter alternative with a fresh tactical layer.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne	It is the direct modern predecessor with the most authentic loop.	No Seikret, no Focus mode, and smaller segmented maps.	Players who want to learn modern Monster Hunter from its foundation.
Monster Hunter Rise	Same series, same core hunt-and-craft structure.	Wirebugs make it faster, lighter, and more compact.	Players who want quicker, more agile hunts.
God Eater 3	Big enemy hunts and material-based gear progression.	More anime, more story-driven, and much faster.	Players who want flashy hunting action and big combo energy.
Toukiden 2	Large demon hunts with gathering and strengthening.	Older, more niche, and built around Japanese Oni fantasy.	Players who want a cult Monster Hunter-like with yokai flavor.
Horizon Forbidden West	Scanning, trapping, part breaking, and crafting mirror the hunting mindset.	It is a solo open-world story game with ranged machine combat.	Players who want hunting logic inside a big single-player adventure.
Dragon's Dogma 2	Climbing big monsters and attacking weak points feels physically close.	It lacks the co-op hunting and crafting loop.	Players who want monster-scale combat in a fantasy RPG.
Remnant II	Co-op boss grinding and build chasing hit a similar pleasure center.	It is a third-person shooter with procedural worlds.	Players who want buildcraft and bosses, but with guns.
Nioh 2	Deep weapon mastery scratches the same practice-and-improve itch.	It is a punishing Soulslike, not a hunting game.	Players who love mastering one weapon through hard fights.
Warframe	Farming materials, crafting gear, and refining builds are central.	It is a hyper-fast sci-fi shooter, not a giant monster hunt.	Players who want a free, long-term co-op grind.
Code Vein	Companion-based fights and anime action overlap with the hunting crowd.	It is a story Soulslike with no carve-and-craft loop.	Players who want anime Souls with flexible builds.
Praey for the Gods	Climbing massive beings and finding weak points nails the scale fantasy.	It is a small solo survival adventure, not a co-op grinder.	Players who want lonely, mythic colossus battles.

Filters #

Filter	Games
Want the purest hunting loop	Wild Hearts, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, Monster Hunter Rise, God Eater 3, Toukiden 2
Want a single-player open world	Horizon Forbidden West, Dragon's Dogma 2
Want co-op boss grinding and builds	Remnant II, Warframe
Want hardcore weapon mastery	Nioh 2, Code Vein
Want epic colossus battles	Praey for the Gods

FAQ #

After Monster Hunter Wilds, which should I play first? #

If you want the safest first step, play Wild Hearts. It understands the hunt-prep-fight-craft loop and adds Karakuri building without losing the core appeal. If you want to see where Wilds comes from, go to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. If you want the same bones but a faster tempo, Monster Hunter Rise is the cleaner pick.

Are there any free alternatives? #

Yes. Warframe is the strongest free pick here, as long as you are fine with sci-fi shooting instead of traditional monster hunting. It gives you years of farming, crafting, builds, and co-op missions. Dauntless is also free and much closer to pure behemoth hunting, even though it did not make the ranked list. If you want paid but close, Wild Hearts is still the better match.

I prefer single-player — any picks? #

Go with Horizon Forbidden West if you want scouting, traps, part breaking, and crafting inside a big story-driven open world. Pick Dragon's Dogma 2 if what you really love is climbing onto monsters and fighting them up close. If your favorite part is mastering a weapon through pain, Nioh 2 is the sharper solo challenge.

Which ones are faster and snappier? #

Monster Hunter Rise is the obvious answer. Wirebugs make movement, recovery, and attacks feel much quicker than Wilds or World. God Eater 3 is even more anime and combo-heavy, with transforming weapons and fast aerial pressure. If you want speed in a totally different direction, Warframe is absurdly fast, but it is more mission farming than monster dueling.