When any game in a longstanding franchise attempts to innovate, it presents itself with the challenge of introducing those innovations without compromising the tradition the franchise is built on. In a series with a dedicated fan base, like Monster Hunter, this balance is even more delicate, but once a franchise has gone on for so long, it needs innovation if it hopes to survive. Prior to Monster Hunter: World, the series largely played it safe, choosing to iterate rather than innovate. However, even Monster Hunter: World didn't reinvent the formula in the same way that Monster Hunter Wilds has, but it has also managed to find the balance between innovation and tradition more than any entry before it.