In Wilds, players take the role of a custom Hunter character who travels to the "Forbidden Lands", an unpopulated landmass filled with monsters, in order to locate a missing expedition party.

Along with other resources collected in the game world, the player can then craft new armour, weapons, consumables, and other gear which allow them to fight more difficult monsters.

In Wilds, players can seamlessly move between the larger world and their hunter village where they can cook food, replenish their supplies, and craft new gear.

[2] The game introduces a type of mount named Seikret which aids player exploration and directs them towards their current objective, and can also be ridden while in combat.

[3][4] The Seikret allows the player character to carry two distinct weapons while hunting monsters, though armour can only be changed in the village.

[6] The Slinger also returns in Wilds with new features added, allowing players to grab items from afar and trigger environmental hazards.

[7] The game features a Focus mode enabling players to launch targeted attacks against specific body parts of a monster.