The Monster Hunter series, renowned for its thrilling monster hunts, is shifting its focus. Capcom emphasizes a core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!
Monster Hunter Wilds: A Deeper Dive into Humanity and Nature
Redefining the Hunter's Role
Monster Hunter has always hinted at a symbiotic relationship between humans and monsters. In Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), Capcom is bringing this theme to the forefront, enriching the player character's personality along the way.
The game's central narrative explores the interconnectedness of nature, humanity, and the monsters within their shared environment. Game director Yuya Tokuda explains, "The relationship between people, nature, and monsters, and what exactly is a hunter's role in a world like that…We wanted to illustrate that not just through the gameplay, but a very deep story. There are many other things we have planned down the line that are aligned to the concept of Monster Hunter Wilds, and we're confident this game was able to achieve what we wanted to express with it." (PC Gamer interview).
This increased narrative depth is reflected in expanded dialogue, allowing players to imbue their hunter with a distinct personality. Tokuda highlights the diverse perspectives of the world's inhabitants, using the characters Nata and Olivia as examples of individuals with differing backgrounds and approaches to monster encounters. "There are many people with different perspectives living all together. And we also wanted to illustrate how the hunter would feel in a world like that. What would they feel? How would they think? Everybody is different, so we decided to add those kinds of elements to Monster Hunter Wilds."
This marks a departure from the series' traditionally silent protagonists and limited dialogue options. However, those who prefer a more action-focused experience need not worry.
Tokuda assures players, "There may be players who prefer to skip all that and just go keep on hunting the next monster—that's possible too. The volume of the text that's available in the game will not affect the number of monsters available, so we can satisfy everybody." This narrative expansion is just the beginning, with Tokuda hinting at future content further exploring the core theme of the bond between humanity and nature.
For a deeper understanding of Monster Hunter's underlying themes and narrative, explore Game8's featured article on "What Monster Hunter Is Really About."
