Monster Hunter Wilds: A New Focus on Humans and Nature

The Monster Hunter series, renowned for its thrilling battles against colossal beasts, is set to evolve with Capcom's latest installment, Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds). This game aims to delve deeper into the series' core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters, nature, and the monsters that inhabit their world. Let's explore what MH Wilds has in store for fans eager to experience this new narrative direction.

A Deeper Understanding of What It Means to Be a Hunter

In MH Wilds, Capcom is pushing the boundaries to enhance the symbiotic relationship between monsters and humans, ensuring that the player's role as a hunter is not just about hunting but understanding their place in the ecosystem. Game director Yuya Tokuda emphasized this shift in an interview with PC Gamer, stating, "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."

To bring this theme to life, MH Wilds will introduce more dialogue, allowing players to imbue their hunter characters with greater personality. Tokuda highlighted the diversity of the game's inhabitants, using characters like Nata and Olivia as examples of individuals from different backgrounds with unique perspectives on dealing with monsters. "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 approach marks a departure from the series' tradition of silent protagonists and minimal dialogue, yet Capcom ensures that this narrative focus won't compromise the beloved combat system. Tokuda reassured fans, "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."

As MH Wilds aims to deepen the narrative experience, it also promises to maintain the series' core gameplay appeal. Capcom has many more plans aligned with the theme of human and nature's bond, ensuring a rich and immersive experience for all players.

For those interested in exploring the underlying themes and narratives of the Monster Hunter series, Game8's featured article on "What Monster Hunter Is Really About" provides an in-depth look into the franchise's philosophy.