Monster Hunter Wilds Protag Isn't Trying to Just Hunt Monsters to Extinction, Even If You Are

The Monster Hunter franchise, renowned for its epic monster hunts, is shifting its focus. Capcom aims to highlight the series' core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover more about the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds!

Redefining the Hunter's Role: A Deeper Dive into Nature

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between humanity, nature, and the monsters themselves. Capcom is striving to showcase this theme more prominently, imbuing the player character with a richer personality.

Game director Yuya Tokuda, in an interview with PC Gamer, stated, "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. We're confident this game achieves what we wanted to express."

This enhanced narrative focus will be reflected in increased dialogue, allowing for more expressive hunter characters. Tokuda highlighted the diverse perspectives of the world's inhabitants, using the characters Nata and Olivia as examples of differing backgrounds and approaches to monster encounters. "There are many people with different perspectives living together. We wanted to illustrate how the hunter would feel in such a world. What would they feel? How would they think?"

This departure from the series' traditionally silent protagonists and limited dialogue options is a significant change. However, Capcom assures players prioritizing gameplay that the combat system remains unaffected.

Tokuda confirmed, "Players who prefer to skip the dialogue and hunt monsters can do so. The amount of text won't affect the number of monsters available." This is just the beginning, with Tokuda hinting at further developments centered on the core theme of the bond between humanity and nature.

For a deeper understanding of Monster Hunter's underlying themes, explore Game8's article on the true essence of the Monster Hunter experience.