"Monster Hunter Wilds Unveils Cooking Mechanics"

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Feast for the Eyes and the Palate

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to elevate the visual appeal of in-game food to new heights, as confirmed by executive director/art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda. Scheduled for release on February 28, 2025, the game will feature an extensive range of dishes, from meat and fish to vegetables, all designed to look irresistibly appetizing. The developers are going beyond mere realism, employing a technique of exaggerated realism inspired by anime and food commercials to enhance the visual appeal of the meals.

Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players can enjoy their meals anywhere, embracing a more rustic camping grill atmosphere rather than a formal restaurant setting. This approach allows for a more immersive dining experience. A standout moment from a December preview was the mesmerizing cheese pull, which has already captured fans' attention. Even simpler dishes like roasted cabbage are given a gourmet touch, with Fujioka describing how the cabbage realistically puffs up when the lid is lifted, enhanced by a roasted egg topping.

A Variety of Dishes and a Secret Surprise

The game's menu will boast a diverse selection of dishes, ensuring there's something for every palate. Tokuda, a known meat enthusiast both in-game and in real life, hinted at the inclusion of a secret "extravagant" meat dish, adding an element of mystery and excitement. The focus on a wide variety of dishes, combined with the expressions of characters enjoying their meals around a cooking fire, aims to deliver an exaggerated yet realistic sense of food-related bliss in the game's cooking cutscenes.

Since the inception of the Monster Hunter series in 2004, cooking has been a staple feature, evolving from simple monster meat consumption to a more elaborate dining experience. Starting with Monster Hunter World in 2018, the franchise began to emphasize realistic and appetizing food, a trend that Monster Hunter Wilds looks to push even further.

With its innovative approach to in-game dining, Monster Hunter Wilds is poised to offer players not just a thrilling hunting experience, but also a visually delightful culinary journey.