The Monster Hunter franchise, renowned for its thrilling monster hunts, is shifting its focus. Capcom aims to highlight the series' core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!
Redefining the Hunter's Role: A Deeper Dive into Human-Nature Dynamics
Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and monsters. Capcom's development team is striving to showcase this central theme through a richer narrative and more developed protagonist. Game director Yuya Tokuda explains, "The relationship between people, nature, and monsters, and a hunter's role within that…We wanted to illustrate this not just through gameplay, but with a deep story. Many future plans align with this concept, and we're confident MH Wilds successfully conveys our vision."
Enhanced dialogue plays a key role, allowing players to imbue their hunter characters with distinct personalities. Tokuda highlights the diverse perspectives within the game's world, citing characters Nata and Olivia as examples of individuals with differing approaches to the monster situation. "Many people with different perspectives coexist. We wanted to show how the hunter would feel in such a world. Their thoughts and feelings. Everyone is different, so we added these elements to MH Wilds."
This marks a departure from the series' tradition of silent protagonists. However, players who prefer a focus on action over narrative need not worry.
Tokuda assures players, "Those who prefer to skip the dialogue and hunt monsters can do so. The amount of text doesn't impact the number of monsters, so we can satisfy everyone." This is just the beginning; the director hints at future developments further exploring the central theme of the human-nature bond.
For a comprehensive understanding of Monster Hunter's underlying themes, explore Game8's insightful article on the series' core message.
