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

The Monster Hunter series is renowned for its thrilling monster hunts, but Capcom is shifting the spotlight to highlight a crucial theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Deeper Dive into the Hunter's Role

Monster Hunter games have always subtly emphasized the symbiotic relationship between humans and monsters. Capcom is now bringing this theme to the forefront in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), enriching the player experience with a more defined protagonist and a compelling narrative.

The core of MH Wilds centers on the interconnectedness of nature, its inhabitants, and the hunters who navigate this world. 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 enhanced narrative is achieved through increased dialogue, allowing for a more nuanced and expressive hunter character. Tokuda highlights the diverse perspectives within the game's world, 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 departure from the series' traditionally silent protagonists marks a significant change, but it doesn't come at the cost of the core gameplay.

Tokuda reassures 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." This narrative expansion is just the beginning; Tokuda hints at further developments centered around the core theme of the human-nature bond.

For a deeper understanding of the overarching themes and narrative in the Monster Hunter series, explore Game8's insightful article: "What Monster Hunter Is Really About."