Monster Hunter Wilds feels more like a traditional RPG, but the director says that just sort of happened: “It was a natural outcome of our other decisions that hopefully makes sense”

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As a seasoned gamer, I’ve found Monster Hunter Wilds to have a stronger role-playing game (RPG) vibe compared to other series entries. Yet, director Yuya Tokuda explains that this shift wasn’t planned from the get-go; instead, it evolved organically during the development process.

After experiencing Monster Hunter Wilds before, we found that it offered a more conventional role-playing game (RPG) experience compared to its predecessors in terms of its narrative-driven storyline and structured progression. During our recent conversation with Tokuda, we wondered if this change was made to attract or guide newcomers to the Monster Hunter series.

Tokuda explains that his initial idea about the game was to portray humanity as integral components of the ecosystem, not just observers from the outside looking in. Instead, they were active participants, influencing the system’s dynamics. This perspective, in turn, intensified their emphasis on story development since storytellers, being human, are deeply immersed within it all.

In my opinion, it was logical to present the narrative more prominently from the beginning in this title compared to previous ones. This progression felt organic as it aligned with various aspects of the game, such as the sequential introduction of enemies and the skill set required to play, as well as the chapter-based structure revealing the sequence of encounters.

The development seemed organic, evolving directly from the initial notion, instead of being a decision based on the idea of making it resemble an RPG due to its foundation.

From my gaming perspective, I find the chapter organization quite intuitive and straightforward. It’s like having a roadmap that clearly indicates where I am in the game’s progression, making it easier for me to keep track of my advancement.

You noticed it seemed like we were targeting RPG players with that design, right? Actually, that layout was naturally derived from our other choices, and we hope it’s understandable for all players.

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to launch towards the end of this month, specifically on February 28th. However, there’s no need for impatience as we’re currently in the midst of the second Monster Hunter Wilds open beta test. The first round has concluded, but the second phase starts on February 13th at 7pm Pacific Time. To sweeten the deal, an additional 24 hours have been added due to a recent PlayStation Network outage.

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2025-02-11 18:09