Monster Hunter Wilds Unveils Cooking Mechanics

Monster Hunter Wilds: Elevating In-Game Dining to New Heights

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to redefine the standard for in-game cuisine, with its development team focusing on creating dishes that not only look appetizing but also evoke a sense of exaggerated realism. The game, scheduled for release on February 28, 2025, will feature an extensive menu of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, each designed to tantalize the player's visual senses.

Since its inception in 2004, the Monster Hunter series has incorporated cooking as a core mechanic, allowing players to enjoy meals crafted from the monsters they've defeated. This feature has evolved over time, with Monster Hunter World in 2018 marking a significant shift towards more realistic and appealing dining experiences. Now, with Monster Hunter Wilds, executive director and art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda are pushing the boundaries even further.

Fujioka emphasized in a recent IGN interview that simply making food look realistic isn't sufficient. "You really have to think about what makes something look delicious," he stated, highlighting the importance of combining realism with exaggeration. The team draws inspiration from anime and food commercials, utilizing special lighting effects and enhanced food models to achieve this.

Monster Hunter Wilds: A New Approach to Dining

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players will enjoy the freedom to dine anywhere, embracing a camping grill atmosphere rather than a traditional restaurant setting. A preview in December showcased an irresistible cheese pull, capturing fans' attention. Even simpler dishes like roasted cabbage are given a gourmet touch, with Fujioka describing how the cabbage realistically puffs up as the lid is lifted, complemented by a roasted egg topping.

Tokuda, known for his love of meat both in-game and in real life, hinted at a secret "extravagant" meat dish that will be introduced in the game. This, along with a diverse array of other dishes, aims to enhance the overall food-related bliss within the game's cooking scenes. The developers are keen on capturing the expressions of joy and satisfaction on characters' faces as they dine around a campfire, further enriching the immersive dining experience.

Monster Hunter Wilds promises to deliver a feast for the eyes, blending exaggerated realism with the joy of culinary discovery, making every meal an event to look forward to.