Summary
Monster Hunter Wilds’dynamic weather system promises to add more gameplay depth than ever before. When theMonster Hunter Wildstrailer was released at The Game Awards 2023, many fans were quick to point out the level of care and attention Capcom was putting into environmental details and intricate, exciting weather effects. Giving players a way to manipulate that weather could allow Capcom to take the mechanic to a whole other level.
The trailer opens on a hunter riding a mount through a desert while being chased by carnivores into a herd of docile dinosaur-like creatures. Without warning, the scene is thrown into chaos as a dust cloud rolls in and the environment is enveloped in an electrical storm. Lightning strikes around the player, killing a number of monsters, changing the dynamic of the battle. As the trailer ends, the storm blows away, carrying with it the desert sands, revealing the lush plains that were hidden beneath the arid wastes. With weather seemingly being a huge focus, a tool to control and alter it seems like a must.
A Monster Hunter Game With Dynamic Weather Has Incredible Potential
TheMonster Hunter Wildstrailerhas had people talking since it was first shown off in December of last year. WhileMonster Hunterhas had weather effects in the past, it has never been as dynamic or as impressive as what fans briefly got glimpses of in the trailer forMonster Hunter Wilds. Dust storms, lightning storms, and dynamic changes to the environment are already exciting additions to the franchise, and it’s likely there’s much more to come in the full release.
PreviousMonster Huntergameshave experimented with more rudimentary weather systems. InMonster Hunter Freedom Unite’sjungle map, certain paths are inaccessible during nighttime hunts due to flooding.
Allowing Players to Control the Weather Could Add Further Depth to Monster Hunter’s Gameplay
TheMonster Hunterfranchise is no stranger to offbeat gameplay mechanics. Whether it’smixing and matching Dango flavoursto get certain buffs, or the infamously confusing ‘tenderizing’ mechanic,Monster Hunterhas always given players fun and unique ways of interacting with the world around them.Monster Hunter Wildswill likely follow in this tradition, and one interesting way of doing this could be by allowing players to influence the game’s dynamic weather effects.The Monster Huntergames have always been about preparation before a hunt, and a consumable item allowing players to perform a ritual in the game’s hub to alter their next hunt’s weather effects could go hand in hand with getting buffs from the canteen and stocking up on potions.
Letting Players Alter the Weather Could Give Monster Hunter an Element of Puzzle Solving
The dynamic weather effects revealed so far are likely to add another layer of problem-solving toMonster Hunter’s already complex endurance hunts. But, if players are allowed to directly alter the weather,Monster Hunter Wildswill have the chance to incorporate more puzzle elements than ever before and give players the chance to discover complex hidden strategies to trap or debuff their prey. Monsters which escape up the sides of mountains at low health could be countered with torrential rain that makes it impossible for them to climb away. Sandstorms could give players the cover to creep up on particularly skittish creatures. Metal arrows shot into a flying monster could act as lightning rods during a storm, bringing it down for the player to slaughter. The possibilities are endless.
Monster Hunter Wilds Looks To Make Chaos A Central Theme
With the dynamic weather effects showcased in the trailer, it’s safe to say thatMonster Hunter Wildslooks like a particularly chaotic entry into the franchise. It’s exciting to speculate about what kinds of strange new creatures might thrive in such a rapidly changing environment, and how radicallyMonster Hunter Wilds' weather might changebetween (or even during) hunts.
With electrical storms tearing through herds of monsters and an environment that has the potential to change radically in an instant,the world ofMonster Hunter Wildsis set to be particularly hostile. A mechanic giving players a degree of control over how that hostility manifests could be the perfect way to both empower the player and push the franchise firmly into the next-gen.
Monster Hunter Wilds
WHERE TO PLAY
The unbridled force of nature runs wild and relentless, with environments transforming drastically from one moment to the next. This is a story of monsters and humans and their struggles to live in harmony in a world of duality.Fulfill your duty as a Hunter by tracking and defeating powerful monsters and forging strong new weapons and armor from the materials you harvest from your hunt as you uncover the connection between the people of the Forbidden Lands and the locales they inhabit.The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds.
