Capcom seems to be continuing its hot streak with theMHseries after all the recently revealed material forMonster Hunter Wilds.Capcom doesn’t seem to be afraid of spoiling the game for its audience either, happy to show all the work it has put into this latestMonster Huntertitle, and there looks to be an effort to address complaints about the series thus far. Hitboxes have been improved, hunters can wear armor regardless of gender, andMH Wildsis the best looking game in the franchise, with a lot of new features.
Although a somewhat controversial change,Monster Hunter Wildshas decided to tell more of a story, with a main character that talks in cutscenes and dialogue optionswhen talking to NPCs. This is a step up fromMH Rise’s introduction of talking hunters and seems to makeWildsa more RPG heavy title compared to its predecessors. This could do a lot forWilds' accessibility and popularity, even if it’s controversial for returning players, butMHWilds' more adventurous monster designs are a definite plus, especially after the reveal of the Nu Urda.
Monster Hunter Wilds' Nu Urda Is Super Ambitious
Octopuses Aren’t Easy To Animate
MH Wildshas revealed the Nu Urda throughIGN, and the monster is one of the most ambitious in the game. It is theapex monster of the Oilwell Basin area and is essentially a giant octopus that is covered in oil, which can be used to set itself on fire. Other than being a spectacle with its fire effects, it has a terrifying silhouette, and while it isn’t as marketable as the Rey Dau, it shows that Capcom is willing to push its boundaries when it comes toMH Wildsand isn’t afraid of putting in the hard work.
Anyone who has watched behind-the-scenes footage ofFinding Doriknows that rigging and animating an octopus is no mean feat. While the Nu Urda doesn’t move exactly like an octopus, since it is meant to be a lumbering, terrifying creature that can burn hunters to a crisp, its tentacles move as one would expect. It shows off that theMonster Hunteranimators, who have often received praise for how they have brought many monsters to life, aren’t afraid to try something ambitious, and its turf war demonstrates how good a job these animators can do.
Turf Wars occur when two monsters are in the same area and fight. It is a good way of seeing which monsters are above others in the food chain.
While the animations are impressive, it shouldn’t be overstated how intensive the fire effects on the Nu Urda are. During their numerous interviews with IGN,theMH Wildsdirectors have talked repeatedly about the new technology and how they are able to use it inWilds, whether that be for the visuals or the hitboxes. The fire effects might not be something that Capcom would attempt before without the currenttechnological improvementsMH Wildsprovides, and it makes the Nu Urda hunt a visual spectacle (although it could prove to be a problem with performance and optimization).
Capcom Is Addressing The Monster Hunter Variety Issue
More Than Just Dinosaurs, Dragons, Bears, and Apes
The Nu Urda alone addresses an issue with the recentMonster Huntertitles, which are the kinds of monsters that have been added. AlthoughMonster Hunterhas enjoyed abunch of new monster additionsrecently throughWorldandRise, there does seem to be a bit of a comfort zone for the monsters. They tend to be eithersome variety of dinosaur, dragon, bear, or ape. While this has produced many creative designs and offers a lot of monsters to hunt, there was a feeling that theMHseries could offer more, andWildsis addressing this.
Monster Hunter Wilds Confirms New Open Beta Tests, Coming Very Soon
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The Nu Urda is outside modernMonster Hunter’s comfort zone (the fifth generation), being a giant octopus, but it isn’t the only new monster that offers something a bit different for the more recent fans.The Lala Barina is essentially a spider, even if it has four limbs, and its rose motif makes it seem like it would fit in something likeHollow Knight. It joins the Rakna-Kadaki as a fifth gen onward Temnoceran, and having a spider-like monster inWildswill help the designs branch out of the usual archetypes used inMonster Hunter.
Although there have been plenty of new additions inWilds,many iconic monsters will return, including the Rathalos, Gravios, and Yian Kut-Ku.
Strangely, the Nu Urda has been mentioned before in prior trailers,showing that it will probably be a sort of story checkpoint hunt, being called the Black Flame. Unlike the Lala Barina, which is already a rare kind of design, the Nu Urda doesn’t currently have a known monster type. It could lead to more monsters being a part of this archetype in later titles, especially because Capcom has already done the groundwork of making the Nu Urda, which probably has the most complicated rig in the game.
Capcom Is Experimenting And Pushing Limits With MH Wilds
It Could Make Wilds The Biggest Title In The Series
Capcom clearly isn’t pulling any punches when it comes toMH Wilds’upcoming release. With its massive open world and some great visuals, it is already the most detailed and best looking game in the series, butfor what is essentiallyMonster Hunter6, this is expected. What was less expected were all the new features, like the Focus Mode, added RPG elements, and the more overt story telling. Combine this with some truly ambitious monster designs, and it shows that Capcom acknowledges how popularMonster Hunterhas become in recent years.
While it has access to some truly iconic IPs, namelyStreet FighterandResident Evil,Capcom has done well to growMonster Hunterinto one of the biggest IPs aroundand is clearly throwing a lot of money at theMH Wildsteam. That budget can be seen everywhere and has allowed the developer to experiment in ambitious ways to help address issues from prior titles. The Nu Urda is a great example of this, showing that theMHteam is able to leap over immense hurdles while attempting to improve elements from the other games.
There’s One Massive Monster That Would Fit Perfectly Into Monster Hunter Wilds’ New Biome
The Monster Hunter franchise is filled with excellent Monsters to bring back, but one fan favorite has a promising future with this new biome.
Capcom isn’t afraid to show people its latest title, and that probably means that it knows it has a gem on its hands. With all these new elements, it feels like another big step up for the series, andMonster Hunter Wildscould repeat, or even surpass, the explosive effect thatMH Worldhad on the gaming landscape. The Nu Urda displays a level of ambition from Capcom that players want to see from developers, especially from those making games that stick closely to a formula to keep said formula fresh.
