Summary
- Monster Hunter Wilds aims to make in-game food look exceptionally appetizing through exaggerated realism.
- Players can enjoy meals anywhere in the game, embracing a camping grill atmosphere rather than a restaurant setting.
- The game will offer a diverse range of dishes, including a mysterious "extravagant" meat dish, enhancing the joy of in-game dining.
Monster Hunter Wilds is set to elevate the visual appeal of in-game food to new heights, as revealed by key members of its development team. The game will feature an extensive selection of dishes, ranging from meat and fish to vegetables, with a significant focus on making these meals look as delectable as possible. The developers are going beyond mere realism, striving to create visuals that truly entice players.
Since the inception of the Monster Hunter series in 2004, cooking has been a core component, allowing players to consume monster meat to gain various benefits. Over time, the importance of food and the variety of available meals have grown. In Monster Hunter World, released in 2018, the emphasis on food intensified, with developers aiming to create dining experiences that players would find genuinely appealing.
As Monster Hunter Wilds gears up for its release on February 28, 2025, executive director/art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda are pushing the boundaries even further. They believe that few games successfully present food that looks appetizing. "Making it look realistic isn't enough to make it look good," Fujioka stated in a recent IGN interview. "You really have to think about what makes something look delicious." This approach involves blending realism with exaggeration, drawing inspiration from food depictions in anime and commercials, including special lighting and enhanced food models.
Monster Hunter Wilds Uses Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes
In contrast to earlier Monster Hunter titles, Monster Hunter Wilds allows players to dine anywhere, fostering a camping grill ambiance rather than a formal restaurant setting. A preview in December showcased an enticing cheese pull that has already captured fans' attention. Even a seemingly simple dish like roasted cabbage presents a challenge, yet Fujioka has managed to make it visually appealing with effects like the cabbage puffing up as the lid is lifted, complemented by a roasted egg topping.
On the other end of the spectrum, Tokuda, with his passion for meat both in-game and in real life, hinted at the introduction of a secret "extravagant" meat dish. The game aims to showcase a wide array of culinary options and capture the expressions of diners around a cooking fire, amplifying the sense of food-related bliss through its cooking cutscenes.
