Monster Hunter Wilds Unveils Cooking Mechanics

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to redefine the visual appeal of in-game food, aiming to make every dish look irresistibly delicious. According to executive director and art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda, the game will feature an extensive variety of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, all designed with exaggerated realism to enhance their appeal. This approach goes beyond mere realism, drawing inspiration from anime and food commercials to create mouth-watering visuals that are sure to captivate players.

Since its inception in 2004, the Monster Hunter series has included cooking as a core mechanic, allowing players to enjoy meals crafted from the monsters they defeat. Over the years, the importance of these meals has grown, alongside an expanding menu of dishes and ingredients. With Monster Hunter World in 2018, the focus on food intensified, with developers striving to create dining experiences that players would genuinely enjoy.

Set to launch on February 28, 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds will take this focus to new heights. Fujioka emphasized in a recent IGN interview that making food look good requires more than just realism; it involves a blend of exaggeration and special effects, such as unique lighting and enhanced food models. This approach aims to make the food not only look realistic but also incredibly appetizing.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players will have the freedom to dine anywhere, embracing a camping grill atmosphere rather than a traditional restaurant setting. A preview in December showcased an enticing cheese pull that has already whetted fans' appetites. Even simple dishes like roasted cabbage pose a challenge, but with effects like the cabbage puffing up as the lid is removed, Fujioka has managed to make it visually appealing. Accompanying videos show the dish garnished with a roasted egg, adding to its allure.

On the other end of the spectrum, Tokuda, with his passion for meat both in-game and in real life, hinted at a secret "extravagant" meat dish that promises to be a highlight of the game. The focus on a wide variety of dishes, combined with the expressions of delight on characters' faces as they dine around a cooking fire, aims to deliver an exaggerated sense of food-related bliss in the cooking cutscenes.