"Monster Hunter Wilds Unveils Cooking Mechanics"

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to elevate the allure of in-game culinary experiences with a focus on visually appetizing food. The game's development team, led by executive director/art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda, is pushing the boundaries by incorporating a mix of realism and exaggerated visuals to make dishes look irresistible. Scheduled for release on February 28, 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds will feature an extensive menu ranging from meat and fish to vegetable dishes, all designed to entice players.

Since the inception of the Monster Hunter series in 2004, cooking has been a core element, evolving from consuming monster meat to a more sophisticated dining experience in Monster Hunter World in 2018. In Monster Hunter Wilds, the developers aim to surpass previous efforts by making food not just realistic but truly appetizing. Fujioka emphasized the importance of going beyond mere realism, drawing inspiration from anime and food commercials to enhance the visual appeal through special lighting and exaggerated food models.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

A key feature in Monster Hunter Wilds is the ability to dine anywhere within the game, fostering a camping grill atmosphere rather than a formal restaurant setting. This approach was highlighted in a preview where a cheese pull effect captivated fans. Even simpler dishes like roasted cabbage are given a dramatic flair, with visual effects showing the cabbage puffing up as the lid is lifted, accompanied by a roasted egg on top, as demonstrated in a video shared by Fujioka.

On the other end of the spectrum, Tokuda, known for his love of meat both in-game and in real life, hinted at a secret "extravagant" meat dish that promises to be a highlight. The game aims to showcase a broad range of dishes, capturing the joy and expressions of characters dining around a campfire, thus amplifying the sense of realistic food-related bliss through its cooking cutscenes.