Monster Hunter Wilds Explains Cooking System

Summary

• Monster Hunter Wilds focuses on making in-game food look appetizing with exaggerated realism.
• Players can dine anywhere in the game, creating a camping grill atmosphere instead of a restaurant theme.
• The game will feature a wide variety of dishes, including a secret "extravagant" meat dish, enhancing food-related bliss.

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 showcase an extensive variety of dishes, from meat and fish to vegetables, with the developers striving to make them look as tempting as possible through a blend of realism and exaggeration.

Since the inception of the Monster Hunter series in 2004, cooking has been an integral part of the gameplay. Initially, players could enjoy large chunks of meat from defeated monsters, a mechanic that has evolved over time with an increasing variety of meals and ingredients. The focus on food intensified with Monster Hunter World in 2018, where developers aimed to create dining experiences that players would find genuinely appetizing.

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 depict food that looks delicious. "Making it look realistic isn't enough to make it look good," Fujioka explained in a recent IGN interview. "You really have to think about what makes something look delicious." This involves a combination of realistic elements and exaggerated features, drawing inspiration from anime and food commercials, including special lighting effects and enhanced food models.

Monster Hunter Wilds Devs Use Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players will have the freedom to dine anywhere, embracing a more rustic, camping grill ambiance rather than a formal restaurant setting. A preview in December showcased an impressive cheese pull that has already captured fans' attention. Even simpler dishes like roasted cabbage pose a challenge, as Fujioka noted, but they can be made appealing with effects such as the cabbage puffing up when the lid is lifted from the pan. Accompanying visuals also feature the cabbage topped with a roasted egg, enhancing its visual allure.

On the other end of the spectrum, Tokuda, who has a deep appreciation for meat both in the game and in real life, hinted at the introduction of a secret "extravagant" meat dish. While keeping the details under wraps, he emphasized the game's commitment to a diverse menu. The focus on various dishes, combined with the expressions of characters enjoying meals around a campfire, aims to deliver an exaggerated yet realistic sense of food-related bliss in the cooking cutscenes of Monster Hunter Wilds.