Alright, so I have been obsessively thinking about Monster Hunter World ever since its announcement. Did I mention that I cried at the reveal, tears of pure joy? I probably did, it was a big moment for me. Anyways, with some of the year’s last gaming conventions coming to an end, a plethora of new information has been revealed about this title. Here are five awesome new things in Monster Hunter World, judging from trailers and such.
Character Creation is more detailed than its ever been
Character creation was something I never spent much time with in Monster Hunter. I usually just picked a generic dude with long, red hair, gave him a manly voice and moved into more armor-based looks. With Monster Hunter World, there’s a good chance I’ll spend four hours at the damn creation screen.
As the below video (it is in Japanese, but fairly easy to understand what’s happening for long time players) shows, the amount of customization available is ridiculous by comparison. There are sliders aplenty to adjust finer features and tons of options for hair styles. I had kind of written off character aesthetics in favor of the gameplay in the past, but now I want to create a perfect version of myself in the game. That or Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 or something. . .
Just when I think I have something good enough to play as, I’ll also have to customize my cat companion. Adorable and awesome! Looks like my favorite cats growing up can live forever as ferocious, butt-kicking Felynes! That and I definitely have to make a Gamercat and his crew from the popular webcomics.
Nergigante is this game’s flagship monster
For the past several Monster Hunter games, there has been one pervasive monster known as the flagship monster. Monster Hunter Generations had four of these gigantic beasts, while Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate had the sinister Gore Magala. These monsters have been the closest thing to an antagonist in the plot of each game. While there is a huge focus on multiplayer in the series, I have always spent more time going through the solo adventures and I always relish taking on these built-up creatures.
As shown in the Tokyo Game Show trailer, Nergigante is this title’s flagship and he is an absolute beast. Huge horns and a stocky build give him an already iconic silhouette. It looks like his attacks are fast and furious, despite his massive size. Taking him down will be no easy feat!
Nergigante is also the monster that buyers of the game’s collector’s edition will be getting. Really debating on whether or not to pick that version up. . .
Mantles have various effects
In the initial gameplay reveal for Monster Hunter World, there was a moment where the player put on a grass mantle to make sneaking around a big creature easier. We now know that this isn’t the only mantle players will be able to utilize on their hunts. The Rocksteady Mantle has damage reduction against roars, tremors, or wind effects. In addition to this tanky tool, players could also use the Glider Mantle. The Glider Mantle does what one would expect; it acts like a glider for extended air for quick travel. Lastly, there is is the Challenger Mantle, which aggros monsters to the wearer.
I’ve always felt like I was under-using the tools Monster Hunter has had, mostly because its far more efficient to just cluster up on a foe in most fights. With these changes to more specialized equipment, I feel like player roles will be more interesting and varied. I can see myself rocking the Rocksteady Mantle with my trusty Gun Lance or using the Ghillie Mantle as a Bow Gunner for a bit more variety.
Monster Hunter World has cutscenes
Oddly enough, I was not expecting a plot-heavy cutscene to appear in the latest footage. Not only is this a dynamic shift for the series, where most of the plot was just text between two characters, but the player’s avatar will be included in these scenes to make them feel more personal. The drama shown in the teasers already shows a ton of promise and I can’t wait to get further sucked into the world of Monster Hunter.
New monsters are extremely varied
Several new monsters were shown at TGS, from the fluffy, angry bat to the volcanic mountain of a monster. It looks like there will be plenty to challenge hunters with sheer variety. Factor in that monsters now interact more with flora and fauna and these beasts will feel more alive than ever.
Personally, I can’t wait to see series favorite re-imagined in full HD graphics. Monsters like the Zinogre or the Deviljho are just too cool to leave out. I also would love to see the more recent creatures return like the Glavenus from Generations.
All in all, January is going to be a huge month for fans of this iconic series. Finally, the series is trying something new, a natural evolution to a formula I love, but have always wanted to see expanded upon. I can only hope this game delivers upon my lofty expectations.
Fingers crossed fellow hunters, fingers crossed.
Oh, and apparently most of the downloadable content will be free. Sweet.
For further Monster Hunter content, check out my review of Monster Hunter Generations. Also be sure to check out the channels of some of the Monster Hunter Youtubers like Arekkz Gaming or Gaijin Hunter. Capcom’s official website also has good information.
