Monster Hunter Wilds: Unveiling the Cooking System

Summary

• Monster Hunter Wilds prioritizes visually appealing in-game food, employing exaggerated realism.
• Dining is flexible, offering a campfire cooking experience rather than a formal restaurant setting.
• The game boasts a diverse culinary selection, including a secret, extravagant meat dish, enhancing the overall enjoyment of food-related aspects.

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to redefine the visual appeal of in-game food, according to key members of its development team. The game features a wide array of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, meticulously crafted to appear incredibly appetizing, even exceeding realistic standards.

Cooking has been a core element of the Monster Hunter franchise since its 2004 debut, initially featuring simple monster meat dishes. This mechanic has evolved significantly, with increased importance and a broader range of meals and ingredients. Starting in 2018 with Monster Hunter World, a greater emphasis was placed on realistic dining experiences, aiming to create meals players would genuinely find appealing.

This trend intensifies in Monster Hunter Wilds, launching February 28, 2025. Executive Director/Art Director Kaname Fujioka and Director Yuya Tokuda highlight the rarity of appetizingly rendered food in games. Fujioka emphasizes that true visual appeal transcends mere realism, requiring careful consideration of what makes food look delicious. This involves a blend of realism and exaggeration, drawing inspiration from anime and commercials, incorporating techniques like specialized lighting and stylized food models.

Monster Hunter Wilds Devs Employ Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

Unlike previous installments, Monster Hunter Wilds allows players to dine anywhere, transforming the cooking experience into a casual campfire cookout rather than a formal restaurant setting. A December preview showcased an impressive cheese pull, already captivating fans. Further menu highlights include dishes like roasted cabbage, which presented a significant artistic challenge for Fujioka. He notes that the cabbage’s realistic puffing upon lid removal, coupled with a roasted egg topping, enhances its visual appeal. Accompanying video showcases this effect.

On the other hand, Tokuda, a self-proclaimed meat enthusiast, teases a secret, extravagant meat dish, though he remains tight-lipped about its specifics. Overall, the game focuses on a wide variety of dishes and the expressive reactions of characters enjoying meals around a campfire, creating an exaggerated yet realistic sense of culinary bliss in its cooking scenes.