Again within the PSP days of Monster Hunter, I used to be fairly aggravated by the necessity to grind and farm the farms to essentially maximize development between one hunt and the subsequent. Greater than 15 years later, I would like them again… elsewhere.
The thought of fully totally different city areas which you needed to micromanage and have been cozy at the start survived till the 3DS entries of the collection, however it’s one thing that is been progressively pushed apart in favor of extra streamlined looking experiences with little to no fats. As Monster Hunter Wilds prepares to pounce on us in late February with extra instruments of killing and methods to navigate the wilds seamlessly, one has to marvel how lengthy it’s going to be earlier than the idea of a everlasting city/village is dropped altogether or lowered to a very quick downtime.
Disclaimer: I do not thoughts Monster Hunter’s large current steps in direction of changing into extra accessible. The builders have really excelled at making the collection extra palatable throughout the first 20 hours or so with World and Rise, and the brand new entry is doubling down on such additions and QoL modifications. It is a good factor so long as it does not dilute what makes the core video games so distinctive.
This strategy, nonetheless, immediately collides with the aforementioned ‘farming’ aspect parts of older video games. Monster Hunter has at all times been about mankind’s relationship with nature and the frictions born out of it even when it takes place in a completely totally different world that is not impacted by rampant industrialization (but). Even when the precise farming parts have been a little bit of a slog, particularly after dozens of hours of playtime, they’d a spot inside the collection’ voice and really soul. Whereas my ‘gamer mind’ appreciates having much less busywork so I can spend extra time smacking wyverns on the pinnacle with large weapons, my extra considerate aspect is sorta bummed out by the dearth of farmsteads within the newer installments.

A possible answer? Placing a small city sim spinoff in growth. It is a style that is been booming for fairly some time however fairly often lacks an id past ‘take a look at the lovable artwork type’ and riffing on Stardew Valley with small twists. Monster Hunter, then again, looks as if the right match for the fundamental premise of cozy life sims. The worldbuilding and philosophy are already there, and we have performed a primary model of that potential recreation earlier than. A number of occasions, really. Let my Felyne work extra jobs than administration, looking, and cooking once more!
The Monster Hunter IP is not any stranger to off-beat spinoffs both. Monster Hunter Now seems to be thriving on cellular; Monster Hunter Puzzles is a pleasant little experiment; and Monster Hunter Tales has already change into a decent RPG subseries of its personal. At this level, a city sim does not sound like a distant risk. As a substitute, it is the type of challenge that needs to be imminent if Capcom is taking note of the suitable developments.

That is when the Monkey’s Paw curls and we do get a MH city sim… only for cellular. Nah, I need a totally featured, premium recreation. Give it a definite artwork type, work laborious on the visible presentation, provide you with an attractive loop that makes the a lot of the universe’s uniqueness and wackier aspect. Looking does not even must be ignored of the components. What about hiring some veteran hunters to guard the city from wyverns and different monsters? Allow us to enhance and customise gathering halls! There are such a lot of potentialities past farming, mining, fishing, bug gathering, beekeeping, and whatnot as offered within the traditional titles.
Rejection of cellphones as goal platforms and gacha-like parts apart, it is the type of pitch that may be killer for transportable {hardware}, sure. With the mainline Monster Hunter entries now specializing in the ‘sturdy {hardware}’ Xbox-PS-PC trio, might such a recreation be a implausible third-party Nintendo unique? Animal Crossing’s recognition is at an all-time excessive after New Horizons, and I’ve little doubt we’ll see one other entry for the Change 2 sooner quite than later, however that does not imply there isn’t any area for one more winner.

I is likely to be wading into ‘armchair developer’ territory right here, positive, however hear me out: I am simply an excited fan who’s not simply serious about what’s in entrance of them, but in addition concerning the doable futures of a franchise that is given them nothing however happiness. I like Monster Hunter and would like to see it develop not simply as an action-RPG collection. It is actually in the suitable path to changing into greater and extra appetizing for all, and the previous spinoffs talked about right here show that in addition to my major level.
Or maybe I am simply fully misreading the franchise’s present standing and the precise affect its spinoffs have had on the final sentiment. Perhaps people would quite keep on with killing mighty beasts and outsized pests. However it’s kind of of a miserable thought. I imagine Monster Hunter is far more than that, and I will be first in line and able to bat for extra peaceable makes an attempt to broaden its world and lore.