10 Things You Didn’t Know about Monster Hunter: World
Monster Hunter: World is the latest installment in Capcom’s Monster Hunter series. Like its name suggests, it is centered on players confronting a wide range of monsters in various environments, which is a Monster Hunter staple that has inspired something of a sub-genre. Regardless, Monster Hunter: World has proven to be a huge success, so much so that it is now counted as the best-selling Capcom title at 10.9 million copies. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Monster Hunter: World:
1. Custom Character
Japanese RPGs have a reputation for pre-set characters with pre-set stories. However, it is important to remember that is a rule that applies to some Japanese RPGs but not others. In the case of Monster Hunter: World, players can create a custom character of their own, which has always been the case for Monster Hunter games.
2. Can Kill or Capture Monsters
Players can kill the monsters that they encounter while playing Monster Hunter: World. However, they have a second option in the form of capturing monsters with traps once the monsters have been weakened enough.
3. Can Use Environment to Fight Monsters
Monster Hunter: World lets players make clever use of the environment to weaken monsters, thus making for more options beyond fighting them head-on. One example would be bursting dams for the purpose of flooding monsters. Another example would be leading one monster to another monster for them to fight so that the player can capitalize upon said situation.
4. Monsters Can Change Tactics
Monsters in Monster Hunter: World are capable of changing their tactics when certain conditions have been met. For instance, it is common for a monster to become more aggressive when they have been weakened to a significant extent, which can catch incautious players by surprise.
5. Includes New Tools
Speaking of which, it is interesting to note that Monster Hunter: World comes with new tools to help players overcome their foes. One example would be the Slinger that can be used to fire various projectiles, while another example would be the Mantle that can be used to provide various buffs.
6. Observation Critical
Observation is critical in the Monster Hunter series. This is because knowing what to expect from various monsters under various conditions can make a player much better-prepared to take them on. Due to this, patience can be a very useful skill to cultivate for Monster Hunter players.
7. Loot Is Critical
Of course, RPGs being RPGs, loot can be even more critical. In the case of the Monster Hunter series, it is interesting to note that a fair amount of the loot comes from parts of the monsters, which are often used to make new weapons and new costumes that come with mechanical bonuses. Appearance-wise, well, suffice to say that Monster Hunter: World costumes can be very memorable as well as very obvious about what exactly was used to make it.
8. Took a Risk on a Worldwide Approach
Previously, the Monster Hunter series focused on the Japanese market where it was more or less guaranteed to get around 3 to 4 million sales. This time, Monster Hunter: World was created with a more international market in mind, which was pushed by both internal and external stakeholders. Eventually, Sony’s support for the concept of more international-focused Monster Hunter game was what convinced the team to go with that particular position.
9. Received a Big Budget
It is interesting to note that Monster Hunter: World received a sizable budget from Capcom, which was so big because the intent was to create something that could go up against Hollywood movies as an entertainment option. In fact, the budget was so bad that Capcom had to cut costs throughout the rest of its operations.
10. Has Become Best-Selling Capcom Title
Now, it is clear that the chance taken on Monster Hunter: World has paid off, seeing as how it is the single best-selling Capcom game of all time. If the people behind the Monster Hunter series can keep this up, it will be interesting to see whether they will be able to make the series as big in international markets as it is in the Japanese market.
