Monster Hunter: World Hands-Off Preview – Shaping Up To Be A Engrossing And Fantastic Experience

Capcom’s newest installment in the Monster Hunter franchise was revealed during E3 2017 with Monster Hunter: World. And though it feels like Monster Hunter games release ever now and then, Capcom have managed to make this game look as fresh as possible with current gen graphics and smooth gameplay mechanics. Sure, on the surface it appears to be the same old Monster Hunter game, but the size and scale of “World” seems to be it’s main draw. Add to that the complexity of the world and often random events, and you’ve got yourself a game that I can only hope turns out to be amazing.

First, I want to state that I was very confused when the title was revealed. With the word “World” I was under the impression that this game would be an MMO; and by that idea alone I sort of over hyped this game for myself. Monster Hunter World is indeed a single player, third-person action-adventure hack-and-slash/RPG game; much like many of the other games in the series before it. [However, it will also have multiplayer components].

"The lush, vibrant land of Monster Hunter World showed off a glowing jungle teeming with life. From massive, brilliantly colored flowers, to rattling, lively foliage, we could only imagine crawling through to find what wonderful treasures await us; Monster Hunter World feels like a game about life in a wild and strange land."

You play as a hunter who is off to take down some of the most ferocious beasts imaginable with your trusted melee weapon. During our hands-off  preview at E3 2017, we saw the hunter wondering his camp — a small village just outside the jungle — where he receives an assignment from a woman who tells him of a local monster hiding somewhere in the jungle. We’ve learned that the entire map of Monster Hunter World is two times bigger than any previous Monster Hunter game.

As the hunter treks the world he can chow down on meats and potions to help him survive and in battles. The hunter in the preview version is equipped with a massive sword he chugs along on his backside. We’ve been informed that there are 16 total weapons within the game, which really seems like a very small amount. I can’t imagine any game that has such few weapons that centers the character around his weapon. The hunter is also equipped with scouting bugs that are attached to a container on the his hip that will help guide him to his next location; a waypoint in other words. There have also been a few other new updates to previous versions, one being collecting material is quick and seamless now; there’s no more waiting around to hold buttons to wait for materials to go to your inventory.

As the hunter follows the scouting bugs, he comes across amazing beasts of the wild front. We see dinosaurs and giant lizards; and some of these creatures are considered side bosses that you can battle. There’s definitely a natural feel to the flow of the game. Herbivores and smaller animals don’t really attack the hunter. It feels like a habitat that understands its own ecosystem, like in real life. Some other more vicious beasts may not pay attention to you, but if you get too close, it may spell danger.

The lush, vibrant land of Monster Hunter World showed off a glowing jungle teeming with life. From massive, brilliantly colored flowers, to rattling, lively foliage, we could only imagine crawling through to find what wonderful treasures await us; Monster Hunter World feels like a game about life in a wild and strange land. And thought this is not an open-world, it feels just like it is. The jungle flows into an open valley that goes deep down into a dark cavern. However, this is what I saw in the preview, so it’s possible that there are more open areas in the final game.

What’s interesting about the design choice is that the environment is quite beautiful and realistic, but some of the character animation is quite cartoonish and very animated. Other Monster Hunter games have been sort of similar, so it’s not a bad thing necessarily. But for those who want an ultra realistic looking game, you may be a littler turned off by some of the character and animation design choices.

Another cool feature in the game relates a lot to Shadow of the Colossus. The hunter can climb certain beasts in the game to get to the top; the beasts have an opportunity to shake and rattle to try their hardest to get the little hunter off of them. If the hunter succeeds, he can mount the beast and attack it. Stealth is another big element within the game that allows the hunter to hide in the brush, and observe monsters that may be too difficult to take on until he gets to be a higher level.

"After everything is said and done, Monster Hunter: World looks like an engrossing and fantastic game that I really can’t wait to sink my teeth into. "

When at last the hunter finds the monster he was after, it’s a bit of a shame. He hacks and slashes at the beast until it dies; that’s about it. There is no real strategy to taking down enemies. You hit, dodge, repeat. I wish there was more of an RPG element to the fights, but that’s how the previous Hunter games have been before. However, it’s still early days so we will see how this game pans out in the coming months.

After everything is said and done, Monster Hunter: World looks like an engrossing and fantastic game that I really can’t wait to sink my teeth into. For now, the game looks nearly flawless, very intriguing, and downright fun. Here’s to hoping the game will be a work of art upon release.