When Monster Hunter: World released in 2018, it introduced a plethora of new players to the wonder of one of Capcom’s best series'. After a period of remaining exclusive to handheld consoles and, for the most part, only releasing in Japan, World took a newer generation of consoles and PC by storm with its release. But my own entry into the series was way back on the Playstation 2, with the very first Monster Hunter game. I wasn’t very good at it, suffice it to say, but there was something enthralling about it nonetheless. My next foray into the jungles and swamps of this mysterious world was on the PSP with Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, and this was where I really sunk my teeth into what these games had to offer. They have unsurprisingly remained some of my favourite gaming experiences ever since, with World being no exception, and Rise on the Nintendo Switch continuing to eat up a lot of my time to this day since its release in March of this year.
One thing I have frequently noticed, though, is a certain criticism aimed at the story of the many Monster Hunter games out there. More often than not, Capcom is lauded for never going above and beyond, for delivering cliché and predictable narratives with no real immersion. I’ve even heard the word boring thrown about on occasion. But, in a world where vicious and highly dangerous monsters threaten the safety of your fellow villagers, is there really a need for more of a story?
The Benefit Of Simplicity
Monster Hunter has never had a mind-blowing story full of twists and turns, or even a hugely compelling plot that keeps the player coming back for more. On that point, the criticisms have been irrefutable. But these games have never been about breaking new ground. There has always been an innate simplicity to the experience. You begin as a new hunter, inexperienced and eager to get out there and take down the biggest, baddest dragon you can find. Of course, you have to work your way up the ladder before you can realise that dream, which is what much of these games are about. Over the course of your journey, different monsters will pose varying degrees of perils to the village. And you, the most notable and promising hunter in the village who has been ambitiously setting their sights on increasingly larger prey for the whole game, are the one tasked with defending your home against the latest creature with an appetite for humans.
Players have never expected to play through a chunk of the story to find one of the villagers has turned rogue and betrayed his allies, or to discover the monsters are being bred by some maniacal madman in the hills with world domination on his mind. They have always accepted the lowly hunter role, with very little desire for more. As I said, it has never been about breaking new ground, and Monster Hunter will usually offer up nothing more substantial than ‘this thing is eating our friends so it needs to die.’ But maybe that’s enough. It does not diminish the enjoyment of the game in any regard. Nobody comes to Monster Hunter for the emotional punch of The Last Of Us, after all. Besides, there is an intimacy there that is often missed, between the protagonist hunter and their fellow villagers. After spending an entire game working to make sure they can happily live in peace, it’s only natural for the player to grow attached to the wacky cast of characters they are introduced to at the beginning.
One Big Happy Family
One thing that Monster Hunter: World does exceptionally well is to make the other characters feel more realised than before. In departing(to a degree) from its Japanese roots and westernising one of their most popular series, Capcom makes a strong effort to give the player a diverse cast of characters to interact with. Most notable amongst these is the Handler, a bubbly, excitable woman who manages the hunts and quests the player can take on. What begins as a professional relationship quickly grows into a close companionship, with the Handler often finding herself at the mercy of some voracious beast and requiring the player to rescue her. She regularly refers to herself and the player as partners, and what mystery there is to the plot and the reasons behind the appearance of so many vicious creatures ends up being something she vows to investigate with the hunter at her side.
As well as the Handler, there are notable military types and mysterious strangers that crop up during the game to lend the player a hand in their travels. This quirky ragtag group of friends are often seen together in cutscenes to reinforce the fact that they’re all in it together, come rain or shine. It’s a lovely sentiment, and a simple one. And it also serves to give the player a more personal stake in their survival. In the older instalments, there were no cutscenes and dialogue with the villagers was quite limited. However, Capcom seem to have thrown that model aside in favour of something more intimate and involved. Rather than following arbitrary commands and fighting for a range of faceless townspeople, the player now fights to protect some very close friends.
A Grand Safari
Monster Hunter: World introduced the ability to go on expeditions outside of hunts, which allows players to freely explore the different areas normally used to hunt down a monster, only without any time limit or objective. The idea behind this was, presumably, to allow players to view the beautifully-crafted world without the stress of tracking or evading the particularly large and vicious local fauna. With the technology of the Playstation 4, Xbox One, and modern PCs, Capcom could really flex their muscles when it came to the scenery and they did a fantastic job.
World’s five main locales all look vastly different, from the vibrant Ancient Forest to the putrid and toxic Rotten Vale. But each of them are wondrous to behold in their own way. Personally, I must have spent several hours just exploring the Ancient Forest back in 2018 and admiring the views. What’s more is the monsters that would usually be the targets of hunts are simply existing in nature, wandering these locales of their own volition or searching for a quiet spot to rest their heads, if not on the hunt themselves for a tasty snack. It’s a serene feeling, to know you’re off the clock, so to speak, and you’re free to observe these animals in their natural habitats. You could forget all of your worries and just spend an evening in the sandy Wildspire Waste, or the vividly colourful Coral Highlands, content to absorb every last drop of nature before returning to the village. It really is escapism at its finest.
A Needed Reprieve
I can’t understate how far the games industry has come in the last two decades. It’s wonderful to see it take its rightful place as one of the most successful and engrossing art forms out there, with a level of interaction and immersion not seen in other forms of media. From Crash Bandicoot to Red Dead Redemption, developers always have something unique to offer and, more often than not, they have something to say, as well. There is no shortage of thought-provoking work that leaves us feeling enlightened or touched or even empty inside once we’ve finished playing. However, in a world of emotional rollercoasters and stark reminders of the darkness in the world, it’s nice to occasionally jump into something light-hearted to take a load off and just enjoy ourselves.
Monster Hunter might not win any awards for storytelling, but it certainly does provide something not often seen in games these days; simplicity. Sometimes, it’s nice to just go and hunt some monsters, and enjoy making some friends along the way. Sometimes, simplistic and predictable is exactly what we need. When the neverending slew of heart wrenching stories about betrayal and tragedy become too much, it’s reassuring to know that Monster Hunter will be there to welcome you with open arms and lift your spirits, offering comfort in the form of quirky side characters and unusual wildlife.
Comments