Monster Hunter World (PC, PS4, Xbox) aims to make the franchise accessible to the West for the first time. Capcom is making some changes to the franchise that longtime fans are likely to notice.
The franchise around Monster Hunter has been able to grow primarily through strong word of mouth and has longtime, loyal fans. These fans will notice some changes while playing the latest installment, Monster Hunter World.
We have identified 5 changes in Monster Hunter World that loyal fans are likely to notice.
1. The BBQ song is shorter
In Monster Hunter (World), you should have a grill with you on every quest! You can get raw meat from herbivores by hunting them. Raw meat can be used to lure carnivores and set a trap for them.
You can also throw the raw meat on the grill and fry yourself a juicy steak. The steak gives you buffs and healing – the better you prepare your meat, the stronger the buffs will be.
A song plays while grilling, indicating how you need to time your cooking skills: The right timing determines whether your steak is perfectly cooked or burnt. This song has been shortened in Monster Hunter World! This allows you to start grilling more efficiently and quickly now.
Bon Appétit!
2. Much larger and seamless maps
Veterans will remember this trick: If you were being chased by a monster and were close to death, you could often just escape through a loading screen. You would just run into the next zone and hope that the beastly pursuer would spawn in a different area.
This will no longer be possible in Monster Hunter World.
The world map will still be divided into different areas marked with numbers, just like in the old games. But in Monster Hunter World, the transitions to the various zones will flow seamlessly into each other. This may not seem special to newcomers, but for veterans, this is a significant change that finally gives the feeling of an open world.
3. Camps are getting a general overhaul
In Monster Hunter World, you will have the city of Astera as your base. Here is the research lab, the canteen, the blacksmith, and everything else you need for hunting.
During the missions, camps will also be available to you. In the camps, you can store important items and recover from hunting.
The camps undergo a change in Monster Hunter World:
- Multiple camps in each zone:
- In the old games, you only had one camp available during the quest – on the entire map. The maps are now much larger in Monster Hunter World. You will now have multiple camps available from which you can start a quest and retreat. Two have already been shown in the Ancient Forest and the Wildspire Waste.
- Canteens in every camp:
- In the base city of Astera, there are Palicos who prepare meals for you in canteens. The food gives you buffs for hunting and alters your stats. For example, you can build resistance to a specific element. In Monster Hunter World, there will also be canteens in every camp, so you can actively respond to specific situations during the quest.
- Fast travel to the camps:
- As long as you are outside of a fight, you can now activate fast travel to reach the camps. This was not possible in the old games since you had to take long routes.
Meet the Palicos! The secret stars of Monster Hunter World – They are true culinary masters.
4. The monsters have a damage display
Epic monster battles are at the heart of the entire franchise. The monsters behave mostly like realistic animals and have a wide range of strengths and weaknesses. Monster Hunter World will simplify discovering the monsters’ weak points significantly.
- Tracking:
- In Monster Hunter World, you will have Scout Flies, which are a new feature. They track the trails of monsters that you can investigate with your hunter. Analyzing the trails helps you learn more about the monsters. The more trails you collect and discover, the more information will appear in your Field Guide about the monster. This way, you will learn if they are allergic to certain elements or what loot you can get from them.
- Damage display:
- In old games, there was no way to tell if you were dealing high or low damage to a monster – this will change in World. You will now get a damage display that at least gives you an idea of whether you are hitting the monster’s weak point. This display can also be turned off if you want the “pure” experience!
5. Use items while running
In old games of the franchise, you HAD to stand still if you wanted to consume an item. Monster Hunter World will be much more dynamic than its predecessors. You will no longer be able to flee through a loading screen in front of a monster that has hit you too hard.
That’s why Capcom is now giving you the option to use items like potions while running. However, you will move a bit slower.
6. Menus and tutorials have been redesigned for better clarity
This is something that only veterans might notice. Newcomers may still find the menus largely confusing and not very intuitive. Nevertheless, many menus and tutorials have been revised in Monster Hunter World. For example, small videos summarize the weapon mechanics. Also, the trees that show all upgrade options for the weapons have become clearer.
7. NPCs can speak
In old games, the characters only mumble a fantasy language. Everything had to be read. With the added voiceover, Monster Hunter World offers new storytelling possibilities. Additionally, the characters provide hints and tips that you used to have to read.
8. Collect quests are now integrated
There are still collect quests where you need to harvest about 30 mushrooms or slay 15 small monsters. However, these can now be completed alongside all quests.
9. There is a training room to practice with weapons
The 14 weapon classes are available to every player directly. In older games, there was only the option to test the weapons directly on the battlefield. In Monster Hunter World, you have a room available for training. Here you will find all sorts of gear to use your weapons.
Especially practical is that the combinations for attacks are displayed in this room. For weapons like the hunting horn, there are many key combinations to learn. The training room is ideal for that. If you have upgraded a weapon, you can also directly test the effects in the training room.
What do the veterans and newcomers among you think of these changes?
By the way, also new in Monster Hunter World: The character creator will be more diverse than ever! – This also applies to the cats.
