In Monster Hunter Wilds, you are accompanied by cat-like beings known as Palicos. But behind these cute companions, who heal you and chat with you, are actually adult men.
What are Palicos? The Palicos are your constant hunting companions. They accompany you on quests, distract giant monsters, and ensure that you don’t die too quickly in battle. In the tent, they cuddle up to you, fool around, and have their own quests in between, where they want to try new things.
If the Palicos seem human to you due to their gestures and behavior, there is a very specific reason for that. Because behind the cat-like companions are actors who give the creatures their movements. On top of that, they now speak your language – but you can change that with a setting.
Some of the giant monsters were also captured by people for Monster Hunter Wilds:
Who’s behind the Palicos? Behind the Palicos and their movements are actually real people. Thus, not only the hunters are portrayed by motion capture actors in Monster Hunter Wilds, but also your cat-like companions and even some of the monsters.
A YouTube video from PlayStation Access shows from minute 00:42 how an adult man takes on the role of a Palico: He hops around, grooms himself, waves his arms, and chases a Vitality Wasp:
“I want to get paid to play a cat”
How is this received by the community? Under the YouTube video, several users praise the work of the Palico actor. One user writes: “The Palico that jumps at the Vitality Wasp to catch it just makes me happy.” And waikikil5205 finds the Palico “wholesome.” The user ocksahlnestreves6139 thinks that the “Palico guy” seems like he has to hold back laughter.
In a post on Reddit, DragonLovin writes: “That looks like so much fun. As a child, I used to do that kind of nonsense with my friends – and you want to tell me I can now pretend to be a huge, silly monster professionally??” Nonagatha also thinks it looks like a lot of fun and says: “I want to do Mo-Cap for monsters!”
Many seem to find the job of a Palico performer quite desirable. boffer-kit writes: “God, I wish I could get paid full-time to play a cat.” And CowCluckLated thinks: “The mocap team for this game is just incredibly talented. It’s so much fun to watch them.”
The Palicos are an integral part of your team in Monster Hunter Wilds. They are adorable, entertaining, and help you out of tough spots by healing you or drawing the attention of a monster. Alongside the Palicos, there are other characters who accompany you on your adventures in the game. You can learn more about this here: Monster Hunter Wilds: All important characters in the list
