Summary

• Monster Hunter Wilds focuses on making in-game food look appetizing with exaggerated realism.
• Players can dine anywhere in the game, creating a camping grill atmosphere instead of a restaurant theme.
• The game will feature a wide variety of dishes, including a secret "extravagant" meat dish, enhancing food-related bliss.

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to revolutionize the way in-game food looks, with a keen focus on making it irresistibly appetizing. The development team, led by executive director/art director Kaname Fujioka and director Yuya Tokuda, is pushing the boundaries of food presentation in video games. They aim to go beyond mere realism to create dishes that look mouth-wateringly delicious, drawing inspiration from anime and food commercials.

Since the inception of the Monster Hunter series in 2004, cooking has been a core element, allowing players to enjoy meals made from the monsters they've defeated. Over the years, the importance of these meals has grown, and the variety of dishes has expanded significantly. With Monster Hunter World in 2018, the focus on food intensified, with developers striving to create realistic and appealing dining experiences.

As Monster Hunter Wilds prepares for its launch on February 28, 2025, Fujioka and Tokuda are taking this focus to new heights. "Making it look realistic isn't enough to make it look good," Fujioka explained in a recent IGN interview. "You really have to think about what makes something look delicious." This involves a blend of realism and exaggeration, using techniques like special lighting effects and enhanced food models.

Monster Hunter Wild Devs Use Exaggerated Realism in Cooking Scenes

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players will have the freedom to dine anywhere, embracing a camping grill atmosphere rather than a traditional restaurant setting. A standout moment from a December preview was the tantalizing cheese pull, which has already captured fans' attention. Even simple dishes like roasted cabbage pose a challenge, but Fujioka has managed to make it appealing by showcasing it puffing up as the lid is removed, complete with a roasted egg topping.

On the other end of the spectrum, Tokuda, a self-professed meat enthusiast, hinted at a secret "extravagant" meat dish that promises to be a highlight of the game. The focus on a diverse range of dishes, combined with the expressions of joy and satisfaction around the campfire, aims to deliver an exaggerated yet realistic sense of food-related bliss in the cooking cutscenes of Monster Hunter Wilds.