Monster Hunter Wilds: Weapon Overhaul Detailed

With each new *Monster Hunter* release, players eagerly anticipate experiencing their favorite weapons in the latest iteration. All 14 weapon types retain their unique characteristics while adapting to each game's design. *Monster Hunter: World*'s seamless map and *Monster Hunter Rise*'s Wirebug mechanics are prime examples of how weapon feel evolves with each title. But how did the developers of *Monster Hunter Wilds*, aiming for a truly seamless hunting experience, approach weapon tuning?

To delve into the design choices behind *Wilds*' weapons, we spoke with Art Director and Executive Director Kaname Fujioka (also director of the first *Monster Hunter* game) and Director Yuya Tokuda (involved since *Monster Hunter Freedom*).

IGN First Monster Hunter Wilds Oilwell Basin Artwork

Our interview uncovered the conceptual and development processes behind various weapons, detailing adjustments made based on feedback from the November 2024 Open Beta Test.

Adjustments for a Seamless World

Tokuda explained that *Wilds’* seamless map and dynamic weather significantly impacted weapon usage, necessitating substantial changes, particularly to the Light and Heavy Bowguns and the Bow. Previous titles required returning to base for resource replenishment; *Wilds* eliminates this, potentially burdening ranged weapons reliant on consumable ammo and coatings.

"That's why we designed it so that basic damage sources can be used without expending resources,” Tokuda explains. “We balanced it around the idea that things like normal, pierce, and spread ammo for Bowguns and coatings for Bows can fire unlimited times while managing your gauge. But we still wanted it to be possible to use what you’ve prepared ahead of time or what you find in the field on top of that, and so our balancing took into account the presence of design that allows you to create powerful ammo with attributes from gathered materials."

Weapon adjustments extended beyond mechanics to design. Fujioka highlights the visual improvements: "We had the idea of wanting to properly show the movement of charging a Bowgun for a special shot… Shots that cancel out a monster's attack look properly convincing as they perform that canceling. Ever since the previous game in the series, we've put a lot of work into making it visually clear to the player what they're doing in the moment."

Technological advancements enabled these animation improvements, impacting weapon transitions and hunter actions. Tokuda emphasizes natural weapon usage: "One common concept shared by all weapons is that we made sure it's possible for hunters to use them in a natural way given the situation at the moment… Our goal was to do this particularly when you can't make any inputs."

Fujioka adds, "The Focus Mode that we added to *Wilds* is something we put a lot of work into when it comes to action. You can move while facing a specified direction, making continuous attacks possible while on the move but slightly off-center from your target. Players can properly go in the direction they want. We wanted to make a game that made possible the image players have in their minds about how they want to play."

Focus Strikes

Wilds introduces a wound system, allowing hunters to inflict significant damage by continuously attacking a specific monster body part. While damage accumulation generally determines wound formation, Focus Strikes, used in Focus Mode, unleash devastating blows. Each weapon type boasts unique Focus Strike animations, though Tokuda clarifies that while visual differences exist, the developers aimed for balanced damage output across weapons, addressing imbalances discovered during the open beta.

The wound system adds strategic depth, allowing hunters to prioritize targets and utilize environmental elements for strategic advantages. Tokuda notes the impact on monster encounters: "Monsters are unwounded when a quest begins, but you can hunt monsters as you explore the locale in *Wilds*, so as the situation in the locale changes, monsters can have turf wars even without a hunter's involvement… This means that a monster may already have multiple wounds by the time it interacts with the player."

Addressing concerns about monster health and toughness in relation to Focus Mode and wounds, Tokuda explains that while monster health is higher than in *World*, Focus Mode's design aims for more concentrated, satisfying hunts.

The Tempo of the Great Sword

Weapon tuning involved a team of six planners responsible for player experience, including artists and animators. The Great Sword served as a development prototype, its design informing the creation of other weapons. Fujioka emphasizes the Great Sword's importance in animation development: "Attacks like the Focus Strike didn't exist in the series before, so now that we had this new form of expression available to us, we began by coming up with ideas while focusing on making it feel good over anything performance related… We felt excited when we first made the Focus Strike for the Great Sword, thinking that if we were able to create something that feels this good, we'd be able to do even more with the other weapons."

Tokuda highlights the Great Sword's unique tempo in action games, its versatility informing the design of other weapons: "I feel like weapons with a sense of heavy tempo like the Great Sword are rare in other action games… I guess you could say that once you're used to the game, you'll have noticed that the Great Sword is the most rounded of them all."

Weapons with Personality

Acknowledging the inevitable popularity disparity among weapons, the developers prioritized unique design over uniform ease of use. Fujioka explains: "We always think that it's better to focus on how to design what makes a weapon unique rather than trying to make all weapons equally easy to use. That said, we do think it's a problem if players can't have the gaming experience we want them to have."

Tokuda uses the Hunting Horn as an example, emphasizing area-of-effect damage and sound-based mechanics: "At the outset, I told the team that I wanted the concept of this weapon to be that it can produce proper amounts of damage when used where it performs best, the area around you… Instead of thinking that it's all about damage, we care more about making the most out of each weapon's personality.”

While acknowledging the existence of optimal weapon choices for specific monsters, the developers aim to avoid overly efficient, homogenous builds. Fujioka states: "While I think that weapons that stand at the top in terms of time efficiency–ease of use and ease of hunting–are going to see more popularity, we have made it so that if you really care about a weapon type, you'll be able to beat a monster through enough trial and error."

Build Your Own Skills

The decoration system in *Wilds* resembles *World's*, offering skill-based decorations that can be slotted into weapons and armor. However, alchemy allows for the creation of single-skill decorations, addressing previous frustrations with skill acquisition.

The developers conclude by sharing their personal weapon preferences and reflecting on player feedback from the open beta, particularly concerning the Lance, highlighting ongoing adjustments to ensure a balanced and enjoyable experience for all players.