Over here in the West, Capcom’s name is, more often than not, associated with beat ’em ups and survival horror, but there’s one particular genre that it mastered long, long ago that, outside of Japan, is often overlooked.
The Monster Hunter series, itself an acclaimed, multi-million selling franchise, is about to attract a whole lot more attention for itself outside of Japan, thanks to Monster Hunter World – the latest entry in the RPG series that’s coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Officially unveiled yesterday as the surprise opener to Sony’s E3 conference, World represents the series’ return to the platform where it was born, but this particular sequel looks considerably more ambitious than anything that’s come before. With the exception of a short stint on the Nintendo Wii and Wii U, a dedicated Monster Hunter title for consoles has been the stuff of legend, so it’s to be expected that rapturous applause from onlookers followed its unveiling.
Besides boasting outstanding visual fidelity, Monster Hunter World looks to be every bit a continuation of the series’ long-standing formula, with survival against the odds the driving force behind every player’s adventure. Monstrously-sized prehistoric beasts are shown roaming the land alongside the player during the demo, the pint-sized protagonist utilizing camouflage and environmental options to evade being spotted by the dangerous megafauna.
As per a press release provided after the gameplay reveal (via VG247), Capcom says Monster Hunter World will feature the same “skill based progression and robust crafting system,” the series is renowned for, with players encouraged to “strategically use the surrounding environment including terrain, vegetation and wildlife to their advantage in battle or become hindered by the hazards they present.”
That about wraps up everything we know about Monster Hunter World for now, but with an early 2018 release date currently attached to the project, expect Capcom to come forth with hordes of new info from here on out.