More information on the quality of life changes coming to Monster Hunter: World is out this week, following a recent demonstration at Capcom HQ in Tokyo. And in a true first for the internet -- really, there’s no precedent for this sort of behavior -- it sounds like people might’ve been making a much bigger fuss than MHW’s gameplay changes deserve.
Many of the changes are intended to reduce downtime, in some cases eliminating it outright, and make it easier for Monster Hunter fans to spend more time hunting. According to Game Spark, players won’t have to abandon their hunt to consume stat-boosting meals anymore. They need only return to camp. The same goes for equipment changes, regardless of whether it’s you or your Felyne companion who needs to swap gear. Stamina doesn’t deplete until you engage large monsters, so there’s no penalty for dashing around the map in search of the target. Fast travel will also play a much bigger role in Monster Hunter: World than it has in previous games.
Capcom will also tweak weapon design and balance for Monster Hunter: World, to encourage players to experiment with different classes of weaponry. Short and long-range weapons will “share armor” in MHW -- which presumably means items from the same set (i.e. a sword and bow built from similar monster parts) will have similar armor ratings. Additional perks (like physical or elemental damage reduction) will accentuate the intended combat strategy of the weapon in question. The studio also confirmed the game will get PS4 Pro support, including 4K support and improved framerates.
For more on Monster Hunter: World, take a few minutes to watch the Hunting 101 trailer that debuted last week. Then head down to the comments and let us know if you’re looking forward to the quality of life changes coming to Monster Hunter in early 2018.
Monster Hunter: World is in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The game is expected to debut in early 2018.
Be sure to check back with Player.One and follow Scott on Twitter for more Monster Hunter: World news in 2017 and however long Capcom supports Monster Hunter: World after launch.
