Monster Hunter Wilds: A Deep Dive into Starting Equipment

Many Monster Hunter players cherish the thrill of crafting powerful equipment from monster parts. This core gameplay loop—slaying beasts and then wielding their power—is central to the series' appeal. However, in Monster Hunter Wilds, the developers have placed unprecedented emphasis on the initial equipment.

In an interview with IGN, Executive Director and Art Director Kaname Fujioka highlighted the series' design philosophy: "While the range of our designs has now grown broader, we used to be very conscious of the kind of idea that if you're wearing Rathalos' equipment, you'll look like Rathalos." This carries over into Wilds, with new monsters like Rompopolo (whose design evokes a mad scientist) yielding unique armor pieces, such as a plague doctor's mask.

But it's the starting equipment that truly stands out. Fujioka reveals, "I designed the starting weapons for all 14 weapon types from scratch…Until now, players would begin the game as a new hunter, and so they would tend to start with truly primitive and simple weapons. But as the protagonist is a chosen hunter in this game, it actually wouldn't feel right for them to be carrying a plain weapon."

Director Yuya Tokuda adds that unlike previous games where weapon designs were largely consistent, Wilds features unique designs for each weapon. This reflects the narrative—the player is an experienced hunter selected for a crucial mission. The starting armor, the "Hope" series, is equally detailed, designed to fit the narrative and be stylish enough to use throughout the game.

The Hope set, with its deep emerald green hue, transforms into a hooded long coat when fully equipped. Fujioka explains the challenges of creating a cohesive set: "Previous games in the series have had separate upper-body and lower-body armor…but I wanted to see if we could make a single flowing hooded coat. We made that happen in this game by investing a lot of in-game resources into it."

The meticulous design of the 14 starting weapons and the Hope armor set aims to establish the player character as a seasoned, elite hunter from the outset. This level of detail promises a visually impressive and narratively engaging experience.