By: Dylan, OA Student 

Over the years many game devs have tried to reach an intriguing goal. To make the creatures that inhabit their virtual worlds seem like a natural part of it, like they’ve been a part of the world since it first began. And while many games have sadly failed to reach this goal due to technical limitations, lack of effort, too high ambition, etc. There is one series that has managed to reach it. Monster Hunter!

Now before I start, I should probably give a bit of context as to what you do in Monster Hunter. In Monster Hunter you accept quests that send you to various locations to hunt monsters. After killing or capturing the requested beast you get parts from it which you can use to make new weapons and armor. And you may think that sounds a bit simple, but trust me, it’s anything but.

What makes Monster Hunter unique is that every foe you encounter is much different from the last. And what helps make each monster distinct is the great animation. Every monster has its own animation for attacking and defending against you and your attacks. From whipping their tail at you, breathing various types of breaths, inflating themselves to giant size, inflicting elemental blights and status ailments, and more. They also have unique tells to show when their revving up their more dangerous attacks.

All these things come together to make each creature feel varied, lively, and like a natural part of the world they in-habit.