With directing credits on a series of Monster Hunter games, from 2006’s Freedom to 2015’s Generations, Yasunori Ichinose knows what makes the series tick. Here, he explains the design choices that informed Rise’s development.
What are the most important considerations when you’re making a new Monster Hunter monster?
I try to ensure that monster designs are the right combination of visuals and gameplay. The game plays more smoothly if the monster’s movement and behaviour is connected to what the player imagines when they first see it. As for the main monsters, taking the flagship of Rise as an example, Magnamalo reflects the Japanesethemed flavour of the title. Its appearance symbolises a traditional Japanese armoured warrior combined with ghostly elements, and its design and gameplay are based on a tiger. In this way we combine elements of the title’s general world design with motifs from both animals and inanimate objects.