News Palico in Monster Hunter Wilds will get a human voiceover - but it can be turned off

Palico's companion animals will speak in human language in the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds, as revealed by game director Yuya Tokuda in an interview with GamesRadar+. This will happen for the first time in the history of the main parts of the franchise.

The developer stated that he decided on such an innovation due to the scale of the action-RPG.

"The storyline and also the environmental setting of the game this time are such that I just felt it was needed to give the player another support character in addition to the handler, who we've already shown, who'll be able to verbalize feedback and hints to you in real-time," Tokuda states.

Since there will be something going on in the game all the time, furry companions will be able to warn of an impending threat or give some advice.

"By letting the Palico speak human language, I wanted to have someone to convey, 'There's a storm incoming!' In case you aren't currently angled toward the sky to see the storm. Or they might say, 'Oh, we can use those rocks.' That'll give you a hint to keep an eye on your environment. It's really about supporting the player in understanding what's currently happening and also what's available to them in the so-called environmental toolset of things that are around," Tokuda adds.

For those who prefer to explore the world and fight without prompts, Monster Hunter Wilds will feature an option to enable the familiar palico meow. According to the game director, each of the options will definitely find its fans.

The action-RPG will be released in 2025.