Monster Hunter World Kinsects System Gets a Redesign

Kinsects are an important part of Monster Hunter. These helpful little (or not so little) bugs provide benefits to the player, being halfway between a pet and a piece of equipment. Monster Hunter World is going for a different approach compared to previous games, which should make things a bit easier for everyone. Members of the press had the chance to take a look at the new and improved kinsects at a recent preview event – read on to see what they discovered.

The way previous MH titles handled them was a bit muddled – thankfully, that’s about to change. Monster Hunter World has a special equipment slot for kinsects, separating them from the weapons. You’ll start the process by purchasing a kinsect from the smithy – the option is near the bottom of the menu. The differences between the available ones may be minor, like a more power or speed, or major, like a different attack type or dust effect.

Once you’ve purchased a kinsect, you’ll be able to upgrade it using the nurture option. It’s pretty straightforward – no using different items to boost different stats and all that nonsense. Instead, it’s pretty much the same as with other equipment – you pay a price, and you get a better version of what you started with. What we’ve seen suggests that the first few levels of upgrades are simple stat increases. After you’ve invested a bit, you’ll get a chance to choose a specialization for your kisect, completely changing the way it works.

Finally, you can imbue them with the elements. They start with no elemental affinity, but you can infuse them with fire, water and such for a price. This will slightly lower some of their stats, so it’s a trade-off you’ll have to weigh yourself.