Monster Hunter World's music is a masterclass in blending combat intensity with celebratory nostalgia.
They interrupt the emotional buildup and do this. It's like they're telling you, "Dude, this is still a combat track. There's a Ruiner Nante chasing after you. Stop crying!" Hey music friends, this is Davias. I'm a music composer for games, and with the upcoming release of Monster Hunter Wilds, the hype is off the charts. Everybody's craving some Monster Hunter. So, while we wait for Monster Hunter Wilds, let's listen to and talk about one of the coolest tracks from Monster Hunter World. Nay, the honor is all ours. Let's go!
Oh, I actually don't remember this song. I don't know which song this is. This is obviously the Iceborn Melody, right? I don't remember where this plays. This sounds like combat. Oh, there was a little hint of Aera. Amazing. Yeah, this sounds like combat. I wonder what monster this is. Dude, this is full of references. There was a Stars at Our Backs reference there, and again, Jesus Christ.
Hold up, guys. This feels like combat, obviously, but it feels like something special, something celebratory. There are so many references. I'm going to have to go back and break it down for you guys because there are so many. There was, of course, the Iceborn Melody, there was Aera, there was Stars at Our Backs, which is the main theme of the base game Monster Hunter World. So yeah, I Googled it because I was very curious to know where this plays. Apparently, this plays in one of the toughest Arena Quests at the very end game of Iceborn against the Stean Zogre and Ruiner Nante in the arena. So it's like a celebration of the end of Iceborn's run. That's why it feels so celebratory.
Check this out. Listen to all the references they're putting in. It's really a celebration of Monster Hunter World. It's like the end of Monster Hunter World and the Iceborn expansion. This is, of course, the Iceborn Melody. This is also played in Selana. There are fragments of this spread all across Iceborn, but this is basically the Iceborn main melody. And this is the combat part. Yeah, and this very sneaky reference to Astera. Do you recognize it? Did you hear it? They're doing this right. This is a modified, basic version of the main melody of Aera. Remember the main melody of Aera in the base game Monster Hunter World?
They're modifying it a little bit to fit this new combat vibe, and they're doing this Astera reference. There's another one that will be a little bit clearer later. The Stars at Our Back one is coming here on the trumpet on the right side. That is the main theme of the base game Monster Hunter World. This one is pretty clear, right? Everyone can recognize it. Amazing vibes, man. I feel like I recognize this melody here in particular. This might be another fragment of Stars at Our Backs.
This emotional version of the Iceborne main theme is designed to stir nostalgia and memories from Monster Hunter World.
The stars at our back, one is coming here on the trumpet on the right side. That is the main theme of the Base game most central world. This one is pretty clear, right? Everyone can recognize it. Amazing vibes, man. I feel like I recognize this melody here in particular. This might be another fragment of stars at our backs. If you guys recognize any references here that I'm missing, feel free to let me know in the comments.
Amazing build-up, yeah, again this is the Iceborn main theme. I feel like this was made purposefully to evoke some sort of nostalgia. The kinds of chords they are using are a bit more emotional than these original themes originally had. It's like they're purposely trying to stir these memories and feelings of nostalgia that we developed across the years spent playing Monster Hunter World and then Iceborn. It's like a celebration of these memories and experiences that we built during this time. Check out this emotional version of the Iceborn main theme, so emotional.
That's so interesting, man. They made a very emotional version of the underlying chords of the Iceborn main melody. You can tell they're trying to stir that sense of nostalgia, especially with this chord here. This chord has two versions; they could have easily done this, which would have transformed it into a tense chord, but they chose the sad, more melancholic version to stir those kinds of memories. What's interesting is that they do the emotional buildup, leading you to believe they're going in an emotional direction with positive, nuanced nostalgic chords. But then, they interrupt the emotional buildup with an unexpected tense chord. It's like they're telling you, "Dude, this is still a combat track. There's a Ruiner Nergigante chasing after you, stop crying."
They're really focusing on the Iceborn main melody. Back to the combat, amazing. I think it's looping now, but I just noticed something. This brass here sounds like a call to action, like a call to war. At the same time, it's also another sneaky reference to the Iceborn main melody, or more likely, a reference to Seliana. Remember the beginning of the Seliana theme? It always started with this. What they're doing here on the brass is making a super masculine, militaristic, warlike version of it.
They're referencing all our memories of Monster Hunter World and Iceborn in one single song. They want to make us cry. If you're hyped for Monster Hunter Wilds like I am, I have already two videos on the music of Monster Hunter Wilds. I made a video on the trailer music from the first trailer they released and also a video on the recently revealed main theme. The videos are over here, check them out. And remember, whenever you're ready to spread your wings and go on a music journey again, I'll see you there.