Paleontologist says Monster Hunter's monsters are 'a little' realistic, but if a lizard swallowed something that big it would have to sleep for a month
Paleontologist and monster expert Dr. Darren Naish takes a deep dive into the creatures of Monster Hunter, rating their biological plausibility and exploring their real-world inspirations.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Finding and fighting Monster Hunter Wilds' unnatural monsters are, naturally, the game's core appeal. But while you're breaking the bones and carving the hides of these mythical beings, have you ever wondered: would a Rathlos actually move like that? Does Anjanath's crazy bone structure actually have some basis in reality?
Our latest series, Reality Check, pairs games with credentialed experts to answer important questions like this. In our latest episode, it's paleontologist Dr. Darren Naish taking a look at previous Monster Hunter games, giving them a generously serious appraisal to deliver insights about real-world biology. Did dragons decend from a singular ancient myth? No, it turns out!
We hope you enjoy this episode of this new video venture from PC Gamer. Check out our previous episode on The Sims' psychology, and look forward to another video coming soon dissecting the ledge-hopping of Assassin's Creed with real-life parkour performers.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

Evan's a hardcore FPS enthusiast who joined PC Gamer way back in 2008. After an era spent publishing reviews, news, and cover features, he now oversees editorial operations for PC Gamer worldwide, including setting policy, training, and editing stories written by the wider team. His most-played FPSes are Hunt: Showdown, Team Fortress 2, Team Fortress Classic, Rainbow Six Siege, and Counter-Strike. His first multiplayer FPS was Quake 2, played on serial LAN in his uncle's basement, the ideal conditions for instilling a lifelong fondness for fragging.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

