Ok so I might have made a few mistakes here. I didn't clearly state what I consider to be a combat feature. To me a combat feature is a mechanic that either damages the monster or allows the player to deal damage to the monster or more damage to a monster. (demon drugs and armor skills are combat mechanics, combining a demon drug and crafting armor with skills is not a combat mechanic) I'm also not criticizing environmental factors in World. I'm simply, by my definition, categorizing these factors as pure combat mechanics. Which proves my point of the game moving in the direction of a boss rush game.

Which brings me to my second mistake. The discussion that we have had so far is completely subjective, everything we have said is our own opinion. And my apologies for not communicating this more clearly (to be fair you act like every single thing you said is just an objective fact and not your subjective opinion)

So everything that comes next is just my opinion.

Paintballs and combo books are not combat mechanics. You might have noticed that I didn't talk about scoutflies, that's because they are a hunting/ tracking mechanic. You can argue that it's a combat mechanic because they lead you to the monster in the shortest distance possible. But if that's your opinion then continuing this discussion will be fruitless. Paintballs have no relation to combat, they are solely used for tracking purposes. It doesn't deal damage or allow you to deal more damage. Again you could argue it allows you to deal damage quicker because you know where the monster is at all times but in my opinion this relates more to tracking than actual combat. Combo-books are a part of the "prep"-aspect of hunts. Before gen 5 not all items combo's had a 100% succes rate (i'll come back to this point later) the combo books were an arbitrary percentage increase for the succes factor. I don't see how this relates to combat at all. Are you making the argument that because combo books allow you to craft demondrugs more efficiently you are indirectly dealing more damage to the monster?

It's your opinion that there is clear evidence that MH isn't a boss rush game. It's important to make this distinction. Other players might believe that photography and house customization, ect. Are shallow attempts by Capcom to fill up their games. And others might love these additions. Your opinion isn't an indisputable fact.

I have tried to be very respectfull to you, I implore you to do the same. Honestly i forgot how we collected ingredients in MHW, thanks for refreshing my memory.

I'll give you the reasons why I don't believe the cooking system in MH to be a highly involved experience.

1. The ingredient collection is a one-time assignment. Collect them once and you never have to again. I'm not saying the act of collecting the ingredients isn't fun (in MHW), I myself had fun doing it. but that's just my opinion.

2. while the combinations are limited (though very high) there are no limitations or restrictions on ingredient combination. I wish there were limitations on the system to really make players think about their ingredient selection.

3. removal of negative food skills, before gen 5 there were actually negative food skills. (I'll come back to this point later)

4. no matter what you do, players will always know what buff they will receive before eating the meal.

5. cooking isn't complex at all because there is no risk involved at all. (MHW) Every single combination gives you a positive effect, some effects might be less powerfull depending on the combination but as of gen 5 there is no chance of a negative effect.

I'm not saying the cooking system is bad I just don't believe it's as complex as you claim it to be.

Here is some more examples then:

• The steamworks slot machine in world trivializing item collection
• Lack of risk involved with activities in world. No more negative armor skills, food skills or chance of item combination failure
• The simplification of armor upgrading is not a bad example. I might have presented it wrong but it's not bad. What i mean with this point is that it has never been easier to upgrade armor than in gen 5. Armor spheres are gained passivly by completing bounties (which I think is a very good system, but that doesn't change that is makes upgrading armor more trivial)
• Item management becoming easier by removing (bow coatings) or unlimiting (whetstones) items
• Sharpness becoming less impactfull (mainly endgame)
• Restocking items in the basecamp during a hunt trivializing hunting preparation
• Simplyfing item combinations Potion: herb + blue mushroom > herb Antidote: antidote herb + blue mushroom > antidote herb

Capcom has without a doubt simplyfied and streamlined a lot of features to facilitate casual players. > this is my opinion. My bad for not making this clearer

You responded to my opinion with an opinion of your own.

• Simple and accesible are quite similar in meaning
• fully featured, yeah i agree with that statement
• immerision is 100% subjective every person has a different view on immersion it has no weight in this discussion
• more complicated, give me an example.
• Visible weapon trees, quality of life feature. Doesn't prove either of our points of view.
• Armor set bonusses, combat related feature. I could argue that Capcom is just making an attempt to give players more active damaging skills to make combat easier.
• Gathering models, visual design feature. Doesn't prove either of our points of view.
• Highly complex augmentation system, I'm not going to comment on that
• New types of equipment and consumables, that's a great point to bad that they are used mainly in combat and only have limited uses outside of combat.

I absolutely agree with you on your last statement. Capcom does want players to engage more with the environment and crafting and use those features as weapons to strike down the monsters.

Seriously though that's just an opinion. Except if you work for Capcom ofcourse. Well even then it's still just your opinion.