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.

Finding and fighting the unnatural monsters of Monster Hunter Wilds is, naturally, the game’s core appeal. But while players engage in breaking the bones and carving the hides of these mythical beings, questions arise about their potential realism.

Our latest series, Reality Check, pairs games with experts to answer important questions like this. In our latest episode, Dr. Naish looks at past Monster Hunter games, giving them a serious appraisal and providing insights about real-world biology. For example, he debunks the idea that dragons could descend from a singular ancient myth.

Check out this episode of the new video venture from PC Gamer. Explore our previous episode on The Sims’ psychology and look forward to upcoming episodes that delve into games like Assassin’s Creed with real-life parkour experts.