Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is the latest entry in Capcom’s RPG series. You needn’t be familiar with the prior games to enjoy this one, although it may be advantageous in certain respects. While it’s not a multiplayer game, I teamed up with my wife to play this one. That way, I could balance my impressions with someone new to the series.
The tale for Monster Hunter Stories 3 is well established. In fact, if you took advantage of the free demo, you should know how much the plot will drive you in this game. It ends on a cliffhanger with the revelation of the “turncoat queen”. But soon you’ll be asking who the good guys really are. What starts as monster-hatching-induced superstition soon leads to the threat of war hanging over two kingdoms. Alliances will shakily be forged under the threat of the crystal encroachment, a mystery that could have dire domino effects. It’s a world with some melodrama for humans and monsters alike, making you want to discover what story beats it hits next.
Despite these compliments, we found the tale slow to advance. Perhaps some of this stemmed from our knack for tackling side quests (which I’ll elaborate on shortly). But even when we were a couple of dozen hours into the game, we felt we should know more given the amount of time already sunk. I suppose that better ensures I don’t let any spoilers slip in this review. At least there’s a likeable cast of diverse characters in Monster Hunter 3. Young, old, funny (though some have voices a bit too high-pitched for our liking), they are a memorable bunch.
Returning to sidequests for a moment, we found these distracting us—not in a bad way, mind you—from the main tale. You can usually have several active concurrently, though some are worth prioritizing with others saved for later. It can be challenging to decide what to tackle and when, so it’s probably ideal to pace yourself. Discovering a new area and realizing it holds the items you need for an earlier sidequest is always exciting. It’s these quests that help make the cast so likable as they are specific side stories spotlighting all the major players, allowing you to get to know them even better. Our favorite is the feline (or should I say “felyne”) Rudy, whose panicked, freaked-out personality reminds us of Toad from the Mario RPG games. The lone drawback is that these lock you in, preventing you from progressing the main story while in progress. But these little adventures make the world feel alive.
Of course, the primary focus in Monster Hunter 3 deals with its unique battling. The formula is a rock-paper-scissors system (power, speed, and technical) used during turn-based combat. It’s often compared to Pokémon, and (loosely speaking) I can understand why, with “monsties” acting like the pocket monsters. But you aren’t capturing here. Ideally, you stealthily steal eggs from dens and hatch babies. But, even using this conservative approach, you will have to engage in fights. Synchro Rushing—a new system where your entire party attacks toppled enemies—helps, and colored icons above monster heads warn you if a fight is advisable or better left for later.
Combat is straightforward enough, but there’s still a bit of a learning curve. Even with the best armor and weapons, you may occasionally feel like something is missing—but that’s just part of the Monster Hunter Stories experience. We mainly felt that way when fighting “Invasive monsters”, essentially bosses that have taken over a territory. Arguably, some of these felt a bit like padding, but generally speaking, battles don’t feel overly long. Whether it’s the satisfying challenge or the fact that the monster’s behavior changes during battles (and your strategy changes with it), they feel well-paced. Take advantage of your “Monsterpedia,” where info on the monsters is collected, and observations are unlocked. It’ll give you a leg up for subsequent fights – knowledge is power.
Building on that, you will really need to learn this game inside and out. It’s not just about combat, exploration, and quests—there are habitat restorations, releasing monsters to repopulate endangered species, gene splicing, extensive material collection, and upgrades galore. One could argue that there are more gameplay elements than needed that could potentially overwhelm newcomers or those returning after a break from the series. With Monster Hunter Stories 3, you’ll get what you give. For the most enthusiastic of enthusiasts, there are deluxe and premium editions, with prices to match, that offer even more content.
Visually, the game is quite pleasing, with bright, vivid colors that the mainline Monster Hunter games usually downplay. We enjoyed climbing the highest peaks and gliding on a monster along the map borders, just to get a bird’s-eye view of the attractive land. All the monsters look very different, and your playable lead—the Azurian prince or princess—is fully customizable. The musical score succeeds in matching the mood, keeping scenes exciting or relaxing. It doesn’t overpower, while still having some standout tracks.
Capcom delivers an aesthetically pleasing world that’s fun to explore in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. Whether riding your monster, scaling cliffs, swimming, or digging, the game offers variety that keeps you busily exploring. The plot and some gameplay systems can feel slower-paced at times. But a likable cast and entertaining side quests bring balance.
