It’s been pretty remarkable watching the Monster Hunter Stories franchise grow over the past decade. From its rather humble Nintendo 3DS beginnings to the major step up that its sequel, Wings of Ruin, was on Switch, the series has continued to evolve both mechanically and visually. Now, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection expands the formula even further and is the best game in the series yet.
Twisted Reflection has the franchise’s most intriguing story to date and features a more mature tone and writing. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of fun to be had, but with a world on the brink of a potential war and monsters going extinct, there are more serious topics that are delved into. Featuring plenty of side stories that allow its cast of characters to shine and a fulfilling main story, I was impressed with how the series has been able to grow over time thematically as well.
Veterans of the series will recognize the core gameplay loop, as Capcom isn’t reinventing the wheel here. Players get to develop bonds with the world’s monsters rather than hunt them, and the Monsties look more impressive than ever before. They’re also given plenty of use outside of battle, as I used my Rathalos to glide through the air and catch airstreams to easily travel about and other monsters to swim. Everything is delivered with a new degree of sheen and polish, as well, as this is by and far the most visually impressive game in the series, with both its fun creature art and gorgeous world really impressing.
Combat retains the rock-paper-scissors approach of past titles. Turn-based battles rely on you using power, speed, or technical attacks (power beats technical, technical beats speed, and speed beats power). It’s a fun system, and the real depth is shown as the game continues, as you’ll have to target certain body parts to gain a competitive edge in battle. The game’s boss fights are particularly engaging, as you’ll have to come into battle well-equipped if you wish to survive without having done some grinding beforehand.
As mentioned, there’s a greater emphasis on exploration in Twisted Reflection. Not only is it fun to ride the various monsters and get around, but there’s also a day-night cycle that shows how the environment changes and grows more dangerous as the sun sets. From side quests that will reward you for being thorough to plenty of collectibles, like finding lookout points and poogies scattered about, there is a lot of reason to properly engage with the world rather than simply progressing the story at its earliest opportunity.
Alongside its environmental message, the game also encourages players to release caught monsters back into the environment once they reach adulthood, giving them a chance to regain their foothold in nature. Getting to see these ecosystems change and grow as a result of your actions is really cool and adds new fights to experience. It also gives players more of a reason to collect monster eggs and find a wide range of mutations of familiar monsters, which is a real trip for veterans of the franchise.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 Review: Final Verdict
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is another strong evolution for Capcom’s role-playing game series. Featuring a world that is a blast to explore and a story that has more depth than previous entries, there’s a lot to really enjoy here. Its combat cycle has never felt better, and with more to see and do, this is undeniably the best of the trilogy of Monster Hunter RPGs.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Monster Hunter Stories 3 review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000.
