Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

With its gorgeous visuals and punchy character arcs, Twisted Reflection supercharges the Monster Hunter Stories formula into a whole different beast. This isn't just a sequel – it’s a total glow-up for the series, packed with dazzling world-building and more iconic monsters than you can shake your Kinship Stone at.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a great surprise, even if the story has some weak points. The combat is a bit hard at first, but it becomes very fun and strategic once you learn it. You will love exploring the beautiful world on your own monsters and watching its amazing cinematics.

The third Stories entry finally lives up to its name, driven by a strong narrative that keeps it engaging throughout. Giving the protagonist a voice and clear motivation proves beneficial, as do the stronger bonds within the party. Combat is more varied and enjoyable, and the restored ecosystems make hunting for the ultimate monster especially rewarding. The open world and side quests may feel underwhelming, but they represent only a small portion of the overall content.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an excellent game that manages to improve on almost everything its predecessor had to offer. It's more beautiful, with improved gameplay, whether in terms of interesting and visually impressive combat or the rich monster breeding system. It's surprisingly difficult at times, but in a good way, giving you a good reason to improve your team. We would have liked to see even more challenges at high levels, although there's already plenty to keep you busy. MSH3 also has its share of minor flaws, with an often clumsy storyline, a missing gene bank, and the removal of the multiplayer mode, which had potential.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 offers a comprehensive turn-based combat system and a very beautiful story for every JRPG fan.