Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

 Switch
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 220 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 126 out of 220
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 220
  3. Negative: 67 out of 220
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Ripper36
    Jul 10, 2021
    10
    Put about 10 or 11 hours into this game so far and i must say it is really a great game. Looks great and Has lots of hours too put into it i can tell. Never was a huge Monster Hunter fan, But this is a great RPG. Great Job Nintendo!
  2. MrVacuumBrainBi
    Jul 12, 2021
    9
    I thought this was going to be a cute little romp through a kid-targeted Monster Hunter game. Instead what I'm getting is one of the most genuinely fun, engaging, and addictive turn based RPG combat mechanics I've ever played. Eat your heart out, Pokemon.
  3. JamesC1992
    Jul 11, 2021
    9
    For someone (like myself) who isn't interested in playing Monster Hunter Rise this is the perfect game to pick up for any newbie to the Monster Hunter series. Frame rate dips to 30 on the switch but either than that this game does stick to the JRPG elements and the story kept me interested throughout my gameplay.
  4. lalahand
    Jul 14, 2021
    9
    This game feels more polished than Pokémon sword and shield. I have played 30 hours so far and I really enjoy the experience so far. The only part I don’t like is the map is very empty.
  5. Afenger
    Jul 10, 2021
    10
    Pra quem jogou e curtiu o título original de 3ds, este monster é obrigatório! Um RPG de turnos em alto nível, belos gráficos, músicas memoráveis. Neste ano de 2021 o NSwitch vem com tudo nos rpgs.
  6. ginoconde
    Jul 11, 2021
    9
    The charm of collecting the monsters and their designs are the biggest draw. Other positives is that the gameplay has a good balance. Most of the fights are fairly easy, but there are those few fights that are really hard especially when fighting other riders and royal monsters. The downside is the annoying Navirou and the exploration of the map is quite repetitive and how the charactersThe charm of collecting the monsters and their designs are the biggest draw. Other positives is that the gameplay has a good balance. Most of the fights are fairly easy, but there are those few fights that are really hard especially when fighting other riders and royal monsters. The downside is the annoying Navirou and the exploration of the map is quite repetitive and how the characters interact with the environment is so monotonous and unrealistic. But overall it's a game you'd spend hours in.… Expand
  7. Justaway44
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    I spent 57hours in this game, great job Capcom what a wonderful game, best JRPG game I played ever.
  8. akshayk
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    Monster Hunter Stories 2 is gem of a game, and deserves to be looked at differently than its mainline series. Its the sort of game that anyone can enjoy, is easy to get into and makes for great short plays when you are tired from work and want to chill out or get hooked and go on a Monstie collecting spree. the best thing about the game is its mechanics, which is simplyMonster Hunter Stories 2 is gem of a game, and deserves to be looked at differently than its mainline series. Its the sort of game that anyone can enjoy, is easy to get into and makes for great short plays when you are tired from work and want to chill out or get hooked and go on a Monstie collecting spree. the best thing about the game is its mechanics, which is simply rock-paper-scissor. But there is so much depth in it, its worth every penny. I have bought the deluxe edition just to support the devs.

    When stories 1 came out, it tanked in sales due to poor release timing. A lot rides on this one and possible sequals. I will support the devs because i want to see this game succeed, and you should too. Its a love letter to the franchise and its bold enough to make itself known. Its topped the charts in weekly sales, and has constant support planned for months. Be sure to grab your copy and show it love!    … Expand
  9. RYSCO
    Jul 13, 2021
    10
    This is just my honest opinion of the game, there is popping, saw teeth, etc. and if you're a Nintendo fan that doesn't hurt you much, but the time I've been playing the game reminds me of the first monster hunter stories. It's the same, the only thing that has changed some mechanics and graphics, the story, etc ... I know that at first it is a few hours teaching you how the game works, ifThis is just my honest opinion of the game, there is popping, saw teeth, etc. and if you're a Nintendo fan that doesn't hurt you much, but the time I've been playing the game reminds me of the first monster hunter stories. It's the same, the only thing that has changed some mechanics and graphics, the story, etc ... I know that at first it is a few hours teaching you how the game works, if you played the first can be a little tedious, and you want to give you to the action. I for now is a great game, I liked the combat system and the story, is a pokemon (not really but it looks like) but with the monster hunter monsters, really hooked...at first as I say can be tedious but then those who like pokemon will take this game to another level...I had never played a monster hunter and not m called and in the end I ended up with monster hunter rise also...Juegazo.… Expand
  10. Hoonter10
    Jul 11, 2021
    10
    Wow.... Just wow.. I’m new to The MH series. I’ve never enjoyed the combat. But I did enjoy Rise a bunch. So I decided to pick this one up because I enjoy turned based RPGs. I am blown away. I now must have every Monstie in the game lol. The thrill of just obtaining a new companion constantly is great. This game does have some frame issues in some towns but never during combat or enough toWow.... Just wow.. I’m new to The MH series. I’ve never enjoyed the combat. But I did enjoy Rise a bunch. So I decided to pick this one up because I enjoy turned based RPGs. I am blown away. I now must have every Monstie in the game lol. The thrill of just obtaining a new companion constantly is great. This game does have some frame issues in some towns but never during combat or enough to make the game enjoyable. Also it takes a few seconds for a battle to load up. Kind of wish we were getting a real Switch upgrade lol.… Expand
  11. Gamingking007
    Jul 11, 2021
    10
    Never liked the mmo but this is truly amazing! I’m loving every minute of it especially the customisation! This is what pokemon should have been years ago . I always thought pokemon is only fun because of the pokemon . The gameplay was boring and always the same and the graphics were uglier than any other game . Finally a game that shows how monster catching should be done !Just wish theNever liked the mmo but this is truly amazing! I’m loving every minute of it especially the customisation! This is what pokemon should have been years ago . I always thought pokemon is only fun because of the pokemon . The gameplay was boring and always the same and the graphics were uglier than any other game . Finally a game that shows how monster catching should be done !Just wish the switch wasn’t so weak!… Expand
  12. yormomo
    Jul 11, 2021
    10
    The game is fun and should be a buy for every switch owner. It is pretty much a better version of the pokemon series due to its innovative gameplay loop. The story is good and the characters are decent. Online co op is fun and looking forward to do some pvp.
  13. Ex1a
    Aug 24, 2021
    10
    Truly amazing RPG from Capcom i just love this game so much it was a while since i played my Nintendo Switch and now i can't barely stay away from enjoying this game it's so much fun to play, very grateful to Capcom for giving us the Monster Hunter fan's this jewel.

    It was a breath of the wild feel with a mix of Pokemon and other rpg's and of course the iconic monsters from the franchise.
  14. weasleye
    Aug 1, 2021
    9
    Fantastic jrpg with a gatcha mechanic that is genuinely engaging.

    Pros:
    Great story
    Good pacing
    Beautiful art style
    Solid turn based combat
    Enjoyable monster collection
    Same great MH weapons and armor system

    Cons:
    FPS drops in game
  15. masterx1234
    Jul 15, 2021
    8
    --A great game that is barred by the aging hardware of the switch--

    Don't get me wrong I am an absolute Monster Hunter fanatic and I will buy every game day one. MHS 2 on the switch is yet another fantastic sequel to what was one of the best games on the 3DS, But the switch is starting to show its age and you will notice performance issues everywhere throughout this game. On the bright    --A great game that is barred by the aging hardware of the switch--

    Don't get me wrong I am an absolute Monster Hunter fanatic and I will buy every game day one. MHS 2 on the switch is yet another fantastic sequel to what was one of the best games on the 3DS, But the switch is starting to show its age and you will notice performance issues everywhere throughout this game. On the bright side MH2 isn't a game where you must rely on timed or perfect button presses or anything like that, but when scavenging for resources and herbs or walking around the open world the framerate will sometimes vary so drastically that it can be very distracting. The game is otherwise a 10/10 but I cant give it a 10 because the game suffers some nasty performance drops especially in villages where it becomes a pain to navigate around them. I found myself wanting to leave the villages as quickly as I possibly could so I could stop being motion sick from the low framerate, I am someone who is especially sensitive to low framerates and this causes motion sickness when playing in areas where the framerate is well below 30FPS.

    --Gameplay--

    The gameplay in MH2 is what you might expect from a typical JRPG, its a turn based style game that is also a lot like Pokémon in some ways. The monsties as they are called can be ridden upon as mounts to traverse large open areas instead of having to walk everywhere. The game still has a lot of the MH elements such as resources collection from plants or herbs ect throughout the world and you can find eggs to hatch throughout the world as well just as you could in the original. So most of the core elements are just as you remembered from MHS1.

    Battles in MHS2 is where the game shines the most and will have you on the edge of your seat, I legitimately found myself sitting on the edge of my couch and jumping for joy after I defeated a really powerful enemy, The battles felt extremely rewarding and never felt like I was doing a chore. Each battle had real meaning behind it and the rewards are a aplenty and well varied from each enemy you kill.

    --Final Thoughts--

    Do I recommend this game? You bet I do! Just don't go in expecting a game with the same polish and performance as a first party Nintendo game. Honestly Capcom could have done better with the performance here, There is no excuse when Doom is on the switch and that game has 3x better graphics and can run at a solid 30FPS but a game like this with cartoonish graphics and simple textures cannot maintain 30FPS most of the time. I feel like a performance patch is in Capcom's best interest for this game. I would have easily given it a 10/10 but I suffered some gnarly motion sickness in the areas where the framerate was somewhere around 23-24 FPS mainly in the villages.    … Expand
  16. SuperkenGaming
    Jul 17, 2021
    8
    Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
    Gotta hatch em all
    Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a 24 hour long monster collecting jrpg where you play as your own created character, youre given a ratha egg, everyone is scared, some are all like no things can be different this time and of course team rocket wants your pickachu, this is the just of the story, bring order back to the monster hunter    Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
    Gotta hatch em all
    Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a 24 hour long monster collecting jrpg where you play as your own created character, youre given a ratha egg, everyone is scared, some are all like no things can be different this time and of course team rocket wants your pickachu, this is the just of the story, bring order back to the monster hunter lands and stop team rocket from blasting of with your ratha.
    At first I absolutely hated Monster Hunter stories 2, I Enjoyed monster hunter world to an extent, but other than that Im not really a fan of this ip.. so after my first 2 hrs, I was having the same feeling, maybe monster hunter isn’t for me.. and then I hatched my first egg,and I was snet back to my pokemon days..Monster Hunter Stories is a mix of hunting down monsters as well as hunting down their eggs,
    as this is like pokemon a party building game, initially this is all you do, take down a monster, grab an egg, get out of their and hatch it, but slowly the game shifts from this, youll just be taking on these over powered angry monsters so the egg hunting I up to you, and this is the most addictive part until you get a team youre happy with.. every once in a while youll see a gold den on your way to a boss fight, youll go inside, grab an egg, trying to get the rarest egg possible.. I loved this aspect, excuted to see the variant of monster I would get.. and if you don’t like a monstie all that much, you can take one of its genes, or moves and give it to a member of your parter, really beefing your team up… I for example had a poisonous lizard monstie that could also breath fire.. I love the idea of mix an matching, giving you different moves and abilities ofr every situation.. then there the battling which is what make up most of your time in monster hunter world, here its rock paper sciorrs like pokemon, red, green, blue, you build up teams that specialize in one of the 3 fighting attacks, and oyu can switch them out freely without losing a turn to adjust to a monsties fighting style, and I hate it.. I hate the fighting here, don’t get me wrong, its so satisfying to finally take a boss down, but it is a drag, these enemies are way too spongy and battles take way too long, they feel over powered… you have 3 lives that are shared between you and your monsties, once all 3 are lost youre kicked back to the village, restock on ammo, get back out there… and annoyingly there are basically never a fast travel next to the boss so youll have to crawl through the dungeon over and over and over until you finally get lucky enough to take down the boss, and i say lucky because these battles just feel random and unfair.. some moves will one hit kill you or your monstie, and worse is you cant see the health of an enmy until you’ve already killed one before.. so youll be grinding and grinding and grinding, using all of your consuables, and just randomly here comes and over powered move youre dead.. do I grind and level up or was I so close that with a new strategy I could pull this off? You don’t know.. and that’s the biggest issue with Stories 2… there is no incentive to grind because you don’t know if its necessariy or if this is just another luck based boss battle…
    Complaints aside like I said I was still hooked, Im a sucker for collecting monsters, and with some changes in the fighting system maybe I wouldn’t aboid every possible fight I could in a dungeon just to get to the boss and get it over with and this could be an amazing game, but for now.. its still great.
    I give Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
    an 8/10    … Expand
  17. Nintendopost24
    Jul 17, 2021
    8
    Superior to the first opus on almost all points, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is the surprise Jrpg of this summer 2021. Without pretending to want to compete with its big brother Monster Hunter Rise, MH Stories 2 still has serious arguments to make. , especially its art direction and its absolutely charming Cell Shading graphics. The game will benefit for several months of free DLC, which willSuperior to the first opus on almost all points, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is the surprise Jrpg of this summer 2021. Without pretending to want to compete with its big brother Monster Hunter Rise, MH Stories 2 still has serious arguments to make. , especially its art direction and its absolutely charming Cell Shading graphics. The game will benefit for several months of free DLC, which will keep you busy for a long time ...

    Full review, in french, on my blog Nintendo Legacy. You can follow me on Twitter @NintendoLegacy1    … Expand
  18. Bnois
    Aug 18, 2021
    9
    Pokemon game done better than the actual pokemon.
    FPS isn't great but after some time you stop noticing it
  19. Sp3nc3r_69
    Jul 15, 2021
    8
    I have waited for so long to have a better game than Pokémon in the monster taming genre and Monster Hunter Stories 2 is all that and more, the first game was adorable and very engaging but the sequel expanded on it's amazing turn-base combat and monster customization.
    I have played a fair amount of this game on the Nintendo Switch but I really wish I bought it on PC instead because of the    I have waited for so long to have a better game than Pokémon in the monster taming genre and Monster Hunter Stories 2 is all that and more, the first game was adorable and very engaging but the sequel expanded on it's amazing turn-base combat and monster customization.
    I have played a fair amount of this game on the Nintendo Switch but I really wish I bought it on PC instead because of the poor performance and optimization on the weaker Nintendo Hardware. I don't have much issues with the game other than frequent framerate drops and constant disconnections in the online multiplayer.
    CAPCOM really delivered a wonderful experience with this title and I really hope we get a third game in the series.    … Expand
  20. Inuyasha17
    Oct 9, 2021
    10
    Game of the Year 2021 will be either Monster Hunter Stories 2 or Monster Hunter Rise.
  21. Inuyasha1
    Oct 9, 2021
    10
    포켓몬스터에 몬스터헌터 라이즈가 융합된 느낌이라 최고의 게임이었음. 아마 몬헌 라이즈와 함께 올해 2021년 최다 고티작이 될듯합니다.
  22. Tri9322
    Dec 18, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A superb game limited by factors both in and out of its control. Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a beautiful game graphically, there are tons of unique areas that all look amazing. The monsters and characters look great, and there are a ton of both. Every monster has an amazing ultimate attack that are all unique and stunning, as well as tons of unique animations and phenomenally designed armor and weapons that can be made from them. Despite all this beauty, the game, on switch, suffers in the frame rate department. This is weirdly limited to the first few areas of the game and becomes less of an issue later on. The art style is perfect for this game and works amazingly. The music is great too. The gameplay works great, the combat systems work well, every weapon feels unique and accurate to the original series, which is impressive for turn based combat. The excellent combat cycle stays fresh for the whole game, which is important for a 40+ hour rpg. There is also great post game options. This is Monster Hunter Stories, and the writing of the story is overall pretty great. The main plot works well, and is primarily carried by it's characters in a great adventure. This game excels in it's characters. Every section of the game has a different companion, and almost all of them work uniquely. They are designed great, their AI acts accordingly to their personalities, and a subtle detail I like is that the Riders' monsties all have unique names. Kyle specifically is amazingly written, his actions at every point in the story make complete sense with who he is, and he works as a great companion to the protagonist. My two main complaints with the story involve two central characters- Navirou and the protagonist. Put simply, the protagonist should not be a self insert silent protagonist. As much as I love the visual customization, the protagonist has set values, beliefs, bonds, decisions, and goals. The game is focused on the relationship between the player and Ratha, but the player may not feel incredible kinship to Ratha even if the protagonist clearly does. They are not a self insert and thus should not be limited as if they are one. Navirou singlehandedly makes this game significantly worse. He, and his voice, are incredibly annoying, he makes poor decisions, provides childish "comedy", and takes the seriousness out of many beautiful scenes. Worst of all, it is incredibly annoying how he already knows almost EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER YOU MEET. This game is about a journey across an unknown world, having an annoying cat introduce you to every character because the cat met them in the first game completely ruins that sense of discovery. The protagonist isn't meeting new people and forging bonds, they're just following some weird electric creature they met in the woods that already knows everything. Some characters like Cheval and Avinia clearly received good characterization and development in the first game, but we don't get to see any of it. Cheval works great as a foil to the beliefs of the protagonist but because he already received his arc unbeknownst to the player, we don't actually get that. Too much is relied on from the first game, and while it may be good fanservice for old fans, the fact that many companions are from the first game reflects negatively for new players, likely a majority of the audience. It would take a decent bit of reworking, but removing Navirou from this game would improve the game significantly. He isn't even that essential to the plot. All that aside, I do very much love the game. The 9/10 instead of 10/10 is because of Navirou and the framerate at the start. Some small things I love include: Full Voice Acting, Amazing Character Customization , just phenomenal designs on everything, deep combat system, tons of side quests and side content, online play, the egg and gene system, the sheer amount of monsters, the sprawling cities and environments, YOU CAN FLY ON RATHA THATS AWESOME, difficulty is good, cool random things in combat like breath battles, accuracy to the original series- even random encounters feel like bosses, crafting and gathering system and a perfect vibe of adventure (cat aside). I don't like the micro transactions, there are too many and like the paid hair doesn't work with head armor making it objectively worse than the default stuff.

    TLDR: Great game, punt navirou    … Expand
  23. adearriba07
    Aug 16, 2021
    9
    Incredible game! Super fun! Now I’m in the end game and seems to have a lot to do!
  24. Mister_Miracle
    Jul 13, 2021
    9
    The FPS issue doesn’t bother me much. The ‘quick finish’ option for battles takes some of the edge off the grinding aspects of the game. My kids love this game and I quite enjoy playing it with them. There’s a lot do and room to play the game in different ways (exploring, doing the story goals, collecting monsters and gear, etc.) - it’s great fun!
  25. rella2222
    Jul 11, 2021
    9
    Definitely great JRPG unless you care about FPS.
    The characteristic of MH : long-time taking farming and customization is so fun.
  26. Archie1502
    Jul 12, 2021
    10
    Great its great all ima say its great Fun and great
  27. monkeymat
    Jul 12, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I made an account just to give this game the 10 it deserves! It is absolute value for money with the sheer amount of content included in the base game with more FREE content coming. Do youself a favour and get behind this masterpiece.… Expand
  28. HaKaii
    Jul 14, 2021
    10
    Great game, good combat system, the monster looks amazing and the environment as well, well done Capcom.
  29. DreamInc
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    1. Exciting, refreshing, in depth yet not too complex turn based combat.
    2. Interactive & diverse open world from its creatures to its environments. chests, riding, swimming.
    3. Meaningful Open World, reason to come back and explore an area again, Dens, unique items etc. 4. Very good not half assed story (no spoilers) from zero to hero, friendships, trials to overcome. 5. Actual    1. Exciting, refreshing, in depth yet not too complex turn based combat.
    2. Interactive & diverse open world from its creatures to its environments. chests, riding, swimming.
    3. Meaningful Open World, reason to come back and explore an area again, Dens, unique items etc.
    4. Very good not half assed story (no spoilers) from zero to hero, friendships, trials to overcome.
    5. Actual Bonding with creatures, customizations for you & your companions etc.
    6. Each area is unique from its bio diversity to the Species of its NPC & Homes for our character.
    7. Character Customization is in depth, colors, hair styles, clothes and more to find in world.
    8. Visuals are great but if its a high priority go with a good spec PC for graphics.
    9. Offline Single Player optional Online multiplayer, so it does not force what you don't want.
    10. Effective ways to explain things through actions or rider cards, 'combines', side quest bill boards    … Expand
  30. NOVACAiNE93
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    The game is thorough and amazing. the last titles for pokemon have been lackluster and somewhat carefree. if you care about a great story funny quips and a refreshing new way to play turn based rpgs this is the game for you. if you love the monster hunter series already... what are you waiting for!
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best Switch Game of 2021
19
#19 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 7, 2021
    90
    Monster Hunter Stories 2's story and gameplay work in tandem to make this entry a standout in the franchise and in the creature collection genre as a whole. The gameplay is addictive, and the story and characters kept me invested in the finer details of the world. Plus, there is plenty to do after you've completed the story. If you're intrigued about this series or a fan who's wondering if it's worth your while, I say give this one a shot. And ride on! [Issue #54 – September 2021, p. 71]
  2. Gamepressure
    Sep 11, 2021
    80
    Wings of Ruin’s strengths are easily noticeable and will keep you playing it for weeks. Its story may not be groundbreaking, but what it offers is crafted with love and is geared to both fans and newcomers to the series. It’s definitely not your average Monster Hunter game, but its mix of RPG and Pokemon-like elements make it its own kind of wonderful.
    Read full review
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Sep 9, 2021
    90
    If you never loved the Monster Hunter series, yet you found yourself intrigued by it, this could be your moment to fall in love with its world. The original Stories was an easily overlooked game since it was exclusive to the 3DS. However, this sequel is not just more available, but also an amazing and charming title on its own. And players that don't mind the more simple stories will have nothing but love for this sweet little adventure, which is anything but tiny.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »