Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Review

Capcom is back with the new Stories sub-series entry within the Monster Hunter franchise. The new Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is the brand-new spin-off, following Monster Hunter Stories 2. The stories’ sub-series is one of the highly praised titles due to its expansive and adventurous world with strong combat and rich narrative. Despite this series not being the mainline series, these definitely provide the most rewarding RPG experience. This is our review of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, developed and published by Capcom.

NOTE: The review copy of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection was provided by the Devs.

Story

The narrative of Stories 3 is darker and more mature than that of Stories 2. It centers on the Kingdoms of Azuria and Vermeil, which are threatened by war and ecological collapse. A destructive phenomenon called the Crystal Encroachment is on the rise, which is driving monsters to extinction and destabilizing the balance of nature. You play as an heir to Azuria and team up with the Princess of Vermail to uncover the mysterious Crystal Encroachment catastrophe.

The whole story of Monster Hunter Stories 3 is divided into 4 main Acts. You will focus on restoring habitats and uncovering the mysteries in the early Acts, and engage in an epic battle at the end.

Gameplay

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection delivers a refined blend of turn-based combat, expansive exploration, and monster-raising. Moreover, it introduces new systems like Crystal Encroachment mutations, habitat restoration, and deeper Monstie synergy. All of the core gameplay mechanics and new systems make Stories 3 the most strategic entry in the series. The core combat is mostly the same, retaining the rock-paper-scissors style, but in addition with dual-type attacks and combo chains. These are the new advanced strategies that you can unleash during combat. Moreover, with the new Monstie Synergy, you can execute Fusion Skills for devastating effects. You can invest in different skill trees to learn the specializations in support, offensive, and hybrid. Lastly, for the combat, there are new weapon classes and skill trees. You can experiment with various weapons and skills as you please to find the best one for the adventure.

The exploration in Monster Hunter Stories 3 is amazing. You get to explore crystalline wasteland, lush forests, volcanic zones, and corrupted swamps. Every biome is unique and includes different monsters, resources, and environmental hazards. Advancing to newer areas will require you to restore habitats by clearing corruption. Restoring the habitats will let you unlock rare eggs and resources. Most of the side quests in the game will require you to restore habitats and save Monsties.

Not only are the main progression and story strong, but the endgame content also delivers dozens of hours of post-story play. In the endgame, you get to engage in high-level raids, requiring a strategic team build. You get to unlock rare Monsties and devastating Fusion Skills with these raids. Moreover, there is so much potential for replayability.

Sound and Visuals

The visual design of Monster Hunter Stories 3 is immaculate. Everything from texturing the biomes to dynamic weather and monster animation, everything feels so neat. The character models are much better with facial expressions. Moreover, the cinematic cutscenes make a huge impact on unravelling the story moments.

The sound design of Monster Hunter Stories 3 is nothing but the best. Each biome is layered with ambient sounds featuring wind bustling through forests, volcanic rumbling, and eerie silence in corrupted areas. The monsters’ sound and effects make the encounter feel more alive and immersive.

Verdict – Score 9/10

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection greatly respects the series’ roots while expanding its ambition. It is arguably the first spin-off to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the mainline series. The game delivers a deep, rewarding RPG experience, blending Monster Hunter’s DNA with JRPG storytelling. If you are someone who enjoys the stories sub-series, then you will absolutely love the latest entry. I highly recommend the fans to try out Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is available on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S.

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