Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Review (PS5)

Our big take from playing Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is that this spin-off series has come an incredibly long way.

It's gone from being a handheld RPG of relatively limited scope to being a big budget, borderline open world adventure packed with high quality cinematic storytelling. This could be Stories' true breakout moment, and the good news is that it would be deserved.

The thing is, Stories 3 doesn't stray too far from the established gameplay formula of its predecessors. Combat is still turn-based, and progression still hinges on discovering, hatching, and training a range of monster companions.

It's just that everything surrounding that core gameplay loop is much bigger, much prettier, and arguably, much more mature.

That latter point is mostly because of the plot, which incorporates political tensions between powerful kingdoms, and, for the first time in the series, a cast that's largely made up of (young) adults.

It's not like the narrative is going to blow your mind, but it's so well presented and neatly written throughout. The numerous cutscenes are absolutely top notch, and the character drama hits an all-time high for Monster Hunter in general.

You're the heir to your kingdom's throne — a custom hero who finds themselves at odds with their own preordained duty. You see, your stoic dad is still sitting on said throne, and he expects you to prove that you're capable of succeeding him by leading the kingdom's monster-riding Ranger unit.

Given their monster taming skills, the Rangers are something of a trump card in warfare; a kind of special forces squad who have a fearsome fire-breathing Rathalos in their ranks — a beast that just so happens to be your lifelong ally.

But again, our protagonist's interests lie elsewhere. When they're not being called into battle, the Rangers are tasked with upholding the balance of the natural kingdom. They slay problematic monsters, and reintroduce endangered species back into the wild in order to maintain ecological peace.

In short, you and your mates are total monster nerds, and you're all convinced that war isn't the answer to the land's growing problems. As a crystallised plague slowly creeps across the neighbouring countries, you've got no choice but to get out there and track down the source before all hell breaks loose between increasingly desperate nations.

It's a strong setup for a proper adventure into the unknown, and it's obviously a great excuse to have you explore all kinds of diverse biomes, which take the form of open world-style zones.

These zones are home to wandering monsters, randomly-spawning monster dens that hold monster eggs, and a surprising number of secret locations. For the most part, you'll traverse these maps by hopping atop a tamed monster of your choice, each of which boast their own environmental actions.

Your Rathalos, for example, can leap into the air and fly for a time, letting you glide to otherwise inaccessible areas. Other creatures can swim or scramble up rocky walls, making it feel like your companions are key even outside of combat.

But the most interesting thing about these open zones is that your Ranger-ing can massively impact their ecology.

One of the game's most addictive systems is the reintroduction of monsters to their native habitats. By releasing hatched monsters into specific ecosystems, you both strengthen their species and allow new types of creatures to take root.

Granted, the process can be a bit of a grind as you spend hours collecting eggs just so that you can release the newborns, but the rewards are almost endless. A stronger species means stronger individual monsters for your party, and depending on the environment, monsters can even mutate, adopting elemental attributes and abilities that are usually off-limits to the base species.

The system's not quite as in-depth or dynamic as it might sound — you don't have a whole lot of freedom in how you actually diversify a location, due to each area having its own fixed set of monsters — but it's still a rewarding time sink. There's absolutely no doubt that players looking to build the ultimate team of monsters will get utterly lost in this stuff.

But of course, getting to that point requires a lot of arse-kicking, as you level up your often scaly companions so that you're capable of hunting down those all-important eggs.

Across the game's entire first half or so, we were torn on the combat. On the one hand, it's easily the deepest, and arguably most dynamic system in the series. But on the other, it can feel like you lack agency.

Throughout the game, you're accompanied by at least one human party member and their own monster partner. However, both allies are completely autonomous; you have no say over what they do on their turn, and although the AI is generally smart and often very helpful, it can almost be too accommodating.

In early encounters, your companions basically lead the way. They deal more damage than you because their stats simply scale with your level — they don't have to worry about upgrading equipment — and they've got an infinite number of healing items. You're the Rangers' leader, but you're certainly not their best asset in battle.

Again, this imbalance remains in place for a sizeable chunk of the game. At times, it can feel as though you're being outright carried by the other Rangers — like the game's teetering on the edge of just playing itself.

Now, is this better than the alternative of having useless companions who are nothing but a hindrance? That's probably a yes, but it doesn't stop your character from feeling awkwardly underpowered at every turn.

Thankfully, the balance does even out eventually, as you acquire more powerful weapons, armours, and monsters. We suppose that you can explain this jump in effectiveness from a narrative perspective, as our once meek hero begins to believe in their abilities, but from a gameplay point of view, we do wish the tables turned a lot sooner.

To be fair, though, there comes a point where you'll have no choice but to outdo your allies. As you creep towards endgame content, the challenge ramps up dramatically, all but forcing you to build an unstoppable team, and equip yourself with the best possible gear.

The combat itself is quite beautifully presented, although the convoluted user interface — a Monster Hunter staple, let's face it — can take some getting used to. The sheer number of unique monster animations is pretty jaw-dropping, and all of the kinship skills — ultimate attacks that see rider and monster team up — are a treat for the eyes.

Mechanically, the series' rock-paper-scissors system remains, but it's just one part of a more branching turn-based approach.

Each and every monster has a preference of power, technique, or speed. Your job is to try and read the opponent's body language and counter appropriately; win a head-to-head clash and you'll maximise your own damage, while limiting the hit that you take.

But this time around, monsters exhibit much more varied behaviour, often opting for special attacks that are separate from the rock-paper-scissors fundamentals. This leads to an engaging back-and-forth combat style, where you jump between prioritising survival, and prioritising hard-hitting counterattacks.

It's really satisfying stuff (when your allies aren't stealing all the glory), and the game serves up some fantastic, twisting and turning boss battles that showcase the system's many strengths.