“When a monster strikes, the fearful hide, but the brave? They ride.” So goes what should be the motto of all Hunters, young and old. Longtime fans of the beloved Capcom franchise, Monster Hunter, might have been fearful at the idea of the spin-off “Monster Hunter Stories” when they first discovered it would be a fairly large departure from the typical Monster Hunter game they have all come to know and love, but what of those who were brave and gave this monster a ride? Was “Monster Hunter Stories” a pleasant addition? Or was this a bad egg? A closer look at the game will help you judge if this game is a ride worth taking.
“Monster Hunter Stories” has completely different gameplay from previous titles. Instead of the real-time combat usually associated with Monster Hunter games, Stories offers turn-based combat instead. When the player comes up against a monster or adversary, you pick from a selection of attacks. You can pick from power, speed, or technical attacks, and if you are successful in head-to-head combat with the enemy via a rock-paper-scissors-type game, you will raise your kinship points and be able to ride your monster and perform a special attack. If you choose to ride without performing a special attack immediately, you can further raise your kinship points and perform an even stronger special attack. Occasionally during battle there are also QTE-type events where you must win by butting heads against your opponent by repeatedly tapping the A button. Another event is the air showdown, where you press L and R to win, and finally there is the breath blast, which requires you to rotate the circle pad quickly. Doing so earns you extra damage and points for your Kinship meter. This may be a complete departure from past Monster Hunter combat, but it is a unique, fun, and easygoing experience.
The story is cute, even if it is fairly standard for a JRPG. You are a greenhorn rider and, of course, you are now ready to leave your village and see the world. You get caught up in major world-changing events, and conflict happens within your social circle. It is clear that the story was less of a priority than world-building and gameplay, but it works for this game. This game aims for easygoing fun, and it hits the mark. The only minor issue was that non-New 3DS users might experience some performance issues, but nothing game-breaking as far as my understanding goes. Draw distance has also been a bit of an issue, as even I had the occasional NPC or enemy seemingly sneak up on me as I got closer.
Overall, if you are a fan of cute JRPGs or the Monster Hunter world, this game should be given a chance. It has charm, fun, and a sweetness to it that is executed wonderfully. This game could have been a disaster if put into the hands of people who clearly didn’t have a love for the world of Monster Hunter, but luckily the creators of this game showed care and respect for Monster Hunter while putting their own spin on it for a new ride that need not be feared.