Monster Hunter Stories is finally escaping the Nintendo 3DS and mobile platforms thanks to a remaster coming to PS4, Switch, and PC this summer. Now feels like an even better time to recommend this monster taming RPG, and not just because of the retouched graphics or added voice acting.
Palworld is still one of the hottest games on the planet, and its success has reignited conversation around the recent mainline Pokemon RPGs being lackluster. Well, I have good news for the creature-collecting fandom. If you like the Pokemon RPGs, you'll almost certainly love Monster Hunter Stories. If you dislike the Pokemon RPGs, you will also probably love Monster Hunter Stories. It captures a very similar vibe but frankly does it so much better mechanically, and you don't need to be a Monster Hunter fan to get into it, either.
I realize that enough people bought Monster Hunter Stories to bankroll a (greatly expanded) sequel, but it still feels like it's criminally slept-on. It's a turn-based RPG about "Monsties" that are basically cuter versions of the stars of the Monster Hunter action RPGs. Except this time, instead of hitting monsters with comically large swords made from their cousin's freshly harvested bones, you raise and bond with Monsties, riding them around the world and commanding them in battle. You even hatch little baby Monsties from eggs and train 'em up big and strong. Tigrex has never been so adorable.
There's a simple but effective rock-paper-scissors system to combat that adds depth to the usual elemental weakness chart, and with your main character also fighting in their own right, the group battles can get surprisingly involved. Items are also extremely important, just as they are in Monster Hunter – max potions, my beloved – as is your ever-improving gear. This frames the core progression systems, which can get incredibly engrossing.
If you want to interact with collectible creatures in a meaningful way while exploring a lovely world, min-max the perfect roster of monsters, and get stuck in a combat system that has figurative and literal teeth, I can't recommend Monster Hunter Stories highly enough, especially now that it's coming to more major platforms. It's basically what I wanted from the few mainline Pokemon games I've played, and while I am a big Monster Hunter fan in general, I could actually see it being more fun to see all these time-honored monster designs for the first time.
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