Monster Hunter Stories 3 Twisted Reflection Review, Gameplay Impressions, Videos and Features

Monster Hunter Stories 3 Twisted Reflection from Capcom aims to be the best entry in a spinoff to a beloved series. 

The first entry in the spinoff efforts since 2021's Monster Hunter Stories 2, this new arrival brings along the established turn-based battle system and JRPG elements that separate it dramatically from the mainline games. 

Stories also brings some frankly jaw-dropping visuals along for the ride. There's unmistakable Monster Hunter charm and serious innovations to the monster-collecting genre that will even pique the interest of Pokémon fans. 

All told, the latest Stories effort might just catch a lot of gamers by surprise. 

Graphics and Gameplay

Stories takes the past spinoff-feeling visuals of prior entries and throws them out. 

This effort is more anime and cel-shaded influence that competes with the visuals of say, the latest Zelda games. 

The effect is profound. Draw distances are huge, the world is dense and feels lived-in and characters are appropriately emotive. It's colorful, and some of the special effects of battle and cinematic super moves should have all JRPGs taking notes. 

Sound design somehow matches that energy, too. Combat is punchy, voice-acting is solid and there's a heartfelt soundtrack backing everything, whether it's bombastic combat, somber notes for story beats or something else. 

Exploration is generally fun, complete with the ability to blindside enemies for an advantage or intimidate them to get them to scatter, avoiding combat. Riding monsters for traversal, of course, is a highlight. 

Combat's turn-based battles are a refreshing mix-up for the series.

Players wield Power, Technical and Speed attack types, which sit in a triangle of effectiveness (power has an advantage over technical, and so on) are the backbone of combat. Things enter a head-to-head state that emphasizes this triangle if players target a monster targeting them. 

Flashier abilities that come at the cost of stamina are in the mix too. 

A player's monsters help in combat, though it's less direct control and more of suggested actions for them to do. At times, that opens up double attacks if player and monster target the same enemy. 

Stories travels the tried-and-true route of elemental weaknesses, too. Players will need to mix and match monster elements like fire and water in real time to counter various enemy types. 

In more standard Monster Hunter fashion, players can specifically target enemy weak points, opening up stagger opportunities for extra damage. They can wield up to three different weapon types, too, with monsters usually weak to certain types. 

Everything is so fluid and engaging here, frankly, that those players even opposed to turn-based games might be won over by the formula. That's especially true when it moves in concert with the story and some of the deep gameplay elements in terms of managing the monster roster and world.

Story and more

Monster Hunter certainly doesn't shy away from standard JRPG narrative devices here. 

The backdrop: A disaster called the "Crystal Encroachment" threatens the kingdoms of Azuria and Vermeil. Key representatives of those lands happen to be part of the player's party. 

In a sheer nod to series history, though, the super-popular staple monster Rathalos plays a key part in the happenings, too.  

There's a careful, excellent balance of gameplay and worldbuilding here, too. Yes, players collect monsters. But releasing them back out into the world rehabs a specific habitat. Boosting the level of a specific habitat in this manner means that upon returning to it, players might be able to find even stronger catchable monsters there. 

Naturally, as a Monster Hunter game, a massive side element is the cooking. Gathering up resources and crafting specific recipes for the challenges ahead can play a big role in success or failure. 

There are side quests, too, but they are pretty barebones. Good to have, but standard JRPG stuff that rewards nicely. If nothing else, it will be fun to explore these for the sake of experimenting with different builds.

Plenty of worthwhile options exist when exploring the menus, including the ability to speed up combat. Performance can be a little choppy at times when out in the world with big draw distances, but nothing experience-ruining. 

Conclusion

Stories has the potential to be a smash hit. 

Prior entries in the spinoff efforts usually took a serious backseat despite the Monster Hunter brand name recognition. 

This time might be different. 

Stories is one of the better JRPGs, presentation-wise, of the last few years. And it's expansive in its detail to the lore of the Monster Hunter world. Its mixups to the formula dominated by Pokémon are really refreshing, too. 

Impressively, Stories stands strong despite the shockingly great JRPG resurgence the video game sphere currently enjoys. It's not the "mainline" game for Monster Hunter, but with this effort, it's pretty much standing right next to those.