4Gamers – Hands-on Preview | The stories of Monster Hunter 1 and 2 survive the test of time

Monster Hunter Stories debuted on the 3DS in 2016 and got a sequel on Switch in 2021. It was a complete shift for the series, as live-action combat gave way to turn-based action. In fact, the word Hunter should also have been replaced with Rider, because you are no longer a Hunter but befriend all kinds of monsters to use during battles. So we can actually talk about a Pokemon version of Monster Hunter. The formula has been a huge success and both games will soon be playable on Switch, Playstation and PC.

In Monster Hunter Stories, you play as a Rider, a person who specializes in stealing monster eggs to hatch them. Each egg that hatches produces a monster or monster. You can use these monsters during battles or as a means of transportation. You go exploring with your monsters, because the disease called Black Blight makes monsters behave aggressively. It’s up to you to explore the world and save monsters and humanity.

The biggest change in this new version is the additional voice work. Well-narrated voices bring Monster Hunter Stories to life. The English voice actors immerse themselves in the characters and know how to express their personalities well. Felyne’s cat characters always have entertaining dialogue. There are also graphical updates available. The first game can now be played in HD. What is remarkable is that the drawings have survived the test of time. It’s still pretty exceptional for a game developed specifically for a mobile device. However, there are some annoying little things, like when you pick things up. You press the button, and sometimes it takes a few minutes before you get a notification that you’ve captured something. This sometimes makes the game feel less smooth while maneuvering on the map.

Both games are the perfect introduction to the world of Monster Hunter. This has to do with the fairly low difficulty level and story-driven missions. It is always recommended to play the side quests, so that you and your Monsties have a high enough level to survive the boss fights. In addition, these quests also provide you with materials to build better equipment. Although side quests may sometimes leave you exhausted due to your high level, they immediately take you into the corners of each map. Perfect for using your Monsties skills. One can swim, one can climb, and one can break rocks. So it’s important to bring a good mix with you to every situation.

Combat isn’t paramount in the Monster Hunter Stories games. Of course you have to fight your way through the final boss sometimes, but everything that happens before that is up to you. When you enter a cave to steal eggs, you can only make a wide circle around each monster. So the real focus is mainly on the story. However, there are some strategic choices you need to make. Monsters use a sort of classic triangle system when fighting.

Attacks are divided into strength, speed and technique. Each monster has a strength and weakness. It is up to you to discover during combat which attack is best to perform to deal more damage. You must constantly estimate what type of attack your opponent will use, so that you can counter him with the right attack. Strength is strong against technology, technology is strong against speed and speed is strong against strength. Monsters constantly change classes during battles, so you often have to make a calculated guess. If you make the best choice three times, your opponent will be inactive for one round. Please note that the same thing can happen to the player.

During combat, your monsters can also use special abilities. Think up extra powerful attacks, rock your enemy to sleep, or just relax to replenish your life bar. The knight also fights himself and through the fighting the bond between the man and Monste grows. If this kinship band becomes strong enough, you can perform an additional powerful group.