When Capcom released Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin on Nintendo Switch in 2021, some may have said, “Wait, there was a first game?” It’s worth remembering that Monster Hunter Stories’ original outing came towards the end of the 3DS era; in fact it was released after the Switch was launched in 2017. It would be understandable, then, if many gamers missed it in a way that its sequel – on the current and dominant Nintendo system – was not.
Now we have Monster Hunter Stories on Switch to rectify that and ensure Nintendo fans have both stories available immediately. It is also welcome; While these kid-friendly RPG outings for the series don’t push the boundaries of the genre or even add much to the IP’s impressive global reach, they’re an enjoyable introduction to a franchise that’s traditionally been quite challenging. This first installment also features some improvements, but it also feels unashamedly like the 3DS original, which isn’t always a good thing.
Let’s get one thing straight: if you were hoping for a major remaster of the 3DS title, you might be a little disappointed. The additions are voice acting – which is extremely exaggerated, sometimes fun and sometimes annoying – and a museum space where you can look at beautiful art and listen to music. Capcom has also spruced up some aspects and it delivers crisp HD playback both portable and docked, but this Real looks like a 3DS game. We’ve got the familiar angles and sharp geometry, some blurry action shots when viewed on a big TV, and some old-school facial animations and expressions. The latter, by the way, are intensely charming – we sometimes found the cutscenes irresistible thanks to the cartoonish but serious performances of our virtual heroes. This aspect of the old-school visuals hit us on the feels and made us root for the characters.
However, be prepared to accept simplistic visuals in this film, much more so than in the sequel. On the plus side, this game doesn’t share the sometimes brutal performance issues of its successor, nor should it when you consider the simplicity of the graphics. That said, our impressions of the performance are slightly worse than in our preview; unfortunately, some later and more open areas suffer from lag, which is more noticeable (or perhaps just more distracting) when docked. This is disappointing and really shouldn’t be the case. We suspect this has to do with the engine used for the original. can not due to the graphical complexity, but ultimately it’s not too big of a problem.
So, what is the Monster Hunter Stories experience for the uninitiated? Well, it’s a light and relatively breezy take on the RPG genre for young gamers, or for those of us who just want an easy time while having our heartstrings tugged at every now and then by a cute hero. You research, you complete one lot of quests, you collect and you fight. The turn-based combat here uses a rock-paper-scissors format, although there is a fair amount of strategy required that should keep you interested; Before each battle, you must not only learn the enemy’s patterns, but also use your team of ‘Monsties’ to prevail. You’ll get the right combos, ‘ride’ your Monstie for extra effect and even perform fun and crazy super moves. It’s a good time, even if it’s rarely taxing.
Our only notable criticism of the combat system comes down to an outdated design that necessitates the occasional frenzied tapping of buttons or waving of the stick. This is a bit of a disappointment if you suffer from accessibility issues (we couldn’t find any way to change these in the settings) and could honestly destroy the famously bad Joy-Con sticks. Bring out a Pro Controller or third-party Joy-Cons if you play these.
The world itself is quite large, all things considered, and the game’s relatively easy difficulty curve (until some later boss battles) is such that you can skip from one narrative beat to the next or spend a few dozen hours just soaking it up of all side quests and challenges. There’s a lot of bang for your buck, and no matter how you slice it, the simple story still has its powerful moments. Maybe it was this writer’s over-tired state or nostalgia for the series, but some of the story – generated in that cutesy style – was quite moving. Young players in particular can get a lot out of the story told, as themes such as the care and protection of creatures, the pursuit of balance in the world and empathy are as valuable as ever.
It’s also worth noting that as simplified as the version of Monster Hunter is, it offers plenty of depth for those who want customization. There are many items and improvements to be found, and as you progress, additional layers of meta-gameplay are added. Not only will you collect eggs and upgrade your team of Monsties, but you can also undergo the ‘Rite of Channeling’ to evolve your friends, or send additional Monsties on expeditions to gather resources. There’s a deep Monsterpedia, a ton of crafting options, and various weapons and armor items to obtain. You don’t necessarily have to delve too deeply into these areas to beat the game, but it’s fun for those who want to get down to the nitty-gritty.
Finally, there is an online battle mode if you Real I want to comment on it – we tried to do a review but no one was online, not surprising. This also felt like a small extra in the sequel, but it’s a nice feature for those excited about the prospect. It all adds up to what is a significant package overall.
However, we couldn’t escape the feeling, even as we enjoyed the game, that the limitations of the original 3DS hardware Real stand out and have not yet been substantially resolved. It’s not just the basic visuals, but also aspects of the design that could and should have been improved. There are minor annoyances and bugs, such as the strangely slow response to collecting items while riding a Monstie, or the clipping of enemies and environments to sometimes extreme degrees. None of that detracts from the overall experience, but it also makes it feel very much like a 3DS port, a throwback that’s been tweaked in simple ways and spawned on very different hardware.
Add to that the surprising performance drops, and what we have is a beautiful game full of charm that is nevertheless showing its age.
Conclusion
Monster Hunter Stories, like its Switch sequel, has some hardware issues; in this case, the issues are more related to 3DS-era design hangovers and simplistic porting. But if you put these issues aside, we’re still left with a charming, enjoyable experience for young gamers and young RPG/Monster Hunter fans alike. Take or leave all that classic MH depth, and it won’t take long to master the combat mechanics, but this is a game with enough silliness and serious storytelling to deserve a second chance.