Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – An Epic, Stress-Relieving Adventure

I just rolled the credits on Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, wrapping up my playthrough with a solid 8/10. Ultimately, the graphics, the storyline, and the gameplay all come together to create a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It isn't an overly heavy game, making it the perfect kind of stress-relief adventure to unwind with.

A More Engaged Protagonist

The narrative in this entry is a definite step up. The protagonist feels much more actively engaged in the unfolding events compared to previous games. The story does lean on a familiar trope for the series the inevitable "betrayer" arc but it handles it with a refreshing twist this time around. Instead of a prolonged rivalry, the characters manage to make up, proving that nobody actually has to be permanent enemies.

If I had one major "ick" with the story, it's the protagonist's hyper-fixation on one single monster: Ratha. It becomes slightly grating that they seemingly only care about this specific companion, and to make matters worse, they didn't even give it a proper name, opting instead to just cut the species name short.

Epic Visuals and Classic Combat

From the very start of the playthrough, the visual upgrade is immediately impressive. The animations and Kinship skills are beautifully crafted and make the combat encounters feel genuinely epic.

Mechanically, the battle system will feel very familiar to returning players. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it does a much better job of clearly explaining how each weapon works, which makes the tactical loop smooth and satisfying.

One new feature I wasn't able to fully enjoy was the Habitat Restoration. The mechanics around it weren't overly intuitive, and since I wasn't prone to figuring out exactly how to trigger and utilize it, I largely bypassed that aspect of the game.

The Missing Co-op Experience?

One potential downside for returning fans is the multiplayer aspect. The previous title featured a co-op mode where you could play alongside a friend. I haven't been able to confirm if this new entry includes it, but it certainly feels like it is missing from the experience. For players who loved exploring and battling in Monster Hunter Stories 2 in co-op, this potential omission could be quite frustrating.

Overall, even without diving into every side mechanic or multiplayer feature, the core loop holds up incredibly well.