Monster Hunter Stories Remastered review

Reviewing Monster Hunter Stories Remastered at this point feels a little odd, given that I never played the original 3DS release and my first encounter with Capcom’s spin-off series was with the fantastic Wings of Ruin (the sequel that I’m playing again on PS5 concurrently with this one). So it feels like going backwards a little, but also coming forwards again immediately because this is, after all, a remaster.

Monster Hunter Stories is pretty kid-friendly on the surface. It’s set in the grander Monster Hunter universe and follows your young Monster Rider as they go out into the world to battle and collect “Monsties”, which is a term I’ll never feel comfortable using. The story does a good job of broadening the world, and manages to make the Rathalos feel not only friendly but courageous, too. Almost makes me feel guilty for how many I’ve stuffed and mounted over the years.

The aim is to travel the semi-open world and find eggs, which you then bring back to your village and hatch into new Monsties. It features tons of the Monsters from the greater series, such as Tigrex and Velocidrome, and each one brings over their own move-sets and personalities. Combat is turn-based and focuses on a rock-paper-scissors system that allows you to choose Power, Speed, or Technique attacks, which trump one another thanks to a cyclical reference chart.

Your abilities are tied to this system, too, and choosing the correct attack allows you to build up your Kinship Gauge with the monster you’re currently riding, which in turn allows you to unleash powerful dual attacks. If you find it’s all moving a bit too slow despite the awesome battle music and animations, you can hold a button to fast-forward through most encounters.

Many of the weapons seen in the main franchise make an appearance, and really change the way you approach each battle. Initially you’re armed with the Great Sword but can soon unlock other favourites like the Hammer. Obviously they don’t bring over their full move-sets, but the animations that accompany them are perfectly tuned.

Much of the charm and playability comes from the egg-hunting. You’re not always sure which Monstie you’re going to hatch, and moving into new areas has the same sense of adventure and excitement as it does in the main series. New areas mean new monsters, items, wildlife, and, of course, gear. Part of the fun is splicing your Monsties together, cherry-picking certain attacks and abilities from one Monstie and passing them to another via the Rite of Channelling, something you’ll unlock in your Ranch in the village.

The story, too, is enjoyable. Although certainly aimed at a younger audience it isn’t afraid to inject some emotion and pathos into proceedings, such as early on when a Nargacuga attack has tragic consequences that catalyse the plot. Characters have some depth to them but, well, this is Capcom, so don’t go into it expecting too much.

One thing Monster Hunter Stories Remastered does improve is the method of storytelling. It’s now fully voiced, either in English, Japanese, or the weird language often heard in the franchise. I can’t say what it adds compared to the original, but coupled with the sharper, brighter and up-scaled visuals it made Monster Hunter Stories feel pretty modern off the bat.

In comparison to the main franchise, Monster Hunter Stories Remastered is a much softer challenge. Death can and will happen, but as in other iterations you can “cart” three times before a game over screen, and even when it happens you just respawn with no losses and can try again. It speaks to the kid-friendly orientation, of course, but it also makes Monster Hunter Stories feel like a relaxing game you can plough through for a few hours at a time. The campaign is pretty beefy and there’s even some stuff to do when it’s over, but it won’t have you swearing and rage-quitting.

Most of your time will be spent going after the rare Monsties, which have an almost Gacha-like feel to them. You will need to put the hours in to find all of them (there are over 100), and you’ll still be finding them as you work through the various endgame activities. These are a little tougher (as they should be), and give you a reason to keep playing, as if you needed one.

Perhaps the best thing about Monster Hunter Stories Remastered is that it doesn’t feel like an old game with a new coat of paint. It holds up really well beside Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, and the added voice work and improved visuals really make it feel modern, even if the slightly clunky animation gives it away in the end. Regardless, if you’re a fan of the franchise and enjoyed Wings of Ruin but never got to play this one, then Monster Hunter Stories Remastered is absolutely worth your time.