Capcom continues to expand the Monster Hunter series, with the announcement of Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. The franchise continues to reach more and more players. Proof of this is that the two most important spin-offs of the series are now landing on current platforms.

Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2 on New Platforms

Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin return after several years with two ports that can attract quite a few players and fans to the more RPG-oriented branch of Capcom’s successful saga.

Many fans of the series are keeping their hopes high for Monster Hunter Wilds for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, but the wait until 2025 can be made a bit easier with these two RPG installments that offer a very different approach to the traditional action-filled hunts.

Monster Hunter Stories, from this moment on, makes the leap from Nintendo 3DS to Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC with a remaster, while Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin lands on PS4 as a port after its release on the hybrid console and PC in 2021.

What Are Monster Hunter Stories & Stories 2 About?

Monster Hunter Stories and Stories 2 are two spin-offs of the series that move away from the action RPG proposal to a more traditional turn-based RPG, focusing on the narrative.

Compared to other titles in the series, in these games, we are not hunters, but riders—expert horsemen who have found a way to coexist with the monsters that all Monster Hunter fans know. Both plots revolve around a number of secondary characters and, of course, a very special Rathalos.

While it is true that genre clichés abound and each story drags on a bit longer than necessary, the semi-open world they offer and how they bring back the essence of Monster Hunter from a new perspective make up for some of their flaws.

Dreamlike landscapes full of color, unique villages, and hostile environments await you in both games. But beyond a story that flirts with the end of the world, the other major pillar of this saga is turn-based combat, a rock-paper-scissors system that works wonderfully.

Fighting alongside your monsties with the franchise’s classic weapons through three different sets of moves, plus abilities and final attacks, makes each battle a strategic and spectacular experience.

Additionally, another hallmark of this type of RPG is monster collecting. Here, we don’t have to exterminate them but rather collect them all through a comprehensive breeding and egg system.

The sequel especially shines in many aspects, but now the original installment, previously exclusive to Nintendo 3DS, offers more incentives to be enjoyed for the first time or replayed if you already did so back then.

Many Hours of Content

If you were looking for long games with many hours of content, you’ll get a double dose here, as both spin-offs offer a lot of content. These RPGs will not disappoint and will give you dozens and dozens of hours in both cases.

On one hand, Monster Hunter Stories takes about 30-35 hours to complete, but it approaches 100 if you aim for 100% completion. The same goes for Monster Hunter Stories 2, though in this case, it includes even more content.

Completing the main storyline of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin can easily take 35-40 hours, and if you want to finish the game completely, prepare for more than 130 hours of gameplay.

Price and Platforms

Monster Hunter Stories is priced at $29.99 in digital format on PS Store, eShop, and Steam. The double pack with both games is also available in physical format.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin can be found on PS4 for $39.99 and $49.99 in a Deluxe Edition that includes the Deluxe Kit. Additionally, there is the Monster Hunter Stories Collection pack that includes both games for $59.99 (also on Switch and PC).

Key Features

• Enhanced Visuals: Dive into action with upgraded graphics, featuring improved modeling, textures, and lighting on larger screens.
• New Voiceovers: Enjoy the story with full English and Japanese voice acting.
• Museum Mode: Explore over 200 pieces of concept art, background music, and special developer sketches.
• Added Title Updates: Players also get access to content previously exclusive to Japan, including Title Updates 1.20 and 1.30.

Final Thoughts

Monster Hunter Stories and Stories 2 are two unique games within Capcom’s famous series that manage to translate its essence into a format as recognizable as the turn-based RPG to offer two great adventures.

If you’ve never played them, there’s no better time to do so, but if you already have, there aren’t many more incentives to repeat the experience. Perhaps the most tempting is the remaster of the first installment, given that almost eight years have passed since its release.

However, time and the launch of the sequel with many improvements and refinements have made this first game age more than expected, and the technical additions and implementations do not stand out enough to make it a must-have.

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