And if instead of hunting monsters you dedicate yourself to creating a bond with them? That idea, which previously sounded distant within the universe of Monster Hunter, today is more real than ever. Capcom bets on this formula again with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and we have already spent long hours exploring their world and raising creatures on the new Nintendo Switch 2.
The big question is inevitable: can it become the “Dragon Pokémon” that many expect? And how does it feel on the new Nintendo hybrid console? Prepare your potions and take note, because at Anmo Sugoi we tell you everything you need to know.
From children to adult riders! A story with more “Edgness”
The first thing you will notice if you come from the previous two games is the GLOW UP (growth) of the saga. We are no longer those stubborn and adorable children; Twisted reflection It introduces us to a prince or princess (you can create your avatar with a fairly clever editor) in adulthood. We can even have marked jaws and hairstyles idol of K-pop!
The plot starts with a prologue where we see the hatching of two twin rats, what everyone in the kingdom of Azuria considers a harbinger of the end of the world. Added to this is a super strange phenomenon called “The Litification” (basically, entire ecosystems becoming glass) and a political tension with the neighboring kingdom of Vermeil that smells of war.
Although the argument is not going to blow your head with turns worthy of a Shonen psychological, he has a maturity that is appreciated and a very nice environmentalist message. The weak point? Our companion Felyne, Rudy. Honestly, sometimes they made us want to leave him locked in the stable; His bossy and overprotective attitude breaks a little the good vibes of the rest of our team. Rangers.
Combats to the “stone, paper or scissors” (but with steroids)
If you have not played the previous ones, we summarize it: combat is a JRPG by turns classic. The core is a “stone, paper or scissors” type (powerful, agile and technical). It sounds easy, right? Well don’t trust yourself!
Capcom has put a layer of brutal depth. Now we have monsters affected by crystallization that have new phases and breakable parts. In addition, the bar is added “Soul Wyvern” In the enemies that, by emptying it, allows us to launch the Synchrofrenzy, an attack combined with our Monstie which is a real visual spectacle.
Eye, because the game will demand you. There were bosses (especially the “invading monsters” who protect special areas) where we suffered a lot and we had to go to Farm levels. The last battles in the main story hit a few difficulty peaks where a single error sends you directly to the Game Over screen.
The gacha of monster eggs
The playable loop is pure drug for collectors. Exploring dens to steal eggs is still as addictive as ever, but now parenting has evolved.
the new system Habitat restoration It’s a genius. You don’t just keep the monsters anymore, but you can free some in nature so that the population of that species grows. And guess what! If the habitat is healthy, the next eggs you find will have better genes. The genetic hybridization system and item bingo will keep you hours on the menu thinking: “What if I put fire attacks on this ice wolf?”.
How does it run on the Nintendo Switch 2?
Here we are going to be totally honest. The RE ENGINE De Capcom does amazing things, and artistically the game is amazing (vibrant colors and design cel-shading adult are beautiful).
However, in Nintendo Switch 2, although the experience is solid in combat (where it matters most), in the open world it costs a bit. We notice a pop-in Of evident textures when using the fast trip or during some cinematics (you are riding and suddenly ¡Pum!, a bush appears on your face). Also the distance of drawn in distant landscapes looks somewhat blurry.
Does it ruin the experience? not at all. play it in laptop mode lying on the bed while Farms Eggs is a joy, but it is fair to mention that it lacks optimization in the giant open worlds.
final verdict
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection It’s a gift from Capcom. It outperforms its predecessors in maturity, world size and tactical customization options in combat.
will give you some 35-40 hours For its main story, and easily double if you want to collect all the monsters (yes, there’s the Magnamalo and the Lunagaron!). If you’re a fan of traditional JRPG and you love monster catching games, you can’t miss it.
