Hands on with the Monster Hunter Stories PC Version
Team up with monsties and become a rider with the release of Monster Hunter Stories, which is now available on PC. Take a look at our first impressions from the game!
By Craig Bishop (Gamesplanet)
Monster Hunter Stories Review copy was provided by Capcom for testing purposes, opinions are Gamesplanet's own and not representative of Capcom. Performance stated is in a pre-release build and may not reflect the final game.
Monster Hunter has been around as a series for 20 years, having the first game in the series be released in 2004. To celebrate the milestone, Capcom are bringing their first Monster Hunter Stories game to PC, but how does the previous handheld exclusive hold up, and what is it like to play in 2024? It's been almost 7 years since the original Monster Hunter Stories launched on 3DS, and we've had the stunning Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise expand the series further with critical praise from both fans and critics alike.
Let's Ride
I've had experience in past Monster Hunter games, but generally my experience has been a little bit overwhelming at times - feeling as though you're a small fish in a big pond. Those who have played Monster Hunter Stories 2 will definitely feel at home playing the original game, or maybe you've already played it and want to experience it again.
One of the biggest differences between Monster Hunter Stories and it's big brothers, is you starting out as a Rider, not a Hunter. You'll find Monsters (monsties) in the world that can be hatched from Eggs and then fight alongside you, in Rock, Paper, Scissors inspired combat. There are 3 types of main attack: Speed Attack, Power Attack and Technical Attack, with each one having strengths and weaknesses against another. Pokemon fans will understand this concept, but in Monster Hunter Stories there's more than just having 3 attacks as battles unfold giving you even more abilities - and even letting you build up kinship with your monsties to ride them for more powerful moves.
It's a simple system, and something that you can get to grips with no matter your skill level. Having an ally in battle to help you out can really turn the tide and always fun to mix up combat. You can ride them around the open world too, bonding with your monstie in exciting ways to raise your kinship level with them. Unlike other games in the series, all battles in Monster Hunter Stories are turn-based. Something I didn't actually mind as it felt a bit easier to understand compared to other entries.
Still Monster Hunter
Of course it's still a Monster Hunter game at the heart of it, and that's apparent by the various systems on offer. By exploring the world you'll defeat monsters for resources that can be used to craft and upgrade weapons & armour. You'll also take on various quests from the board and deliver them in the same way you would in any other Monster Hunter title.
Where the game does differ slightly is by allowing you to find eggs in the world and hatch them, giving you access to new monsties for battle. Fans of Pokemon and other creature collecting games will find plenty of new additions to be had as they explore new areas - and monster nests which usually feature an Egg room at the end (with Monsters sometimes protecting them).
In the mood for multiplayer battles? Monster Hunter Stories also allows for Online PVP against other budding riders, sadly I was not able to test this in the pre-release build. Create a team of monstie, level them up and use them to battle others around the world, becoming the best rider you can.
So what's new in this version of the game?
The PC version isn't just a re-release as it does feature a number of additions to the game including a Museum to check out over pieces of artwork from the game, as well as listen to some of the music from the series. It also includes fully voiced Japanese and English voice-over, all game updates that were previously available on 3DS (such as endgame monsters), but this time the endgame has been expanded further.
What next?
So far it's been quite easy, though I imagine things will ramp up as the story unfolds and I explore new areas. I've not spent too much time with other games in the series (including Monster Hunter Stories 2) as I generally found the learning curve to be a bit overwhelming at times, but Monster Hunter Stories finds a balance and is something I'd easily recommend to newcomers of the series who may have been put off by other titles.
How about Steam Deck?
Happy to report that yes, it's almost flawless on Steam Deck - with a locked 60 most of the time, though a couple of minor frame drops do happen on occasion (which you probably wouldn't notice unless you have the frame counter on). Another positive is that due to the game not being too demanding, it can run for around 3-4 hours. Not bad considering the title was originally a handheld game in the first place. It earns the Deck Verified status right out of the box without having to mess with anything.
Monster Hunter Stories Gallery
To round out let's have a look at some screenshots from the game. All screens were taken at 4k, with max settings. If you want to look at them in closer detail you can right click > view image.
