Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection First Impressions
I have long waited for a demo of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections since they first announced it back on March 13th last year. Just a few days ago, Nintendo finally released a trial version on Steam, and I got to play it!
The trial version of Monster Hunter Stories 3 was actually pretty short, and almost everything remains the same but improved. It took me around 5 hours to complete everything, but I took my sweet time exploring the limited area allowed in the trial version.
Combat
Combat is still mostly the same in Monster Hunter Stories 3. There are still different attack types that work in a Rock-Paper-Scissors system, double attacks are still present, Kinship Skills can still be used, you can still ride your Monsties when your Kinship Gauge is full, and so much more.
A new addition to the combat system in the sequel seems to be the Synchro Rush. Synchro Rush is a free attack that players can make use of when they stagger an enemy monster.
Exploration
The trial version of Monster Hunter Stories 3 only allows players to explore a small area at the start of the game, which is the Kingdom of Azuria and its immediate surrounding areas.
Right now, there are about 13 Catavan Stands to interact with, which can be used for fast traveling and resting.
Mechanics in exploration largely remain the same, with added environmental objects to interact with that help assist in moving around, such as air pockets to regain altitude when flying.
Different Monsties are still needed to interact with certain environmental objects such as climbing walls, surfing on water, and digging through tunnels. The game starts you off with a couple of Monsties already, so you already have access to these abilities right from the get-go, unlike the previous game.
Visuals
Tied to the environment is the game’s new art direction. While still maintaining an “anime” look, everything looks much less “chibi” now, and there are more details in the textures. The colors still look soft and easy on the eyes, giving the game a painterly yet detailed look—at least in my opinion.
Monsters and Monsties
Monsters now come with elemental variants, which also give them a different look depending on their element. So far, I’ve caught a Blue Yian Kut-Ku, a Purple Gypceros, and a Green Plesioth.
I am unsure if this is canon in the main Monster Hunter timeline, but this gives so much more implication and depth to the monster ecology and biology in the franchise, and I am all in for it.
Aside from elemental variants, there are also Feral, Invasive, and Endangered Monsters. Feral Monsters are monsters affected by the crystallization that is haunting Azuria. They are far stronger than their regular variants and have special attacks. Invasive Monsters are tied to Endangered Monsters. Invasive Monsters are monsters that have taken root in areas where Endangered Monsters have been driven away. Invasive Monsters are strong and cannot be slain on first encounter. Still, they can be defeated, and doing so will make them retreat to an Endangered Monster’s den. Heading inside the Endangered Monster’s den allows you to get an Endangered Monster’s egg to acquire an Endangered Monstie.
Invasive and Endangered Monsters come hand in hand, but the main point of these two is to allow Endangered Monsties to be acquired and used to either accompany you in the party or be released back into the wild for Habitat Restoration.
Habitat Restoration
One of the core gameplay loops new to Monster Hunter Stories 3 is Habitat Restoration. It is the process of rehabilitating an area to its original ecology and restoring the homes of Endangered Monsters.
Endangered Monsties aren’t the only ones that you should release back into the wilds, but regular Monsties as well.
Why? Releasing any Monsties back into the wild raises the monster level in that area and allows better variants to show up.
Is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Worth Getting Excited For?
The answer to that is a big YES. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection’s Trial Version has shown me a very well-polished, optimized, and improved game. Everything in the sequel tells me that the developers saw the love and care given to the older entries in the series and found a masterpiece worth recreating and improving.
A lot of people are comparing this game to other Nintendo Switch 2 games and praising it for its better graphics and optimization. While I do not like to put down other titles, the statement is true. I hope this game also encourages other Nintendo Switch 2 titles to up their game and fully utilize the handheld console’s capabilities, while thinking cleverly about the way their games are made and look, mixing optimization with excellent gameplay and visuals.
More Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Screenshots
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection FAQs
When will Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection be released?
The Steam store page says it will be released on March 13, 2026.
Is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection related to Monster Hunter Stories and/or Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
I don’t think so. They share the same main monster, Rathalos, which also bears the same name throughout the franchise: Ratha. But other than that, there does not seem to be any connection to previous titles in the franchise.
Will Deluxe Upgrade and Ultimate Upgrade sold separate for Basic Edition?
There are Deluxe and Premium Deluxe Editions that include the base game. If you bought the base game, you can pay for an upgrade, and it will probably cost you just the same in total if you bought the non-standard editions.
Will there be Elder Dragons in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection?
Yes, and you can find one in the trial version, as shown in this Reddit post.
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