Monster Hunter Stories swaps the series’ signature real-time action for a deep and charming turn-based JRPG experience. Instead of hunting monsters, you become a “Rider,” a hero who forms bonds with them. The core of the adventure is not about slaying beasts but about raising them, creating a game that focuses on friendship and strategy over pure reflexes. It’s a complete, premium console experience brought to mobile, offering a refreshing take on the beloved Monster Hunter universe.

From Hunter to Rider: The “Monstie” Experience

The fundamental gameplay loop revolves around exploring a vast world to find monster dens, from which you can take eggs. Back in the village, these eggs hatch into “Monsties,” friendly versions of the iconic monsters you can name, raise, and fight alongside. This collection mechanic is the heart of the game, as assembling a powerful and diverse team of your favorite monsters is essential for progressing through the lengthy and heartwarming story. The game is a journey of companionship, where your bond with your Monsties is the ultimate weapon.

Strategic Combat with a Twist

Combat unfolds through a turn-based system that is easy to learn but offers surprising strategic depth. It’s built on a rock-paper-scissors mechanic: Power attacks beat Technical, Technical beats Speed, and Speed beats Power. Success hinges on learning enemy attack patterns and choosing the correct counter-move to nullify their attack and deal bonus damage. Winning these encounters fills your Kinship Gauge, allowing you to ride your Monstie and unleash spectacular and devastating special abilities, a visually rewarding payoff for smart play. The system rewards observation and tactics rather than just having the strongest monster.

A Full-Featured Port with a Caveat

This mobile version is a high-quality port, featuring enhanced high-resolution graphics, an improved user interface, and a convenient auto-save feature that modernizes the experience. With a campaign that can last over 50 hours and plenty of challenging endgame content, it delivers substantial value for its premium price.

However, players on the Android platform should be aware of a significant change. Due to updates in Google Play services, the Network Battle function for online player-vs-player combat has been discontinued. While the massive single-player story is fully intact and offers a complete experience, those looking to battle other Riders online will not be able to do so on this version of the game.