Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a turn-based RPG belonging to the well-known Monster Hunter series, in which the player takes on the role of a hunter hunting great beasts. Unlike most installments of the aforementioned series, this title places emphasis on the story being told and the relationship with the monsters. The production was developed and published by Capcom.

Story

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin tells the story of a young hunter from the village of Mahan, who is able to use the so-called Kinship Stone - an artifact that allows him to establish a relationship with monsters. At the beginning of the game he also comes into possession of a mysterious egg, allegedly hiding a legendary beast capable of destroying the world. When strange events occur more and more often on the island inhabited by the protagonist, he sets out on an expedition, during which he learns more about his grandfather and his relationship with the mysterious guardian of the island.

Mechanics

Like the main installments of the series, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin uses a third-person perspective. The gameplay is based on similar principles, but the combat is completely different from what we know from the previous installments of the series. Instead of dynamic real-time combat, we clash with monsters in more tactical, turn-based duels. We explore colorful locations and perform tasks, usually boiling down to hunting monsters or delivering certain materials. The island's fauna is represented by both new beasts and familiar faces from previous installments like Kulu-Ya-Ku or Mizutsune. In the course of the gameplay we acquire and create new equipment, as well as strengthen our hero and teach him more powerful abilities.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin introduces the mechanics of creating bonds with encountered monsters, which is somewhat reminiscent of what we know from the Pokemon series. The creatures have different statistics and abilities, providing valuable support in battle. What's more, by building relationships with them, we can increase their combat potential and unlock powerful special attacks. On the journey, we also encounter various characters, including potential allies, who can accompany us on expeditions into the unknown.

Game modes

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin offers a single-player story campaign, but also the possibility to play in co-op mode. The title allows us to create labels informing us about our goals or play style, among other things. This forms the basis of matchmaking, making it easier to find players with similar preferences. In addition, after completing an expedition, we can like a former companion, which increases the chances of meeting him again in the game in the future.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin also makes use of so-called dynamic difficulty scaling. The title continuously adjusts the level of the challenge according to the number and level of the players' characters.

Technical issues

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin features 3D graphics in a slightly more cartoonish style than, for example, Monster Hunter: World. Technically, the game doesn't rank among the top of the genre, but the graphics have their merits - such as spectacular location and monster designs and great cinematic interludes. The somewhat manga-like art style, bringing to mind associations with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, may also appeal.