Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Reviews

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is even more enjoyable than the original. Small and meaningful improvement build on the same addictive formula and rewarding battle system, with an endearing story to boot that’ll hook in any fan of the franchise. The current state of the Switch version is a shame, but if you can get past the problems, Wings of Ruin has a lot to offer.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin continues what was started in the first game, and elevates it to new heights. What was once a side attraction could well become the staple, as Wings of Ruin is simply an excellent RPG.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 has been released on PlayStation 4. Sam Wachter reports back on her adventures on Hokolo Island!

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin accomplishes exactly what a solid sequel should. Everything from the graphics to the game mechanics has been upgraded or tuned in various ways to create a smoother, yet new, experience. Improved fidelity, stronger ease-of-play, more cohesive maps, and battle adjustments make Monster Hunter Stories 2 a more modern feeling game while unabashedly still being a proper Monster Hunter AND RPG experience.

“Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a much friendlier introduction to the complex franchise, anchored by excellent turn-based RPG combat,”

A fantastic game for both fans of Monster Hunter and newcomers alike, cleverly weaves aspects of the main games into a traditional RPG setting and can stand on its own.

When I first saw Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, I figured it would be a game catered to newbies to the franchise. After dabbling in Riders for a bit, this title seems about as close as a global release for that mobile game. Conferring with those more familiar with the mainline games, Wings of Ruin retains a lot of the elements and formulas the series is known for, while having its own charm, besides being more approachable and not as demanding of you in terms of skill mastery.

Wings of Ruin may not make a hardened hunter of you, but nor does it want to. It would rather bring you along for its own wondrous ride.

As far as performance goes, the game does chug pretty often. What I mean by that is it struggles to maintain 30 frames per second in nearly every area. It's almost like they need a Switch Pro or something with more power. Outside of its performance, I didn't have any crashes or bugs.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin improves on nearly every aspect of the original all while providing a charming story and plenty of Monsties to gather and fight alongside.

I know how this may look, coming off the heels of Monster Hunter Rise, which we also reviewed, but I just can’t find anything bad to say about this game. This game should be in every Switch owner’s (and Steam user’s) collection. Even if you aren’t usually a Monster Hunter fan, this game has a really good shot at grabbing your attention and not letting go.

Capcom's new Monster Hunter spin-off is a solid JRPG for those who enjoy collecting and raising monsters.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin doesn't shake the genre up or do anything incredibly unique, but it's a massive JRPG with lots to do. It's a solid entry for the sub-series and is recommended for those looking for a charming title on the Switch that doesn't require much thinking or undivided attention. It's a casual game for the most part, but the back half does provide some epic story moments that are satisfying and worth watching.

Monster Hunter Stores 2: Wings of Ruin has made me a believer that not all JRPGs will rub me the wrong way. Its charming, lovely story mixed with its wonderfully engaging combat and being able to kidnap monsters create a fantastic experience which also adds to the depth of Monster Hunter's world and lore.

With the return of the mainline Monster Hunter series to Nintendo consoles, it only makes sense for its cult classic turn-based spin-off to get another chance at the limelight. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin puts you in the shoes of a Monster Rider, rather than a hunter, who befriends and rides the series’ iconic beasts… in addition to hunting them down because you still do a lot of that as well. While some design decisions and performance issues might not make it the perfect rec...

If you were to throw the world of Monster Hunter into a blender with a dash of Pokémon and a splash of Final Fantasy then the end result would be a tall, refreshing glass of Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin.

Over the past few years the Monster Hunter franchise has become one of my all-time favourites. Between the fantastic Monster Hunter World, Iceborne, and Rise, I have poured hundreds upon hundreds of hours into these games and counting. I can’t seem to get enough of them. Monster Hunter Stories is a niche title that didn’t get too much attention and I wasn’t familiar with it at the time, but was loved by most people that played it. Now with the rapidly growing popularity of the Monster H...

Fans and newcomers to the series, genre, or spin-off sub-series alike will find a lot to enjoy in Monster Hunter Stories 2, which, despite a few stumbles, presents one of the stronger RPG offerings on the Switch.

While the Nintendo Switch version holds the game back compared to the PC one, the game itself remains a blast from beginning to end, offerings tons of content and a unique take on the Monster Hunter formula.

Monster Hunter Stories was one of the most brilliant spin-off decisions in the series and this sequel does its best to improve upon what the original started and does it well. The story is wonderfully charming and manages to have tons of surprises to keep players invested in learning more as they adventure through. The characters are all wonderfully voice acted and enjoyable, save for one with the mistake of a surfer dude-bro accent, and they all feel as though they leave a genuine impact throughout the story. The gameplay improvements can not be understated and make for a much more balanced and strategic experience instead of the first title which often felt random at times. It is, as Navirou would say, Pawsitively Clawdacious in every way. For fans of the first title this one is a must-have to dive into so much more, while those interested for the very first time need not worry as nothing will be missed by picking up this sequel as the first entry. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an absolute joy with near endless amounts of fun to sink many hours into.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a win, with so many quality of life changes from its predecessor on 3DS. It’s welcoming and accessible, familiar yet new, complex but not too confusing, and has plenty of surprises waiting for players and I can see myself playing it way beyond this review.

As someone who's spent the last three years or so getting into the Monster Hunter series proper and learning its intricacies, I have to admit it was somewhat disappointing to jump into Wings of Ruin only to be greeted by a fairly short and simple romp through an inconsequential story with low stakes. Don't get me wrong; Wings of Ruin is a competent JRPG with fun mechanics that will keep you entertained for the duration of its runtime, but I just wish it presented more of a challenge.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin was an interesting experience. I really like the monster collection, raising, team attack, and rock-paper-scissors elements of the game. It’s also a visual delight that’s vibrant and enjoyable to look at and listen to at nearly every turn. I got hyped for big attacks that turned the tide, excited when I found an egg that I’d never seen before, and I really liked building my stable around any foreseeable situation. All of these things came together to create a very interesting spinoff. I am also well-associated with the grind of both typical Monster Hunter games and traditional JRPGs. Wings of Ruin hardly dodges that issue and isn’t without other slight problems, but it does do a lot to try to soothe it and I also appreciate that. I’ve longed to go on an adventure that gives me the chance to ally with the giant beasts I’ve been fighting against in Monster Hunter games for years. If you have too, I think you’ll find Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a more than rewarding experience with a decent story to keep the ride interesting throughout.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a great JRPG that blends the spirit of Monster Hunter with turn-based combat and exploration. The central story is good, but it's the loot loop and party building that really draws you in. It may not represent a huge leap forward from the original game, but this is a fantastic title for fans of either the main Monster Hunter series or JRPGs in general.

As Monster Hunter continues to appeal to the hardcore action fan, minus some concessions for convenience and Quality of Life changes, it hasn't fully embraced the inexperienced audience when it comes to mainline titles. That's in part where the Stories subseries of Monster Hunter titles comes into play. Geared towards a younger audience, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin focuses on turning the action RPG into something that fans of bug collecting and rock-paper-scissors can have fun with.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a great and charming RPG with a similar, addicting gameplay loop as the main series. While the game drags a little in the middle, it’s worth seeing through to the end and beyond.

Experience the world of Monster Hunter as a rider who not only hunts monsters but befriends them, too, in this sequel to Stories.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is very much so a Monster Hunter game. Its main focus still falls on the core loop of battling monsters, gathering materials, and using them to craft badass gear suited for different situations. Infused with a rock-paper-scissors turn-based combat system and creature collection elements, it does, nevertheless, provide a different spin on things that adds extra reasons to sink your teeth into its inherent grind.

While it can get repetitive and you don't have as much control over combat as I'd like, this is undoubtedly a very strong entry in the series on its own merits. If the idea of raising a horde of monsters and having them knock the crap out of others sounds good to you, I can't imagine you won't find anything to enjoy here.

The mainline Monster Hunter series has seen a number of quality-of-life changes in recent years, but even with those changes the series is a tough sell for newcomers. On the other hand, the sequel to 2017’s Monster Hunter Stories might be the perfect on-ramp for those who want to start hunting. In Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, Monstie riders are people who create bonds with monsters, entrusting them to fight alongside them in battle. The Stories series has a greater focus on narrative and monster collection, and it converts the epic monster confrontations into turn-based RPG battles, though players can still expect plenty of the franchise’s signature strategy and planning.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a worthy sequel to the Nintendo 3DS game. With more powerful hardware, this new adventure is fully realized.