Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a beautifully presented JRPG with a plethora of fun things to do and deep systems I happily got lost in – but a few issues leave it short of being flawless.

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

A beautifully realised old school JRPG whose only downfall is its story of all things.

Cute and approachable, but with enough bite to satisfy.

Hatching Monsties and battling alongside them against bigger monsters is very fun and pulls its weight more than the lackluster story

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a solid and thoroughly entertaining turn-based RPG. As long as you can put up with some bad jokes and relatively low difficulty, there's a lot of fun to be had here.

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.

What Monster Hunter Stories as a whole truly offers is an expansive look into the Monster Hunter universe through a more welcoming lens. It’s not as deep (in ways that both hurt and help its case), but that’s by design. Just know what you’re getting into and you should have a fun time with Monster Hunter Stories 2.

While the overall structure of the game hasn't changed, the formula worked and didn't need any major shifts. But when compared to the first Stories — which already holds up really well — the small and large enhancements to every facet of the experience make this sequel a must-play RPG for any fan of the genre, or the Monster Hunter series.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin deserves to find a sizable audience. It's full of charm and boasts depth that can immerse the committed or be dabbled with by those eager to simply experience the story. As a blend of Monster Hunter with a traditional RPG approach it's an accomplished effort, and offers the sort of meaty experience that'll keep most players busy for weeks. Switch owners will need to tolerate some disappointing performance, unfortunately, but the overall experience shines nonetheless. It's a game of bright colours and wholehearted optimism, which is very welcome indeed.Oh, and you can name your Monsties; trust us, you're gonna love these companions.