Monster Hunter Stories, a spin-off of the massively popular Monster Hunter franchise, is finally arriving to the Nintendo 3DS in North America in September.
The turn-based RPG is a significant departure from the traditional Monster Hunter gameplay, which centers on hunting and taking down powerful creatures. To allow both hardcore Monster Hunter fans and newcomers to see if Monster Hunter Stories fits their preferences, a demo for the game will soon be released on the Nintendo eShop.
Monster Hunter Stories Coming Soon: How Is It Different From Traditional 'Monster Hunter' Games?
Through its official Twitter account, Nintendo of America revealed that Monster Hunter Stories for the Nintendo 3DS will be launched in North America on Sept. 8 for $39.99.
Traditional Monster Hunter games require players to study creatures, craft the appropriate weapons, and exploit the monsters' weaknesses to take them down and accomplish missions. However, in Monster Hunter Stories, the action game takes on turn-based RPG elements, as well as more colorful art. In addition, instead of hunting monsters, players will take on the role of a Monster Rider, who will collect eggs and raise monsters to be used in exploring the world and beating opponents.
The Pokémon-like twist to the Monster Hunter series, which will also feature a multiplayer battle mode, retains some of the elements from the action-adventure version, such as the ability to craft weapons and armor, along with the long list of side quests.
Monster Hunter Stories, initially released in Japan in October last year, is a much more welcoming point of entry for gamers who will be new to the series, compared to the traditional Monster Hunter games that are known to have unforgiving degrees of difficulty for newcomers. This does not mean that the turn-based RPG will not appeal to hardcore fans of the franchise, though.
A free demo for Monster Hunter Stories will be added to the Nintendo 3DS eShop on Aug. 10. Players who download the demo will be able to transfer their progress into the full game once it is released. The demo will allow players to take a closer look at the art and gameplay of Monster Hunter Stories before the game is released a month later.
Monster Hunter: World To Launch Early 2018
Monster Hunter Stories should not be confused with Monster Hunter: World, the next game in the franchise that marks its return to consoles.
Monster Hunter: World is set to launch early next year for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One and to the PC at a later date.
Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch gamers will soon be able to enjoy Monster Hunter XX, a port of Monster Hunter Generations for the hybrid console.
