Monster Hunter Stories 3 Twisted Reflection Launches March 13 With New Trailers

Capcom has released a pre-order trailer and a story introduction trailer for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. The third entry in the turn-based RPG spin-off series is launching on March 13 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam.

The game’s story centers on twin Rathalos whose fateful connection reignites a long dormant conflict between two nations, Azuria and Vermeil. You play as the heir to Azuria and the kingdom’s only Rathalos Rider, and find yourself pushed beyond the Meridian into a wider world as war looms and strange phenomena begin threatening everything around you. New characters, monsters, and a Rider partner named Alus are introduced.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 brings back the series’ signature bond system, letting players form relationships with monsters called Monsties and take them into turn-based combat. The game’s title refers to a distortion affecting the world’s balance, which threads through both the story and the new monster behaviors players will encounter.

The previous Monster Hunter Stories games were well received for offering a gentler and more story-driven take on the Monster Hunter world. The anime adaptation of the original Stories game ran for two seasons and helped bring new fans to the franchise. Both pre-order and story trailers are available in English and Japanese.

My take: Monster Hunter Stories is one of those spin-offs that quietly built its own dedicated following, and a third entry on this many platforms at once is a real sign of confidence from Capcom. The dual nations setup sounds like it has more political texture than the previous entries. March 13 cannot come fast enough for fans of the series.