Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,311 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Game Cover
Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a fantastic adventure filled to the brim with challenge, heart, and - most importantly - monsters.
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"Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin" is a role-playing game set in the Monster Hunter universe where players hatch, raise, and live with monsters as a Monster Rider. The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Rathalos and a heritage you carry that could bring hope or terror. The game now has updated system requirements due to NVIDIA's announcement, so ensure your system meets them before purchase.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,311 reviews
story333 positive mentions
grinding146 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautiful art style and engaging graphics that enhance the overall experience.
  • The turn-based combat system is fun and strategic, allowing players to utilize a rock-paper-scissors mechanic with various attack types.
  • The monster collection aspect is enjoyable, with a wide variety of monsties to collect and customize through gene manipulation.
  • The story is predictable and lacks depth, often feeling childish and uninspired.
  • The AI companions can be frustrating, often making poor decisions in combat that can lead to unnecessary defeats.
  • The game can become repetitive, especially with the dungeon layouts and grinding for specific monster genes.
  • story1,141 mentions

    The story in "Monster Hunter Stories 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it enjoyable yet predictable and simplistic, often likening it to a typical children's narrative centered around themes of friendship and adventure. While some appreciate the emotional moments and character development, others criticize it for being formulaic and lacking depth, especially in comparison to the gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story serves its purpose in providing context for the monster-collecting and battling experience, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate or mature narrative.

    • “The story is fun, the characters and voice acting are great, and if you've played the first game, there are lots of references to it.”
    • “The story is lighthearted and the combat is simple, yet engaging; this feels like a great game to be someone's first RPG.”
    • “The story is beautiful, the turn-based combat is executed wonderfully.”
    • “The biggest con is the story and world.”
    • “For being titled 'stories', the plot is actually pretty weak.”
    • “The story is bland and drags on.”
  • gameplay473 mentions

    The gameplay in "Monster Hunter Stories 2" is characterized by a turn-based combat system that employs a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, blending elements from both the Monster Hunter and Pokémon franchises. While the core mechanics are simple and accessible, they evolve into a more complex experience as players progress, featuring monster collection, crafting, and strategic battles that require understanding enemy behaviors and weaknesses. Despite some criticisms regarding repetitiveness and a lack of depth in certain areas, many players find the gameplay loop engaging and addictive, with a satisfying blend of exploration and combat.

    • “41 hours in and I can tell I have many more hours of excellent gameplay ahead of me.”
    • “The gameplay loop consists of loot grinding, egg hunting, weapon/armor crafting, and monster collection.”
    • “The gameplay is simple to get a grasp on and complex once you get further into the game, fighting more difficult monsters that can change between all 3 attack types.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's essentially a glorified rock-paper-scissors kind of game.”
    • “There isn't much you can do about the combat (besides have a few different monsters), and its other style of gameplay is hatching eggs and following the pretty bland story.”
    • “The gameplay is basically a turn-based game with rock-paper-scissors combat and some cancel turbo mechanic.”
  • graphics293 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant, cel-shaded art style, which many players find charming and fitting for the monster-hunting theme. While some reviews note that the visuals may not be as technically advanced as other titles in the genre, they still deliver a visually appealing experience with well-designed characters and environments. Overall, the graphics are considered a significant improvement over the previous installment, contributing to an engaging and enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “The graphics were beautiful yet still held true to the original, and continued the story in a familiar way while still being new and exciting.”
    • “Graphically, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is an absolute marvel. Its captivating combat, captivating storyline, breathtaking visuals, and captivating soundtrack make it an absolute must-play for both die-hard fans of the franchise and newcomers alike.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and the animations are incredible! The art style is adorable, and the characters are lovable.”
    • “Just remember this is a port of a switch game, so expect outdated graphics with a AAA price tag and basic gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are also nothing to write home about.”
    • “The game looks quite pretty at times thanks to its bright colors and art style but its textures and animations are quite lacking and render distance is terrible.”
  • grinding149 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game where battles can drag on and monster dens lack variety. However, others appreciate the grind for its strategic depth and the enjoyment of building and customizing their monster teams, noting that while it can be time-consuming, it is often rewarding and engaging. Overall, the experience of grinding varies significantly among players, with some embracing it as a core part of the gameplay while others find it overwhelming.

    • “One thing that I found nice is that the game isn't too grindy or tedious.”
    • “The story is very long; it took me about 56 hours to beat it, despite me not grinding much at all.”
    • “This makes the exploration tedious at best, and outright mind-numbing at worst.”
    • “Fights also take too long, which discourages you from farming and in general just feels bad.”
    • “The story starts out decently but it moves at a glacial pace and crams its later half in around 2 hours, the game took 47 for me with a lot of monster farming to get my favorites, the pacing is worse than Attack on Titan season 1.”
  • music116 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as beautiful and well-crafted, enhancing the atmosphere and emotional moments. However, several players express disappointment over the lack of overworld music, which detracts from exploration and can lead to a tedious experience. Overall, while the battle themes and cutscene music are often highlighted as strong points, the absence of consistent background music during exploration is a notable drawback.

    • “And the music, like all of the Monster Hunter games, is top tier.”
    • “Its captivating combat, captivating storyline, breathtaking visuals, and captivating soundtrack make it an absolute must-play for both die-hard fans of the franchise and newcomers alike.”
    • “The atmosphere is superb; the music is amazing in both quality and theme, the world is just gorgeous, and the cel shading makes all the characters (including the monsters) look great.”
    • “Add to this the lack of any music in dungeons, and before you even get halfway through the game, the thought of going into a dungeon is boring before you even start.”
    • “The music isn't amazing and is often completely absent.”
    • “While the music can be nice, the lack of overworld music really hurts exploration as it's mostly just silence.”
  • optimization59 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting excellent performance on mid-range systems, achieving high frame rates and smooth gameplay. However, others have criticized the implementation of DRM, which they claim negatively impacts performance and usability, particularly on older machines. Overall, while many users find the game well-optimized, concerns about stuttering and performance issues persist, especially related to the game's DRM and modding restrictions.

    • “Performance-wise, the game ran completely fine for me with hardware from 2014 and Windows 7 still.”
    • “Very well optimized for PC.”
    • “No performance issues for me either, running on a GTX 1070 with everything maxed out I get 110 fps on average and zero glitches, which is pretty impressive.”
    • “The addition of the enigma 'DRM' malware tanks performance on even slightly older machines and is aggressively anti-mod, including performance mods.”
    • “Capcom treating modders as cheaters, adding a DRM called Enigma that is complete garbage and ruins performance for some setups.”
    • “It's clearly a switch port though; I would like to see a bit better optimization for the PC.”
  • humor52 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it charming and funny, particularly in the cute monster interactions and silly moments, while others criticize a specific character for being overly intrusive and unfunny, detracting from the overall experience. Many appreciate the lighthearted, cartoonish style and occasional laugh-out-loud moments, but the presence of annoying dialogue and juvenile humor can undermine emotional scenes and immersion. Overall, while there are enjoyable comedic elements, the execution varies significantly among players.

    • “I still mostly enjoyed my 74 hours I spent playing through the main storyline, trying to collect monsters and form a good team, farming up monster parts to make better gear and weapons, and many of the cute and funny moments that genuinely had me laughing.”
    • “Navirou is awesome, very funny, had a lot of laughs because of this character.”
    • “It is also really silly and funny in an anime sort of way... makes you smile and laugh often!”
    • “It is amazing how this could have been one of the best party-based RPGs out there, belonging to one of the greatest IPs, yet you won't ever hear about this game being the best just because of a single character, destroying your immersion, never shutting up, having to be on every single cutscene saying something both way too stupid and unfunny.”
    • “He's not funny, he's not charming, he does nothing besides make annoying quips during battles, act as your character's voice in cutscenes, make utterly meaningless additions to conversations, and ruins emotional tension with his mere presence.”
    • “Several games already worked fine with mute protagonists but here, even though we almost always have someone accompanying you and your character has facial expressions, the game shoves an annoying, not funny, intrusive, tiresome, narcissistic, and talkative 'felyne' who never shuts up, can't stay out of a dialogue and never really helps. A box with text or an arrow would be 10x better; the character even makes irritating noises when walking and stationary.”
  • emotional39 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and touching narrative, which resonates with players through well-crafted moments that evoke genuine feelings, including joy and sadness. While some characters, like Navirou, may detract from the emotional tension for some, the overall story is praised for its charm and ability to create a strong bond between players and their monster companions. Many reviewers noted that the game successfully balances fun gameplay with emotional depth, making it a memorable experience.

    • “It's a heart-warming story that will take you across a diverse and beautiful land -- full of creatures to encounter and friends to meet.”
    • “An extremely emotional and gorgeous game, the best way to describe it is to experience this adventure for yourself and immerse yourself in this incredibly vibrant world.”
    • “The story is solid and made me feel so many emotions that I can't describe.”
    • “The pacing is glacial, making the story feel boring and unengaging.”
    • “The dull zones all look alike, which detracts from any emotional connection.”
    • “The weak soundtrack fails to enhance the emotional experience of the game.”
  • stability19 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance and no major glitches or crashes, even on older hardware. However, some users have noted issues with the multiplayer feature being buggy and the anti-cheat system causing problems. While the game runs well for most, there are mentions of occasional bugs that can impact gameplay, particularly when unlocking multiplayer.

    • “The game both looks and runs great.”
    • “I haven't found any major flaws and have encountered no glitches so far.”
    • “60 fps smooth, no stutters, no freezes, nothing.”
    • “Also, be careful when you unlock multiplayer, it's buggy; some bugs are reportedly game-breaking glitches (like messing up your ability to save).”
    • “Great game, but holy cow the anti-cheat system is buggy as heck.”
    • “As a game it's alright, but as a port it's bare-bones/okay at best, and a buggy mess at worst.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers a wealth of post-game content, including side quests and multiplayer options that enhance replay value, some players note a lack of late-game content and smaller overall content compared to the core Monster Hunter series. However, many find the addictive nature of collecting and battling, along with the promise of future DLC, keeps them engaged for hundreds of hours. Overall, it appeals to fans of turn-based RPGs and collectors, providing a satisfying experience despite some limitations.

    • “Highly recommend if you enjoy turn-based RPGs and high replayability games.”
    • “And topping it off, incredible replay value with hundreds of hours of content and progression to keep you going after you complete the story.”
    • “The abundance of post-game content, including side quests, elder's lair challenges, and monster farming, adds significant replay value.”
    • “A really fantastic monster hunter spin-off, although it is more like a children's game. It is still one of my favorite RPGs to play, but it has minor issues such as having small content and little to no late-game content or replayability once you finish the game.”
    • “Lower replay value than the core Monster Hunter series.”
    • “I honestly love this game more than Pokémon just because of how many things that are in it that satisfy me as a collector and team builder, but it still lacks significant replayability.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its adorable and beautiful character designs, complemented by vibrant world graphics and memorable monster designs. While the voice acting and subtitles enhance the overall experience, some players express dissatisfaction with certain design choices, particularly regarding the absence of beloved characters from previous installments. Overall, the game successfully combines appealing aesthetics with engaging gameplay and storytelling.

    • “Beautiful character design and graphics.”
    • “The world design is vibrant and interesting, and the monster/character designs are memorable.”
    • “Additionally, this game also commits the cardinal sin of not including the numbers, who are the pinnacle of monster hunter character design and pretty much the only characters that were really worth it to bring back.”
    • “As an aside, there were people making some pretty wild complaints about character design and choices for crafting their own characters.”
    • “The character designs are pleasing, the different areas are pretty good, and the special effects for many of the attacks are incredibly cool.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its superb quality, featuring amazing music and a gorgeous world enhanced by cel shading. Players appreciate the lighthearted and healing ambiance, which contributes to an overall enjoyable experience that complements the engaging story and combat.

    • “The atmosphere is superb; the music is amazing in both quality and theme, the world is just gorgeous, and the cel shading makes all the characters (including the monsters) look great.”
    • “A lighthearted atmosphere and art style that is constantly enjoyable.”
    • “This game was so beautifully made; the story, combat, atmosphere, all of it is out of this world. I seriously can't wait to see what comes next.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users express dissatisfaction with the recent update due to the introduction of new DRM (Digital Rights Management) measures, which they feel negatively impacts their experience.

    • “The latest update introduced new DRM that I didn't want.”
    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which is frustrating.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

64hMedian play time
58hAverage play time
10-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 31 analyzed playthroughs

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