Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin on PS4 preview — Finally landing on PlayStation

Most people probably know of the Monster Hunter games to be real time action role playing games where you hunt monsters (duh!) and craft weapons and armor from said monster parts. But did you know of a spinoff series that transforms the game into a turn-based party JRPG that is akin to the Pokemon titles? I’m talking about the Monster Hunter Stories series, specifically the second title: Wings of Ruin, as it is finally making its way onto other consoles after being a Switch and PC exclusive for the past 3 years. Note that this preview was done on the PlayStation 4 version of the game.

Developed by Capcom and Marvelous, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a direct sequel to 2016’s Monster Hunter Stories, which also happens to be coming to Switch, PC, and PS4 after being a 3DS only title. Fortunately you don’t need to play the first game before jumping into the second, as the narrative is new and separate from the original. However, the game does allude to the first, including events and characters. You again take on the role of a Rider, who forms bonds with monsters known as Monsties. Unlike Hunters from the mainline Monster Hunter games, Riders live in harmony with them, and embark on adventures battling alongside their Monstie companions.

The story of Wings of Ruin begins on the festive night in Mahana, the central village of Hakolo Island. You are the grandchild of Red, a legendary Rider whose Monstie, guardian Ratha, was the revered protector of the island. The plot thickens as Rathalos around the world begin to vanish, and you encounter Ena, a Wyverian girl who once knew Red. Together, you embark on a journey to protect an egg entrusted by Ratha, leading you to uncover the cause for an abnormality plaguing the world. The narrative doesn’t seem to be anything to write home about, but we’ll have to see how it plays out in the end.

As previously mentioned, Wings of Ruin follows a traditional turn-based combat system. Your party consists of five different Monsties with a sixth slot reserved for Ratha, the mandatory story companion. You can also equip up to three different weapons that can be swapped mid-combat, most if not all from the main series, such as the greatsword, sword and shield, and lance. These weapons deal slash, blunt, or pierce damage that target different monster parts. It’s refreshing that the developers integrated mechanics from Monster Hunter here, so it’ll feel like second nature if you’re familiar with them. Despite each battle being engaging, forcing you to strategize and plan, the repetition of it all can catch up to you. Get ready to grind for materials and parts to craft your best armor and weapons.

Depending on your progression, your team can also consist of AI-controlled characters too, with their own Monsties even. Battles play out in a simple rock, paper, scissors format where you can perform strength, speed, or technical attack types. Picking the same type as your enemy will cancel the attack out whereas choosing the correct one will deal extra damage. There isn’t a traditional skill point or mana gauge here, but instead there’s something called Kinship Points, of which after you reach 100, you can perform a Kinship Strike by riding your Monstie. These attacks feature some of the coolest and flashiest animations in the game, and are a sure treat for anyone! 

The bond between you and your Monsties is central to the gameplay, with you actively hatching, raising, and living alongside your Monsties as you progress through the narrative. Yes, it is kind of dark raiding monster nests to steal eggs and subsequently hatching them to be your own, but it’s better than killing them right? Each Monstie type provides different overworld exploration perks, with ones that grant you the ability to climb, jump, and even swim! As you progress further into the game, you’ll unlock the Rites of Channeling, which allow you to transfer genes from one Monstie to another. If you want a particular gene for one Monstie, then get ready to farm a specific monster for it! This is presented in a tic-tac-toe-like board that can grant you bonuses from a mechanic known as Bingo Bonuses.

Like the mainline Monster Hunter titles, the beginning hours of the game can get a bit overwhelming, with many mechanics thrown at you all at once. But don’t fret as I felt the same way with just about all the other Monster Hunter games. You’ll get used to it in no time. There’s a ton of content packed into this PlayStation port of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, and it only costs $39.99 (when compared to $70 triple A prices nowadays). I haven’t even mentioned the cooperative and PVP modes in the game that you can sink dozens of hours into aside from the end-game of collecting all the Monsties!

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin launches on June 14th for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.

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