Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin review: Fits like an Anja glove
An idea so nice they did it twice, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin takes the formula of the first game and elevates it to soaring new heights. Originally launching on the Switch and PC in 2021, the game has been brought to the PlayStation alongside a remaster of its predecessor.
I got to check out the PS4 versions of both games, you can see the review of the first game here. With that done, let's swoop into Wings of Ruin.
GGRecon Verdict
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin continues what was started in the first game, and elevates it to new heights. What was once a side attraction could well become the staple, as Wings of Ruin is simply an excellent RPG.
New generation
Click to enlargeMonster Hunter Stories 2 is set many years after the first game. You play as the grandchild of Red, the previous protagonist. The Pokemon comparisons are already coming thick and fast, as you will hear many tales of the legendary Red and his exploits as a master Rider. Sure enough, your character is also destined to become a Rider, this series' alternative to Hunters.
As the title suggests, Riders partner up with monsters rather than hunt them as you would in the main series. You begin your adventure with just one monster, but through 'acquiring' eggs, you can expand your roster of Monsties (Monster Besties).
So begins a traditional style of RPG adventure, as you explore a strange and wonderful world, meet all kinds of characters, add more monsters to your party, and train them in battles to become the strongest. These things are all true of the original Monster Hunter Stories, and the core of that game is alive and well in the sequel.
The story continues
Click to enlargeIf you played the first game before Wings of Ruin, you will be well prepared for what is on offer here. If you didn't, chances are you've played a Pokemon game at some point and that is about as close as you can get. The accusations of the Stories games being Monster Hunter-flavoured Pokemon games are not unfounded, but they are a gross oversimplification.
Yes indeed, this is a game where you collect and raise monsters, but that doesn't mean the games are without their own identity. The first Stories game took elements of Monster Hunter and Pokemon and created something unique and interesting. Stories 2 takes what that game did and expands in many different ways.
The first thing you'll notice is the leap forward in fidelity. The move from the 3DS to the Switch naturally means a significant increase in performance, creating a much more impressive-looking game. In 2024, we jump ahead again, bringing Wings of Ruin to PlayStation systems.
It has been on PC since day one so that will likely always be the best performer of the bunch, but I can say from experience that the game looks and runs beautifully on the PS4 and PS5.
What sets it apart?
Click to enlargeMonster Hunter Stories 2 is a much bigger and more fleshed-out version of the original game's premise. The world is vast, the individual locations are bigger and more populated. There's a lot more exploring to do, and a much prettier world to do it in.
In the first game, monsters were scattered almost aimlessly. Here, they have much more natural behaviours in the wild. You'll see them eating from trees, swimming in bodies of water, and generally making more sense in the environment. It goes a long way to make the world of MHS2 feel more real and believable than the limitations of the first game were capable of.
Just as much as the visuals, the mechanics of the game have seen a big leap forward between games. We still have the turn-based battle system and the Power/Technical/Speed attack types. That rock/paper/scissors design has been expanded and now encompasses more of the abilities, making it all the more important for you to learn a monster's attack patterns.
Click to enlargeFurthermore, you have different weapon types that you can switch between mid-fight to focus on your enemy's weaknesses. Targeting and breaking individual parts of a monster is now a feature, netting you bonus rewards and disabling certain attacks.
To put it all together, in the first Stories game, you used one of the three attack types to chip away at a monster, largely guessing at their attacks until you could mount up for a Kinship attack. In the sequel, you can more accurately counter a monster by reading its attacks, using the correct weapon and attacking specific body parts.
To keep things fresh, monsters can now go into a rage like they do in the mainline games, making them more dangerous and their attacks harder to predict.
Who is it for?
Click to enlargeWings of Ruin takes just about everything that made the first Monster Hunter Stories great and adds new layers that improve the formula in many ways. This was true when the game first launched in 2021, so why come back to it in 2024? Unlike the first game, this new PlayStation release of MHS2 is not a remaster.
It is a straightforward port of the game, there haven't been any major changes made in the process. Undoubtedly the game looks and runs much better on PS4/5 than it does on the Switch, which may be enough of a reason for some dedicated fans to pick the game up again.
For the most part, this port is purely for those PlayStation owners who haven't had the chance to play Monster Hunter Stories yet. Both games are available separately at a reduced price, or together in a bundle. If you're a Monster Hunter fan who hasn't yet tried the Stories games, you owe it to yourself to give them a look.
The Verdict
Click to enlargePersonally, I am one of those people. For whatever reason, I never got around to the Monster Hunter Stories games before these versions, and having played them both, I see that was a mistake. Both games are excellent RPGs that anyone could pick up, but Monster Hunter fans will get the most enjoyment.
Being RPGs, both Stories games can be quite a time investment. If you're looking at this bundle and thinking you'd rather go for just one, I would recommend grabbing Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. It's the more fleshed-out of the two, and you won't be missing too much in the way of story context.
Whether you play both or not, Wings of Ruin is an incredible RPG that takes what's great about Monster Hunter and presents it in a new package. On its own merit, it is an excellent RPG in a similar vein to Pokemon, with a fresh take on what you might expect.
4/5
Reviewed PS4 version on PS5 via backwards compatibility. Code provided by the publisher.
