Monster Hunter Stories for Windows

What this game is

Monster Hunter Stories is a turn-based role-playing spinoff from the Monster Hunter franchise, remade from the 2016 release. Rather than stalking beasts, you raise them: hatch eggs, form bonds, and take your companions into JRPG-style, turn-based encounters. This edition adds refreshed visuals, extra content, and both English and Japanese voice tracks on top of the original experience.

Core concept: riders and monsters

You play as a rider whose role is to nurture monsters and live alongside them, forging tight partnerships. Kinship Stones — a mysterious cultural relic — are central to forming these bonds. To grow your stable, you’ll explore forests, caverns, and other terrains in search of monster dens and eggs. Eggs brought back to your village will hatch, and the resulting monsters become part of your team.

Combat system and equipment

Battle is turn-based and shared between you and your monster: both will take actions against foes. Attacks fall into three distinct categories that follow a rock-paper-scissors balance:

• Technique — beats Speed
• Power — beats Technique
• Speed — beats Power

Your chosen attack types interact with weapon choices and playstyles. Weapon classes include:

• Hammer
• Great Sword
• Hunting Horn
• Sword and Shield

You can further tailor tactics by transferring Bond Genes through the Transmission Ceremony, which unlocks and alters a monster’s abilities and stats.

New and expanded features in the remaster

This release introduces several notable additions and improvements:

• Audio and localization upgrades, including new Japanese and English voice work
• A Museum Mode featuring over 200 previously unused or unreleased pieces
• Soundtrack access with in-game tracks plus extra music
• Developer commentaries tied to selected museum items

It also incorporates prior post-launch updates from the original, such as new post-game challenges and extra customization options. Familiar monsters have been included as part of that expanded roster:

• Rajang
• Kushala Daora
• Teostra

Post-game offerings like the Tower of Illusion and themed gear are available as well.

Who might enjoy it

Whether you’re new to the series or revisiting it, this remaster is designed to appeal to a broad audience. It emphasizes monster collection and companionship over hunting, blends classic JRPG turn-based combat with Monster Hunter flavor, and packs enough new audio, visual, and archival content to be worthwhile even for returning players.