I know many people looking at will see “Monster Hunter” in the title here and wonder why it doesn’t say, “Wilds,” but that comes later because Capcom also brought Monster Hunter Stories Collection, a bundled version of the first and second Stories titles, to Summer Games Fest.
As readers might know, Monster Hunter Stories 2 came out in 2021, so re-releasing it only three years after launch seems kind of quick, but it was a Nintendo Switch exclusive. And Monster Hunter Stories 1, whose multiplayer consisted chiefly of online duels a la pokemon, may still be of interest to some MOP readers, especially those with little potential hunters they want to inspire to play Wilds, whenever in (supposedly) 2025 it actually does release. If you need your MonHun fix sooner than that and don’t have access to a Nintendo Switch but do have a PS4, we may be able to help you come June 14th.
For those who already played MHS2 on Switch, the only reason to buy the game again in this new format would be for access to additional premium items, like skins and in-game communication stickers. If you’re looking to join the party late, that’s fine, especially since the Collections version still allows you to play with 2021 MHS2 version players. Sorry if you’re on PS4, though, as there’s no cross-console gameplay.
For the PS crowd, you get access to two games, and the big news is that Stories 1 has been remastered and given voiceovers in this edition. The game was previously released on iOS and Android, but the new version is certainly an upgrade, and for a comparable price. Just be warned that Stories 1 is basically a single-player game. I played MHS1Â for roughly an hour, and while it’s fun, I still recommend MHS2Â over it.
That being said, MHS1 has an accessible but fairly brutal opening that I think kids could understand and adults will be able to sympathize with. If you have a young person in your family you want to become an MH fan, MHS1 seems like a good entry point. The voiceovers help, there’s easy text to be read (and I think one character’s rhyming should help with pronunciation), and kids can learn about the MH world/tropes. Starting with MHS1 could prep them for MHS2 before Wilds is out, as the battle systems basics are the same from what I saw.
Obviously adults can play too; in fact, an adult player from MHS1 was one of the reasons I gave MHS2 a shot. If I had unlimited time, I would certainly play it, but as it stands, I mostly recommend Stories 2, and at this point, mostly for those not on the Switch unless you have friends who have their own console and copy of the game to play with. It’s a fun game – but much more so with others.
MHSC releases June 14th on Steam, Switch, and PS4.
