Although I have been a Monster Hunter fan from day one, my exposure to the Stories series had been sporadic—until now. That is about to change, for with Twisted Reflection, the spin-off reaches a level of quality that is simply impressive. Whether it’s the consistently cohesive — and at times bombastic — presentation, the characters bursting with heart, the gripping storyline, or the deep progression system — it all comes together beautifully. Add to this the combat and crafting systems, which wonderfully translate the core Monster Hunter feel into a turn-based RPG format. All of this is delivered on a scale vast enough to keep you glued to your screen for months on end. While you have to look hard to find its flaws, they do exist. In particular, if you have an aversion to grinding, the final 5% of the story can become a true test of patience. Furthermore, many side quests are absolutely tedious, and the dialogue can sometimes be unnecessarily long-winded. However, since these elements can largely be ignored or skipped, I am more than willing to overlook this minor shortcoming. For these reasons, I can wholeheartedly recommend Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection to any JRPG enthusiast —and especially to fellow Monster Hunter fans.
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