Since its release, the “Monster Hunter Stories” franchise has progressively improved. What started out as a Nintendo 3DS title with basic graphics has transformed into an impressive Japanese role-playing game series, with the latest entry taking another step on the latest consoles.

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I had a chance to play it as part of Capcom’s TGS by the Bay event. From the get-go, the new entry looks like the best one yet with visuals that feel like a playable anime. The campaign focuses on the Rangers, a group of riders focused on environmental conservation.

A NEW HERO
Players take on the role of the Prince or Princess of Azuria, who is the captain of the group. The protagonist is also the rider of a rare Rathalos, which are important creatures in this “Monster Hunter” spinoff. In the demo, the prince and his friend, Simon, are showing the ropes to the new recruit named Thea along with the prince’s Palico, Rudy, who seems to be the new Navirou.

In the demo, they’re searching for Crystal Encroachment, which is a harmful phenomenon that corrupts the environment and creatures. It sets up an introduction to the combat system, which maintains the rock-scissor-paper mechanics of the franchise. When fighting a monster, players can choose among power, speed or technical attacks. All creatures favor one of these traits, and after battling enough of them, players get a sense of the attack type of each monster.

The Prince of Azuria and his friend Simon rush to danger in “Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.” (Capcom) 

A LOOK AT THE COMBAT SYSTEM
The key is knowing the monster and countering with the rock to their scissor. The later entries add in more complexities, and that’s included in “Twisted Reflection.” Players will be able to attack different body parts of the creature. The edge of a weapon will matter as blunt, piercing and slashing weapons also have advantages against certain enemies and their sections. Players also have skills, which act almost like spells complete a stamina bar that drains with each use. All the while players build up their Kinship Gauge, which allows the Rider to mount his Monstie in battle and deal a massive strike complete with a gorgeous animation.

A Wyvernsoul Gauge is an addition to the combat. It represents a monster’s fighting spirit and damaging that over a battle can put it in a stunned state that allows the player and his party to deal heavy damage. Like other elements of the “Monster Hunter Stories” combat, it’s an RPG translation to mechanics of the main series of game. Players in the flagship titles can knock enemies down, so that the rest of the party can pummel them, and the Wyvernsoul meter is a transparent representation of that.

Out of combat, players can explore the detailed world atop their monsties. Players can quickly switch among them on the fly. The mounts have distinct abilities. Tobi-Kadachi can climb towers and other obstacles. Other creatures in previous games could fly.

Once again, Rathalos plays an important role in “Monster Hunter Stories 3.” (Capcom) 

OVERWORLD POWERS
In “Twisted Reflection,” Capcom adds more action elements by allowing Monsties to also attack weaker foes or the environment itself. Allowing the mounts to attack creatures and instantly defeat them cuts down on the slog of battles while exploring. Meanwhile, players can blast elements such as trees or rocks to harvest materials they will need later. They can even roar to intimidate other monsters so that players can run through a dungeon more quickly.

The one new enemy I encountered was the Chatacabra, which is featured in “Monster Hunter Rise,” but it’s a variant that I never encountered before. It was feral and was partially crystallized. The strange material endowed it with abilities it didn’t usually possess. This boss fight showed off how Capcom intends to make the turn-based combat more difficult. Players will have to account for more parts of the monster during these long and involved confrontations.

The crystallized Chatacbra could also toss out lightning, something it can’t naturally do. It also had an annoying Backlash Counterattack that activated whenever players tried to destroy the crystal on its back. It created a more tactical fight, in which players had to be smart about where and when to attack.

It’s one of the more complex fights I’ve had in the series and also shows its potential when “Monster Hunter Stories: Twisted Reflection” is released March 13, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X and Series S and PC.