In a recent joint media interview published by 4Gamer, the development team behind Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection explained how the game’s story and RPG mechanics make it somewhat different from previous entries in terms of target audience, scale, and difficulty.
“For this game, we aimed for a more adult-oriented protagonist, setting his age at around 19,” game director Kenji Oguro said, noting that the hero is older than in previous Stories titles. In the first game and its sequel, the protagonists were 12 and 15 years old respectively, and spent much of the story being trained by senior riders. Repeating that structure in a third installment, he suggested, “risked feeling repetitive.”
“So, we decided to make the protagonist the kingdom’s ace rider. As a result, both the story and the gameplay experience became larger in scale, and I believe we were able to bring a fresh feel that sets it apart from the previous entries in the series.”
Lead game designer Daisuke Wakahara said that the team consciously decided to make Monster Hunter Stories 3’s battles more challenging than before. “We repeatedly fine-tuned the game with the goal of creating a system where players would be required think through many different possibilities, try out various strategies and tactics, and genuinely feel a sense of enjoyment when those efforts paid off,” he commented. However, while things may have become more complex system-wise, the developers made playability and comfort a top priority, referencing modern turn-based RPG hits like Metaphor ReFantazio and Expedition 33.
The developers also introduced a new stamina system that allows skills to be used more frequently than Kinship skills in previous games, which consumed the Kinship Gauge and were therefore harder to rely on consistently. Monsters now also have a Wyvernsoul Gauge, which can cause fatigue if depleted, but can also trigger a powerful “Synchro Rush” attack capable of dealing massive damage.
Oguro likened the system to pro wrestling, “First, you clash using small techniques, gradually building up momentum through the Wyvernsoul Gauge and Synchro Rush. Then, in the final stretch, it all leads into flashy finishing moves and a dramatic comeback victory,” he said.
In the case of Feral Monsters, dangerous versions of regular monsters, they strike back when the Blightstones on their bodies are attacked. Wakahara said this design is deliberate, and a mechanic meant to “make players think and learn.”
“If players learn to maneuver around these counters, they can defeat the monster fairly easily.This will encourage them to consider which parts to attack and when in future battles.” He also provided an example: “Tetranadon inflates its belly during a form change. Destroying that part weakens it, but if players fail to break it in time, it breathes fire that damages the protagonists.”
The game is also set in a way, according to Oguro, that “players feel satisfied once they complete the main story,” which is unlike previous games in the series which placed a bigger emphasis on endgame content. He said that the main story would take players 30 hours to finish, but side quests and additional content would push this number further. Executive producer Ryozo Tsujimoto added that finishing in 30 hours would be challenging for most players, and noted that some internal playtesters spent over 50 hours exploring the game, making the typical playtime roughly 40 to 50 hours.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is set to release on March 13, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.
