Monster Hunter Tales 3: Twisted Reflection PS5 Preview. Monster Hunter is a wealthy world stuffed with many creatures, weapons, characters, and extra. So it solely appears pure that Capcom would develop Monster Hunter into other forms of media and video games. Unsurprisingly, the franchise acquired its personal turn-based RPG spin-off line within the type of the Monster Hunter Tales collection. Initially beginning on the Nintendo 3DS again in 2016 in Japan, the Tales sub-series has since gone multi-platform. Capcom is presently growing Monster Hunter Tales 3: Twisted Reflection, and I had the pleasure of getting some hands-on time with it at Tokyo Recreation Present 2025.
Within the Monster Hunter Tales video games, you play as a ranger whose occupation is akin to that of the wildlife rangers of our actual world. Rangers attempt to assist preserve the environments and habitats of monsters. As an alternative of looking the monsters, they as a substitute will attempt to befriend and lift them, even from the time they hatch from eggs. Whereas being in the identical world, every Monster Hunter Tales recreation has a standalone story with its personal protagonists. My demo featured rangers Captain Leo and Simon as they take new recruit Thea on her first mission.
Not all monsters are pleasant and wish to assist the rangers. When combating enemies, Monster Hunter Tales 3 options the turn-based fight type of earlier Tales video games, that includes a rock-paper-scissors idea for its three assault sorts: energy, technical, and velocity. Velocity beats Energy, Energy beats Technical, and Technical beats Velocity. Selecting the right assault kind over your opponents’ will lead to extra injury delivered and resolve whether or not or not you efficiently hit the enemy in Head-to-Head assaults.
Monsties, ally monsters that rangers journey whereas touring, additionally take part battles and might workforce up with the rider characters to do Double Assaults to deal extra injury. Moreover for extra highly effective strikes, you possibly can choose Expertise, extra highly effective assaults however use your restricted stamina meter. Enemies will be staggered after which toppled. As soon as toppled, you are able to do an all-out assault known as Synchro Rush. Whereas numerous these turn-based ideas are acquainted, I nonetheless loved the battles, partially because of their snappy pacing and easily being set within the Monster Hunter universe.
Exterior of battles, the rangers should discover the huge open world, and exploration is made all of the extra enjoyable and speedier by driving their companion monsters aka Monsties. Some Monsties are quick on the bottom, some can climb, and others can fly or glide. As a ranger, you’ll typically have to change which Monstie you’re driving as a way to attain sure locations. As you discover, you possibly can collect usable assets, corresponding to fruit, crops, and ores.
Monster Hunters Tales 3 dons an analogous cel-shaded, anime artwork type as seen in its predecessors. It’s a pleasantly totally different look to the extra practical and grittier look of the mainline Monster Hunter Video games. Environments on this artwork type are lovely and colourful, like one thing you’ll see in a Studio Ghibli movie. Characters are equally as colourful of their costume designs and look cute or charming. By concentrating on present technology consoles, the sport is allowed full environments, in addition to detailed characters and costumes.
I used to be stunned to find Monster Hunter Tales 3 is operating on the RE Engine, the identical engine used for the current Resident Evil and Monster Hunter video games. In truth, it’s the primary recreation within the sub-series to make use of the engine. It actually goes to point out the flexibility, even in visible types, that the RE Engine has. From the extra practical renderings of Resident Evil titles and Pragmata to the extra stylized, cel-shaded seems to be in Monster Hunter Tales 3 and the Road Fighter video games, RE Engine continues to impress.
Truthfully, I’ve grown keen on Monster Hunter Tales 3 after my over half an hour playtime. The sport is shaping as much as be one other entertaining entry within the esteemed franchise. Ever wished to go on an anime-like journey on this planet of Monster Hunter? MHS3: Twisted Reflection is up your alley.
Monster Hunter Tales 3: Twisted Reflection launches March 26, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Swap 2, Xbox Sequence X/S, and PC.
