Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin Torrent is an action game developed and published by Capcom. Whether or not you already possess your Monster Hunter guild card, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin stands independently as an excellent JRPG. It’s user-friendly enough for beginners and younger players alike to relish, but with intricate mechanics to captivate a more seasoned audience. It also serves as a beautiful ode to the Monster Hunter series, presenting an imaginative world I can’t help but daydream about just existing in, as perilous as that might be.
In contrast to Monster Hunter’s action-centric gameplay loop of hunting, crafting, and then hunting some more, Wings of Ruin unfolds like a tried-and-true JRPG. It can be enjoyed even if you skip its precursor: while there are some recurring characters you befriend along the way, playing the first is not a prerequisite to grasping the second. There are numerous likable new characters introduced as well, and its exceptionally well-paced tutorials educate effectively while allowing you to roam and act as you wish early on. Wings of Ruin brings forth many commendable alterations from the original, although some are regrettably a bit disappointing.
Turn-based combat revolves around a Rock-Paper-Scissors structure with Power, Technical, and Speed-type attacks, and each monster species (and Monstie) leans toward one of these types. Wings of Ruin incorporates more intricate mechanics in a majority of battles than its forerunner, featuring monster parts to break and observable attack pattern changes instead of seemingly random ones.
Fortunately, the turn-based combat affords ample time to contemplate your choices, and this is where the series finally resonated with me. Instead of maneuvering around a flailing beast, pondering which body parts to strike with which weapons, and hoping the hits will connect, I could systematically go through my strategy and comprehend how all the captivating layers of Monster Hunters’ battles intertwine before making a move. Stories distill all the elements that make Monster battles so gratifying into something considerably more approachable.
In theory, you could forcefully navigate through using basic attacks and grinding, but the moment you discern how to deflate a fluffy Poalumu’s collar like an aging party balloon is euphoric. There’s profound satisfaction in thwarting a monster’s plans before they materialize.
Minor oversights and annoyances certainly chipped away at me during the 80+ hours I devoted to Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin—through its campaign and beyond—but the journey was undeniably worthwhile despite the frequent grains of sand in my shoe. Its mercifully free, gacha-like monster-hatching loop is consistently thrilling, and its combat and customization are both accessible yet still detailed and rewarding. Its story is pleasurable if somewhat cliché, but exploring this stunning world from the backs of my favorite monsters is an absolute pleasure.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin Torrent may appear cute, but it still maintains the significant depth the series is renowned for. No, it’s not as extensive or as brisk as the likes of Monster Hunter World, but that works in its favor. Stories 2 is the inviting series entry point I’ve been anticipating and has motivated me to revisit other games in the series to challenge my skills once more.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings of Ruin Torrent System Requirements
- OS: WINDOWS 7/8/10/11 (64-BIT)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-3470 3.20 GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 28 GB available space
