Monster hunter stories 2 is a spin off sequel to the first game in contrast to the mainline games focusing on hunting, this series focusing on riding monsters and working with them for various objectives.
Its also even the first monster hunter game I've beaten as I admitedly never really play them for the story, just really just to hunt monsters down, this one however is pretty focused on atypical jrpg stories and its really nothing that special its more or less the same type you would see on the average monster hunter game.
This game, in a sense is similar to pokemon or digimon games.
This game focuses on you trying to solve a strange mystery going on in the world and its up to you and your friends to solve the mystery while taming monsters to fight with you.
It features a huge variety of monsters from the new world to the old world in the mainline games like the deviljho as one such example including its own exclusive ones too.
This game uses a turn based style combat and you can use a variety of weapons to upgrade and create from the monsters you hunt.
Its kind of like rock paper scissors technical speed and power so you have to think carefully which kind of attack you can use.
You can take on quests anytime you like and unlike in the mainline games, it doesn’t have the annoying time limit I honestly felt really wasn’t needed and it does have the 3 tries or you fail combat mechanic but you can actually regain those tries with special items you can find which was really helpful.
You can collect eggs from dens each with their own benefits and traits to help raise a monster to fight with you.
Each monster having their own unique skills and so you can use to help you in combat.
You can trade skills and combine monster abilties together kind of similar to the shin megami tensei games and send them on missions to get items for you while also gaining xp.
The level design in the game is pretty straightforward in addition to having its own unique feel to it and admitedly though, I personally prefer the more open world seamlessness of world and rise.
The art is more anime like to appeal to a younger audience then so the hardcore fanbase the series was catered around it still good.
The graphics were good.
I did liked the music too.
You can create your character however you like just as before.
There were some downfalls too it.
Some of the monsters were had annoying moves that can serve as either cheap status ailments or worse overpowered moves that can lead to instant knock outs.
Not helping either was the terrible voice acting,dialogue and overall localization and the characters honestly were all just awfully annoying and one sided.
Overall it was a good game.
It gets 4 out of 5 stars.
Monster hunter really has came a very long way, from being a niche underdog catered to hardcore players to now, an international best seller that’s topped other capcom games from street fighter,ace attorney and even resident evil.