When talking about porting of games already released for different platforms, as in the case of Monster Hunter Stories 2 for PlayStation 4 and consequently also 5, the user usually expects certain types of improvements: a higher resolution, more graphic details or even just a higher framerate (like 30 fps titles that are brought to a stable 60). Can we say that the port of Monster Hunter Stories 2 succeeded in its intent? Let’s see together in this review!
In great shape
The second chapter of the Monster Hunter spin-off by Capcom It was originally released on PC And Nintendo Switchwith the latter being seen a bit as the reference platform for Monster Hunter Stories 2. The reasons were obviously not of a technical nature – a priori no title could express its full potential more on Switch than on a gaming PC – but for the concept of the game.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 is essentially a monster collectorwhich to be clear is the same genre as Pokémon (and it’s no mystery how much the Game Freak series is a commercial success from every point of view). Stories 2 is therefore aimed at Monster Hunter fans, who even with a different aesthetic (more cartoon) they partly live the mood of the games of the main seriesbut also and above all to Pokémon fans who could see in this title a valid alternative to the series of pocket monsters, perhaps to play between one chapter and another.
This little contextualization was useful to make it clear that many of the Monster Hunter Stories 2 players, despite being able to count on a more than valid PC version, most likely bought it for Nintendo Switch, and it is only for them that this version could be attractive. PlayStation 4 (that we have tested on PS5 through backwards compatibility).
The PlayStation version gets better that Nintendo Switch from every point of view technically speakingstarting from the higher resolution up to a much more stable framerate and brought to 60 (from the 30 of the Nintendo Switch version). The framerate would actually not be that important because it is still a turn-based RPG, based on a Rock-Paper-Scissors system. Each Monster has an attack style: Power, Speed and Technique with Speed beating Power, Technique beating Speed and Power beating Technique, so studying the attack style of the various monsters and selecting the right attack style is a determining factor in the outcome of the fights.
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None of this has anything to do with the player’s reflexes, with clicking the buttons at the right time, which is why Monster Hunter Stories 2 was generally fine even at 30 fps in terms of playability.
Having played all versions we can say that though both on PC That on PlayStation we found more pleasant Monster Hunter Stories 2, because even without any features the 60 fps and the greater fluidity give a better perception of the gaming experience. On the other hand, playing it on Switch at 30 fps even quite unstable on Day 1 did not give an equally positive feeling. We are still talking about subjective factors, those who play almost exclusively on Switch probably will not even take into consideration details of this kind, but if you do not like framerates of 30 or lower, regardless of the type of gaming experience, we strongly recommend you to get Monster Hunter Stories 2 for PC or PlayStation, if you have the means.
The improvement it’s as also said aestheticthanks to the major resolutionand allows the game to shine much more. In fact, on Nintendo Switch the game loses a bit of its shine if played on a TV, you can see that it is a bit grainy and not very sharp, while it definitely gives its best on the Switch screen, especially if it is Oled. On PlayStation, just like on PC, that sharpness and solidity on a very large screen is present. The PC version is certainly the best, thanks to the possibility of playing at maximum resolution even with non-exceptional configurations, after all we are talking about a game with graphics that are certainly not heavy, but if you are only a console gamer and also have a PlayStation this version of Monster Hunter Stories 2 is also very good and allows you to enjoy it without particular compromises.
If we combine all the improvements with the absence of particular problems, the result is an impeccable portwhich improves what needed improving and undoubtedly offers the second best version of Monster Hunter Stories 2 after that PC, un well made monster collector which we feel we can recommend to both Monster Hunter fans and RPG and genre fans. If you missed our actual review of the game, you can find it by clicking here.
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