Monster Hunter Stories 3 Takes a Dark Turn: What to Expect from Twisted Reflection

Promotional screenshot of the player riding a Rathalos in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
The Monster Hunter Stories series is about to embark on a mature and dark direction in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. (Image credit: Capcom)

On July 31, 2025, Capcom revealed a new entry for its Monster Hunter Stories series titled Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, which is slated to be released in 2026.

Monster Hunter Stories is a series of turn-based JRPGs where, instead of hunting monsters like in the mainline Monster Hunter franchise, you tame them so they can become your friends (a.k.a. Monsties) and help you fight bigger monsters.

This new instalment will take Monster Hunter Stories in a bold new direction with a new world to explore, a grim story filled with war and strife to experience, and a host of new Monsties to tame and ride.

Here is everything you need to know about Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.

When is the release date for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection?

When is the release date for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection currently has a tentative release date of 2026.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection - Announcement Trailer - YouTube Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection - Announcement Trailer - YouTube
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Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection's release date is at this point in time slated to be released sometime during 2026.

I suspect this game will likely release at the end of Monster Hunter Wild's post-launch content patch release cycle to satiate fans' need to hunt monsters while they wait for either a probable Monster Hunter Wilds DLC expansion or a new mainline game.

When is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection up for Preorder and what is its price?

When is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection up for Preorder and what is its price?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection's pricing and pre-order is unavailable at this time. However, it is available for wishlisting.

For the first time in Monster Hunter history, we will witness between a war between humans using monsters as weapons. (Image credit: Capcom)

Pre-orders have not gone up yet for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, so there's no word currently on how much it will cost.

That being said, the game is available for wish listing at various online retailers such as Steam.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Embark on a perilous journey to save the world from a ruinous war, a life-purge crystal Encroachment, and discover the truth behind the legendary Skyscale Rathalos in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.

Wishlist at: Steam

What will the gameplay and story be like in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection?

What will the gameplay and story be like in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection?

No official gameplay for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection has been shown yet, though it is likely it will remain a turn-based monster-catcher JRPG like its predecessors.

The story will be set in a new world from previous games where two kingdoms are on the brink of war, a mysterious force is turning life into crystal, and the protagonist is the owner of the last remaining Rathalos in existence.

In a world where Rathalos are thought to be extinct, two have been born bearing the marks of the most dreadful Rathalos of them all — Skyscale Rathalos. (Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Stories games usually have you travelling the world, exploring towns and landscapes, traversing dungeons, and fighting giant monsters.

While delving dungeons, you can swipe eggs from a monster's nest and hatch them so they can become tamed monsters nicknamed Monsties. By using the skills of Monsties, you can overcome environmental puzzles and defeat hordes of beasts in action-packed turn-based battles.

While no concrete gameplay footage of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection has been revealed thus far, we can hazard a guess that it follows this aforementioned similar gameplay structure like its predecessors Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.

What we definitely know about Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is that it will be set in an entirely different world from previous games and feature a more mature, grim story than its generally light-hearted predecessors.

Travel to forbidden lands to discover the cause of the Crystal Encroachment. (Image credit: Capcom)

The story is set in a world where Monster Hunter's most iconic monster, Rathalos, has gone extinct, and a mysterious phenomenon is threatening to transmogrify the land and all lifeforms into lifeless crystals.

To make matters worse, tensions between the neighbouring kingdoms of Azuria & Vermeil begin to flare up as each realm bears witness to the birth of twin Rathalos, which are thought to be extinct.

These twins aren't ordinary Rathalos, however, as they bear the marks and elongated horns of the legendary Skyscale Rathalos, a harbinger of doom that caused a civil war 200 years ago.

With these looming threats overhead, the heir of Azuria (a.k.a. the player) is tasked to take one of these Rathalos under their care, investigate the crystal phenomenon, and protect the land from a potential bloody war sparking between Azuria and Vermeil.

What monsties will Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection have?

What Monsties will Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection have?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will feature all kinds of monsters from the Monster Hunter series as playable Monsties, including Rathalos, Velocidrome, Legiana, Anjaneth, and more.

It will also include new monsters that are highly likely to become Monsties, such as Magnamalo and Rakna-Kadaki.

Magnamalo, the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Rise will be joining the Monster Hunter Stories series in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. (Image credit: Capcom)

One of the main selling points of the Monster Hunter Stories series is getting to tame and ride iconic monsters from the mainline Monster Hunter series, and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will be no different.

So far, it's been confirmed that Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will include classic Monsties like Rathalos, Velocidrome, Legiana, and Anjanath.

The game will also include new mainline monsters not seen in previous Monster Hunter Stories games. So these new monsters include Magnamalo and Rakna-Kadaki from Monster Hunter Rise.

It has not been confirmed yet if these new monsters will become rideable Monsties, but there's a high chance they will be.

What platforms will Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection be released on?

What platforms will Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection be released on?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

What new Monsties will you find in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection? (Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will be released on various platforms, including Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

That first is particularly special because this game will be the first title in the Monster Hunter Stories series to release on Xbox consoles. This is great news for Xbox JRPG fans, as now they can experience one of the best Pokémon-like titles out there.

If Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection sells well on Xbox, perhaps it will convince Capcom to port the rest of the series onto Xbox consoles as well.

If we're really lucky, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection may show up on Xbox Game Pass as well.

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Alexander Cope
Contributor — Gaming

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is! 

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