A series that originated on the Nintendo 3DS just got a new game, the third game in the series, and it’s one of the best games of 2026, so far. This is, at least according to Metacritic data. The game in question currently has an 85 on Metacritic, which ranks it in the top 10 highest-rated games of the year. And this is actually a new high for the series, which previously peaked with 82, which means this third game is arguably the best game in the series, which dates back to 2016.
In 2016, ten years ago, Capcom and Marvelous debuted a new Monster Hunter spin-off series called Monster Hunter Stories. Like the core games, this spin-off series are action RPG games, but the gameplay is very different. For one, you play as the Rider instead of a Hunter, while battles are traditional turn-based. Like most spin-offs, it is not as popular as the core series, but still plenty popular, hence three games in 10 years. More than this, the series is steadily improving with each game, judging by its review scores trending upward.
From 70s to Mid 80s
The first Monster Hunter Stories game was a Nintendo 3DS exclusive when it released, and it released to a 79 on Metacritic. Then came the second game with its 82 on Metacritic in 2021, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. At launch, this was a Nintendo Switch and PC game. And now Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is here, on PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X. And the previous two games, for those curious in tasting the whole series, are also available on these current modern platforms natively and/or via backward compatibility.
With an 85 on Metacritic, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection won’t be sticking around in the top 10 highest-rated games of 2026 for long. It may not even make the top 20 come the end of the year, but for now, it’s a noteworthy achievement for Capcom and Marvelous, the former of which also has the 2nd highest-rated game of 2026 in the form of Resident Evil Requiem. Meanwhile, the highest-rated game so far this year is actually a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive from Nintendo.
While Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a spin-off, it does not have a spin-off price, so be prepared to pay $70 for it. In return, you will get an action RPG that is a few dozen hours long.
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