10 Games To Play After Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Hey, nice to see you finally lift your head up from playing Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection! Did you finally beat the game? Got that monstie you wanted? Great! You look like you're not done with the game just yet. But you've already done everything you want to do in it? That's okay. To help with the usual JRPG withdrawals, we've got a few suggestions for you to follow MHS3 with.

From the daring adventures to more forgiving turn-based combat, there's something for every side of the Monster Hunter Stories experience on this list. You can also get a feel for which one to tackle next based on length, vibe, and even if you just want to meet more dragons or catch more monsters

10 Granblue Fantasy Relink

Meet The Cutest Dragon Ever, Vyrn

So, you've been playing MHS3 for a while. Let's ease you into something small, yet satisfying, that has room for a challenge or two. Granblue Fantasy Relink is the perfect JRPG for that. In the Sky Realm, you'll travel across islands with all sorts of different locations to visit. Along the way, you'll meet characters who will make up your party, with some taking more focus than others in a brief but epic story.

Granblue Fantasy Relink is built for those familiar with the Granblue Fantasy series first, so if this sounds like a perfect little appetizer to you, you may want to do some poking around to understand who these characters are. Fate Episodes should ease you in if you want to pay attention to them. You'll be able to travel with a little dragon named Vyrn by your side for your efforts, who you'll probably become smitten with. He's just too charming in all kinds of ways.

9 Xenoblade Chronicles

A Wide Open World to Explore in a Whole New Way

Living on the bodies of two robot gods, the Homs and the Mechons are at odds with each other. One day, a group of Mechons strikes at a Homs colony. As a former war hero tries to strike back against the invaders, his all-powerful weapon falls at a prospective mechanic's feet. He takes the weapon, and with it showing him a vision of the future to help him gain the upper hand, he uses it to protect his home colony. Unfortunately, one of his dear friends was killed in the attack, so our hero Shulk sets out to get revenge on the Mechons who killed her.

This is a rough introduction to the story of Xenoblade Chronicles. It might not have monster catching, but it has plenty of big creatures to fight with its real-time battle system. It also invites you into one of the most expansive JRPG worlds I've ever seen, daring you to try not to fall in love with it. You'll fail. For those new to the JRPG genre through Monster Hunter and Monster Hunter Stories, this adventure may be your gateway to seeing what's so special about these games as a whole.

8 Breath of Fire IV

Take This Other Dragon-Based JRPG To Get Invested In

This is the part where I try to introduce some more modern players to trying a retro game! The Breath of Fire series is another JRPG franchise by Capcom that takes a more Final Fantasy approach to its tales. Every game stars a protagonist named Ryu and a female lead named Nina. Ryu has dragon-based powers that you can power up, and Breath of Fire IV in particular is considered a masterpiece to many. Made for the PS1, the game uses a 2.5D art style to create a rustic world full of ruins, with the characters being displayed through tasteful sprites.

I personally think that if you enjoyed the art and vibe of Monster Hunter Stories 3, the warm art style in Breath of Fire IV that feels almost like a used scroll will sit well with you. It also deals with worldbuilding involving a big dragon. You guys like that stuff, right? Breath of Fire IV is seen as being particularly forgiving, which makes it an easy choice for newcomers. There are also plenty of unique quirks to Breath of Fire IV from a game design standpoint that make it an intriguing game to play to see what happens next. I recommend buying Breath of Fire IV anywhere else but Steam, though, as the Steam version has very noticeable issues.

7 Genshin Impact

Not Trying To Give You A Gacha Addiction, I Swear

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections takes you through four gigantic maps that are the best time sinks for your hours. Being able to ride, climb, and soar with your Rathalos makes the game a treat to go through, even when the only thing you can do is go from Point A to Point B. The exploration reminds me of a certain game, though. At the risk of being another "I'm getting Genshin Impact vibes" person about a completely unrelated game, I really do think those who like flying through Monster Hunter Stories 3 should give Genshin Impact a try.

Outside of Genshin's well-known gacha mechanics, walking around and seeing its big, elaborate areas just feels great. You can climb and glide all around the map to find rewards to strengthen your characters, running into side quests and lore like every other JRPG out there. Also, if you loved testing your luck with MHS3's eggs, then artifact rolling and even the main gacha itself might be another test of your luck. Please spend Primogems responsibly.

6 Tales of Zestiria

Learn From Ancient History On a Quest For Co-Existence

Famine, pestilence, and all forms of strife are rampant across the continent of Glenwood. The people have come to call this time The Age of Chaos, praying for salvation from celestial beings known as seraphim. Little do they know, the seraphim live among them just like they do. A young human boy named Sorey has been raised in the mountains by the seraphim, born with a natural ability to see them. When he encounters another human and learns of the struggles of his kind, he aims to help everyone he can on a quest to encourage a world where the seraphim and humans can co-exist. This is the story of Tales of Zestiria.

As someone who adores Tales of Zestiria, I feel like those who enjoyed Monster Hunter Stories 3's ranger plotline would enjoy what this Tales of game is about. It helps that MHS3's gene system operates very similarly to Zestiria's equipment skills. Sure, it suffers from some issues like a wonky camera, definitely showing its age in some places, but the way it puts a heroic story under a microscope and deals with the reality of what it takes to be one is something worth experiencing.

5 Final Fantasy XIV Online

Worldbuilding And Mounts For Days

The ranger plot of Monster Hunter Stories 3 also deals with its fair share of politics. What JRPG with a living world doesn't get political from time to time? Some people get bored with it, but it does a great job at getting attentive players invested in their surroundings. My personal favorite JRPG that goes to great lengths to have the world live itself is Final Fantasy XIV Online. You play as the Warrior of Light, a hero from another world who is chosen by the Mothercrystal Hydaelyn to help protect the realm from incoming harm.

Final Fantasy XIV's story and following expansions tend to follow a rhythm, trading off on focusing on politics before being followed by action-packed content soon after. The free trial can now take you up to Shadowbringers and Level 80, which is hours upon hours of award-winning content at no cost. If this sounds like heaven to you, you really have nothing stopping you from diving right in.

4 Digimon World

Tamagotchi Meets Pokémon

We can't go through recommendations after playing a Monster Hunter game without talking about other creature-catching games! The first one I think you guys will enjoy is Digimon World. It's one of the simpler Digimon games in concept, without being too similar to Persona or a fighting game. You raise Digimon like they were little virtual pet creatures. If only it were that simple in practice, though.

Digimon World is infamous for being a very obtuse simulation game. You either manage to click with what it asks of you right away, stumble into good Digimon by accident, or make a gross Numemon every single time, even when you're trying your best. It's incredibly open-ended and doesn't hold your hand for better or for worse, which makes it freeing, but I really suggest picking up a guide if you're having trouble raising your buddies. It'll make for a great challenge after raising monsties either way.

3 Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Light-Hearted Monster-Catching Fun

A lot of people talk about how Ni no Kuni manages to capture the feel of a Studio Ghibli film, but I don't think many people realize that the animated cutscenes are done by Studio Ghibli itself. No careful analysis and mastering of the art style by someone else — this is legitimately a Studio Ghibli RPG.

There's a lot of detail that went into Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch that I think Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections players will appreciate. It gives you a rich, detailed world to get invested in with themes made to speak to any child playing, so it might touch your inner child. On top of that, you battle with little creatures called familiars. You can catch and train familiars, making this a monster-catcher, but it isn't the only thing the title offers.

If you want a more cozy, yet emotional world and RPG to play, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch might be what you're looking for.

2 Rune Factory 4

A Lot To Offer In An Unassuming Package

After falling into the kingdom of Selphia, you are now crowned the realm's newest ruler. It's a bit strange, but it gives you the freedom to do whatever you like to help yourself and the kingdom prosper. This includes farming, crafting, adventuring, finding a spouse, and even taming the monsters you encounter on your adventures.

Out of the Rune Factory games, Rune Factory 4 is the one that I found to be the most endearing. Everything it offers has a surprising amount of depth to it. Its PC version, Rune Factory 4 Special, might help show its age a bit more, but it's hard to argue against it when there's so much to do and a full life to live in Selphia.

Both Rune Factory 4 and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection take around the same amount of hours to beat. It'd be a great follow-up to relax after hours upon hours of monster-versus-monster combat with just as much stuff to do.

See Where It All Began

I'm sure you've seen a fair few people recommend that Monster Hunter players try out Pokémon, and it's made you roll your eyes. Hear me out for a second. Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels very different than all the other games before it. It takes place in the made-obsolete Hisui region, where Pokémon were seen as beasts more than friends.

Don't worry, you're still a Pokémon Trainer, but you get taken out of the present time and thrown into the past by the pocket monster god Arceus himself. With your understanding that humans and Pokémon can work together, you set off on what's seen as a more perilous journey in these times to catch 'em all. It makes the adventure just a bit more down-to-earth than what the series normally delves into.

Because of how Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes you back to the days when catching Pokémon had a bit more weight to it, I feel like the atmosphere will feel familiar to Monster Hunter players in general, not just fans of the Stories series. Its unique perspective might get you to appreciate another monster catcher in a way you haven't before.