It’s a big year for Monster Hunter as a series, as we’ve not only started to see more Monster Hunter Wilds news, but both Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2 are heading to more platforms. To learn more about the latest remaster and port, Siliconera got a chance to talk with Producer Yoshihiro Akira and Art Director Takahiro Kawano about the games getting a new chance at fresh audiences.
Jenni Lada: Monster Hunter Stories is about eight years old now. What sorts of challenges did that pose when preparing it for the Switch, PS4, and PC?
Yoshihiro Akira: Because Monster Hunter Stories was an older title, it took a lot of effort to bring it to current platforms. Programmers had to decipher the source code to develop the game. The biggest problem we faced was the user interface. The Nintendo 3DS version had two screens, including a touch screen, and even the mobile version was designed for touch controls. We have rebuilt the controls based on the user interface of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin so that Monster Hunter Stories can be played comfortably on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam.
In addition, in order to allow players who have played the game in the past to enjoy it again, we created a fully voiced version of the game to deepen immersion in the scenario, which was well received, and a Museum mode containing design artwork to help users fall in love with the series even more.
It was already confirmed that Title Update 1.20 and 1.30 will be included in the Monster Hunter Stories Switch, PS4, and PC versions. Will any other quality of life features inspired by the sequel appear in the game?
Akira: The user interface was rebuilt based on the controls of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. In addition, we have incorporated features to make it easier to play based on our experience with Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, such as gathering materials while riding your monstie and the Quick Heal.
How deep into the archives did you go to prepare its Museum Mode, and which piece of insight into its development are you most excited to have preserved for people to see?
Akira: Fortunately, the archives were well organized and preserved at the time, so it made things a lot easier. If you visit the Museum after playing the story, you will have a better understanding of the character design ideas that sadly did not make it into the game and the images that were created to design the maps, allowing users to enjoy the Museum mode even more.
In particular, the map images will give you a better understanding of the many wonderful designs that were used to create the world of Monster Hunter Stories. Please also take a look at the comments made by the staff at that time!
How will the amiibo-exclusive monsters be handled for the Monster Hunter Stories remaster, given the amiibo for the 3DS game never appeared outside Japan?
Akira: The amiibo functions will be carried over as is. The Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin amiibo can also be used to acquire content. What you can get though….you will have to wait and see!
Likewise, how will the Monster Hunter Stories 2 amiibo bonuses be handled on the PS4?
Akira: It is not possible to obtain this with the PlayStation 4 version.
Which monster design for Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel are you most proud of? Likewise, which Monstie do you wish you could have included in the series?
Takahiro Kawano: The Monster Hunter Stories series features monsters from the Monster Hunter franchise, and while we rarely design new monsters, we did create original monsters for the final bosses of both games. I can’t go into detail about this due to spoilers, but please check them out for yourself! A monster I’d like to introduce to the series would be a very large monster like Lao-Shan Lung. It would be difficult to incorporate it into an RPG style game, but I’m sure it would be fun if we could make it happen.
What would you like to potentially do in, say, a Monster Hunter Stories 3 if given the chance to make it?
Akira: I think the core being a Monster Hunter title that is easy to play for those who are not good at action games and those who like turn-based RPGs will remain the same. It would be nice to be able to evolve the series in such a way that we can keep the strong elements and change things that need to be changed.
The Monster Hunter Stories remaster will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC on June 14, 2024. It is also available on the 3DS and mobile devices. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin releases on the PS4 on June 14, 2024, and it is available now on the Switch and PC.
