Monster Hunter Stories: plenty of details, art + screens from the official website, more

30 May 2016 Lite_Agent Capcom, Monster Hunter Stories

Last week, Capcom made several major announcements regarding Monster Hunter Stories, including the release date, the reveal of several amiibo, details about the anime series, and much more. Make sure to check out these posts for all the details:

But that’s not all: Capcom also updated the official website with plenty of additional details, including an updated synopsis, but also some additional artworks and screenshots. Here’s everything that was added to the official website, with translations by Bad Player.

Story

Here’s the update synopsis for the story of Monster Hunter Stories:

This story begins in the Village of Riders [Hakuma Village]. The Protagonist, Lilia, and Shuval/Cheval. These three childhood friends go to the forest to pretend-play collecting eggs.

There, they discover a beautiful shining monster egg. The protagonist pretends to perform the aspiration of all Riders, the “bonding ritual,” which uses a “bond stone” [Kizuna Stone] to deepen a monster’s bond with their Rider and unlock new powers.

However, even though it was just supposed to be pretend, a Rathalos hatches from the egg. The villagers celebrate the Protagonist, who was able to hatch an egg without a bond stone, but…

A disaster known as “black miasma” befalls them.
It is not only the village that is injured, but Lilia and Shuval/Cheval’s hearts as well…

Exactly one year after the disaster, the Protagonist receives a bond stone [Kizuna Stone] and becomes a Rider. Shuval/Cheval has left the village to fulfill his own goal, and Lilia has abandoned the path of a Rider and gone on her own journey. The Protagonist, who has overcome many tribulations to become a Rider and matured along with Nabiru, who he met and partnered with by chance, decides to go on a journey to the outside world.
Their destination is the world of Hunters.
A world of people whose life is completely different than the Riders’.

Hunters, who live by killing monsters.
Riders, who live by raising monsters.
Despite his uncertainties of how their lifestyles can be reconciled, the Protagonist lives with Hunters, and learns how to work as both a Hunter and a Rider.

Once again, the threat of the black miasma appears.
People begin noticing differences in their work and environment during their everyday life.
However, it’s not just in a town or village, but in the entire world.
The Riders and Hunters whose role seems to have become a test.

The key will be the power hidden in the bond stone [Kizuna Stone], and the truth of the “Myth of Ledan,” the story of the origin of Riders that has been passed down for generations.
The strength of bonds, which are tempered and heightened.
The Protagonist discovers the real power of bonds from the truth of the myth.
The Protagonist and Nabiru, and otomon.

A new Monster Hunter experience about bonds is awaiting you.

Head after the break for the rest of this post!

Characters

Next, we have details about the characters to be found in Monster Hunter Stories:

Lilia: the protagonist’s (female) childhood friend, who is literally obsessed with the outside world. She’s quite the vigorous one, and a bit like a big sister always pushing the others forward. She is described as a cheerful, kind, and dependable person.

I feel like this is something only I can do…

Protagonist (can be either male or female): a novice rider who was born and raised on the verdant plateau. Just like Lilia, they’re interested in the outside world, and together with Nabiru (a very odd Felyne), they set off on a journey.

The website reminds us that the protagonist can be customised (gender, name, and face can be changed). In fact, even Nabiru can have his clothes changed!

Ride on!

Shuval/Cheval: the protagonist’s (male) childhood friend, who said to be very kind and obedient. He has a strong desire to become a Rider. He is described as a very kindheart boy.

I have my own thoughts…

Simone: the commanding officer of the Investigation Unit of the Royal Intelligence Squad. She may be young, but her abilities are the real deal. Her knowledge on monsters, their ecology, and their environments is remarkable.

I would like to borrow your power.

Otomon

As mentioned several times before, Otomon is the name of monsters who share a bond with Riders. They are basically their partners, and they can help them in a variety of situations (not just in battle). Naturally, there’s many different species of monsters, and they all have their own abilities / powers!

Next, Capcom details how you can find eggs in the field, and then incubate them to have a monster hatch from them. It works that way:

You find a monster’s nest –> you collect an egg –> you incubate the egg at the stable –> the egg hatches

Monster’s nests can be found everywhere in the field, and there’s even some rare ones hidden in some places. Naturally, you have to be careful when sneaking inside to collect the eggs: don’t get caught by the monster who laid them! Once you have the eggs, you bring them to the stable in order to incubate them. The website mentions the pattern on the eggs: it looks like there’s a secret to them…

In Monster Hunter Stories, you will be able to perform a traditional ceremony called “Transmission Ceremony”. Basically, it allows you to “transfer” bond genes from one Otomon to another, in order awaken new powers. The website shows Lagombi getting a fire attack after receiving a bond gene from the Yian Kut-Ku.

Each Otomon has its own bond gene. You can move a bond gene to the empty bond gene slot of a different Otomo. If you manage to line up three bond genes in a row, then a new power will be awakened.

Finally, the website lists the various Otomons to be found in Monster Hunter Stories (more will be revealed later):

Velocidrome
Arzuros
Lagombi
Yian Kut-Ku
Congalala
Khezu
Rathian
Tigrex
Diablos
Rathalos
Zinogre
Royal Ludroth
Qurupeco
Brachydios
Kirin
Lagiacrus
Nargacuga
Aptonoth

Battles

Just like in most RPG, you get XP by defeating enemies. That XP is distributed to all the Otomon in your party, so it’s recommended to have plenty of them to raise. You can win some extra XP by fighting well, and the better you do, the rarer the items you receive as rewards.

System

The website details two of the gameplay systems to be found in Monster Hunter Stories:

Multiplayer: you can battle other players either via local wireless or online. There’s different rules you can choose from. During the battles, you can communicate using stamps.
Quest: you can get various quests from NPC, the Quest Boards, the Equipment Shops, and more. By completing them, you get XP and items.

Finally, here’s plenty of pictures and a recording of the press conference for Monster Hunter Stories, from last week (with gameplay footage from 12:19):