Monster Hunter Stories 3 – Worth Playing? Walkthrough and Review

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a slow-burn RPG that rewards patience, planning, and consistency over speed. It doesn’t punish you instantly for mistakes, but it absolutely lets them catch up with you later if you ignore the systems.

This walkthrough is designed to help you get the most out of the game without getting stuck, frustrated, or overwhelmed by its systems.

How Monster Hunter Stories 3 Wants You to Play

Before you push too far into the game, it’s important to understand this:

Not every system is explained clearly upfront
Building your team matters more than rushing story progression
Combat is about patterns, not aggression
Progression comes from understanding, not brute force

This is a game that rewards awareness. Take your time, experiment, and let yourself learn the systems instead of trying to optimise everything immediately.

Do Not Rush the Early Game Trust Me

The early game is where most players either fall in love with the game or start feeling impatient.

What I would suggest you do instead:

Spend time understanding monster types and abilities
Experiment with different team combinations early
Pay attention to enemy attack patterns instead of reacting blindly
Explore areas fully before moving on

A common mistake I found myself making was rushing forward just to unlock the next area. The game allows this, but it often means you miss important upgrades or monster opportunities that make later sections much easier.

Tip: If you feel like you’re struggling later, go back and strengthen your team rather than pushing forward.

Building Your Team Properly

Your monsters are the core of your entire experience. This is where the game starts to open up, but also where it can start to feel repetitive if you’re not careful.

What worked for me:

Focus on a balanced team instead of collecting everything
Prioritise monsters that complement each other’s strengths
Upgrade consistently rather than all at once
Don’t ignore defensive or support options

One frustration I noticed is that it’s easy to fall into a loop of collecting and upgrading without real direction. That’s where the game can start to feel grind-heavy and I know we love a bit of a grind but when I say grind-heavy I mean the heavy part.

Tip: If your team feels “average,” it probably is. Refine it instead of expanding it.

Take Exploration Slow or It Becomes Frustrating

Exploration is one of the game’s strongest features, but also one of its most divisive. The environments are beautiful, but the structure can feel a bit repetitive over time.

What to do:

Take your time exploring each area fully
Don’t rush through zones just to progress the story
Rotate your camera and check corners carefully
Look for hidden paths or missed interactions

One of the biggest frustrations I personally ran into is how easy it is to miss small details or feel lost in larger areas, keep your eyes open when roaming the world.

Tip: If your progress feels slow, it’s often because you haven’t fully explored what’s already available.

For Combat Learn Patterns, Not Just Attacks

Combat is where strategy really matters. At first, it feels simple enough, but the more you play, the more you realise how much the game relies on understanding enemy behaviour.

What helped me:

Learn enemy patterns instead of reacting randomly
Switch monsters based on the situation, not habit
Pay attention to type advantages
Don’t ignore defensive or counterplay options

A common frustration is that battles can feel slow or repetitive, especially when facing similar enemy types.

Tip: If fights feel too long, you may not be using the right monster strategy rather than the game being “too slow.”

Mid-Game is Where Repetition Becomes Noticeable

This is the point where the game’s structure becomes more obvious.

You’ll notice the following as you venture into the mid-game

Repeated combat encounters, yep these do exist and can be draining at times.
Similar progression loops
Gradual upgrades instead of big leaps

This is also where many players start to feel the grind. I know I did.

What I found helpful:

Take breaks instead of long sessions
Focus only on meaningful upgrades
Avoid over-farming unless necessary
Rotate your playstyle to stay engaged

Tip: If you’re feeling burned out, it’s usually because you’re pushing too hard instead of pacing yourself.

Late Game is mostly understanding Before Progression

As you move toward the later parts of the game, everything you’ve learned starts to come together.

This is where:

Team synergy becomes critical
Strategy matters more than raw power
Mistakes become more costly

Before pushing into major encounters:

Review your team setup
Make sure your monsters complement each other
Revisit earlier strategies if something isn’t working
Don’t rush major decisions

A mistake I made was assuming I could brute-force my way through later fights. The game doesn’t always allow that.

Tip: If something feels off, your strategy probably needs adjusting.

Common Frustrations I found and what I did

There are a few frustrations I kept running into, and they seem consistent across players:

Repetitive combat encounters
Slow pacing in certain sections
Grind-heavy progression at times
Exploration feeling slightly repetitive

What helped me most was adjusting expectations. This Is a slow, methodical experience that rewards patience over speed.

Some Advice for First-Time Players

Slow down and don’t rush progression
Focus on understanding systems, not rushing them
Build a balanced team instead of chasing everything
Take breaks if the pacing starts to feel heavy
Don’t be afraid to experiment

Once you accept the game’s rhythm, it becomes much easier to enjoy.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is more about patience and understanding than it is about speed or constant excitement.It rewards players who take the time to learn its systems, build their team properly, and move through the world at a steady pace.

It can feel repetitive at times, and some systems could be more streamlined, but when everything clicks, it becomes a surprisingly satisfying and personal experience.

This walkthrough won’t make the game easier, but it should help you approach it in a way that feels less frustrating and more intentional and once you find that rhythm, the game really starts to shine.

Before you dive into the game, have a read of our blog on Tales of Xillia Remastered Walkthrough not so much monster hunting but if you love anime style art this this is the next best thing.