Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally impressions

When Monster Hunter Stories 2 launched, I spent most of my time with it on Switch in handheld mode. At the time, there was no Steam Deck of course, but I got used to the performance issues and stuck with it on my Switch OLED. I hoped Capcom would patch in a 30fps lock option, but it never happened. This led to Monster Hunter Stories 2 being amazing on Switch 2 via backward compatibility. Capcom then ported the game to PS4 and Xbox One, but I didn't spend too much time with those ports since my main save was on Switch 2 with a secondary one on Steam Deck. For Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Capcom is releasing it simultaneously on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and Steam. I've had a chance to play the full game for this preview across my handhelds with James also helping out, but I will not be comparing the full game yet. I'll save that for my big feature closer to launch. This feature will focus on the portable experience and what I'd like to see fixed by or soon after launch.

Before getting into the impressions, I want to stress that this is an early build of the game and a day one patch could address some of my issues or just improve performance in general. 

Monster Hunter Stories 3 full game impressions on Switch 2 — docked and handheld

Unlike the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions, Monster Hunter Stories 3 on Switch 2 does not have any graphics modes. It does of course work both docked and handheld, but the game runs at an uncapped frame rate in both modes with it usually around 30fps or a bit higher. The frame rate is a lot better during combat, but it isn't great during exploration. Visually, I think Monster Hunter Stories 3 looks good on Switch 2 docked when I play on my 1440p display, but the handheld experience is a bit too soft. I expected better for the game on Switch 2. While the performance issues did not bother me as much as Persona 3 Reload's handheld experience did last year, I hope to see this addressed by launch or in post-launch updates.

Hopefully Capcom adds an optional 30fps cap on Switch 2 and generally improves the experience on Nintendo's hybrid console with a potential performance mode. I don't want to wait for the Switch 3 to get a stable frame rate via backward compatibility like I did with the Switch 2 and Monster Hunter Stories 2. Monster Hunter Stories 3 should have been optimized better on Switch 2 across both modes. It isn't bad, and while I got used to the variable performance, the frame pacing issues and hitching remained annoying throughout. Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a lot larger in scope than the first two games, but I was hoping it would be a better experience on Switch 2. 

Monster Hunter Stories 3 full game impressions on Steam Deck — recommended settings so far

Monster Hunter Stories 3 on Steam Deck is oftentimes a better portable experience than Switch 2, but there are some instances on both Steam Deck and ROG Ally where it has minor hitching once in a while. This happens even when playing on the lowest settings, but the general experience is good. When playing on Steam Deck OLED, I was able to opt for a 30fps experience playing at a mix of High and medium settings with FSR balanced. I also want to note that there is no XeSS option so you can only use no upscaling or FSR (3.1.4) here capped the game to 30fps using the Steam Deck's Quick Access Menu here. I was hoping to get a stable 40fps experience, but I needed to play on Low with FSR Balanced. Monster Hunter Stories 3 also does not support 16:10 so you're playing at 16:9 with black bars on Steam Deck. 

So far, I'm happy with the 30fps cap and higher quality visuals since even on the low preset, there were dips below 40fps. I tried using performance and ultra performance upscaling, but the image quality was too degraded for me to stick with it. 

Monster Hunter Stories 3 full game impressions on ROG Ally

Monster Hunter Stories 3 on ROG Ally is a much better visual experience, but performance is still inconsistent out of the box. The default preset is high with no upscaling at 1080p native. This results in sub 30fps gameplay. I immediately enabled FSR at Balanced and turned down shadows to get it to a point where I was happy with the visual quality and performance. I didn't spend as much time with the ROG Ally as I did with Switch 2 and Steam Deck, but playing at 1080p and FSR Balanced coupled with the device's VRR screen made for a good experience. While not as nice as the first two games on the device, this is still a good portable experience with great image quality.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 full game impressions on MSI Claw 7 AI+

My experiences playing several hours of Monster Hunter Stories 3 on my MSI Claw 7 AI+ tracks similar to what Mikhail has reported with the game running on an original ROG Ally - a mixture of High and Medium settings, and FSR set to Balanced, averaging around 35 fps. It's worth noting that Monster Hunter Stories 3 doesn't natively support XeSS, unlike Monster Hunter Wilds, meaning that Intel-based handhelds will lose out on some potential image quality - though I've no doubts OptiScaler will work well to inject it if you're willing to tweak things, and it's not like the default image is bad. All in all, an acceptable way of playing the game portably.-James Galizio

Hopefully Capcom can sort out the Switch 2's inconsistent performance because Monster Hunter Stories 3 feels right at home on a portable, and I would love to play it on the go like I did with the first two games. Until then, I will likely stick to the PS5 or Xbox versions when at home. For portable play, I think the Steam Deck or handhelds like the ROG Ally with some tweaking to the settings deliver a better portable experience than Switch 2. Since I know many, including myself, appreciate the hybrid docked and handheld option on Switch 2, and if you want that flexibility, I would go for Switch 2 over Steam Deck. I'm looking forward to doing a full comparison closer to launch when any potential patches have arrived. 

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches on March 13 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (Steam).