I beat the main campaign of
Monster Hunter Stories. 43 hours. I was pleased to discover there is a "High Rank" immediately following the completion of the story, so I will still mess around with this game. It is very faithful to the MH style of gameplay. As I raise more monsties and build more weapons/armor, the number of viable builds grows exponentially. I can pair my Ice-Damage weapon with the armor that boosts Ice Dmg, or I can pair up
The difficulty was fairly low, but maybe High Rank will change my mind on that one. The game allows you to exploit the same kind of weapon/armor/skill combinations like in the previous games. The main difference is that in the old games you still needed the baseline skill to pull off the maneuver (like sleep-bombing), whereas in Stories you just need the relevant gear. Puzzling out which combinations are the most broken and overpowered is definitely a fun part of any RPG.
The game has lot more content than I expected. I suppose -- just like a true Monster Hunter game -- that the game just never asks you to dig deeper or learn more about its mechanics. You have to figure that out yourself. It never demands that you do the sidequests. You never have to use Channeling, ever. You can ignore stat-boosting 'nutriments', or you can abuse them like a 1990s American baseball player.
You can track down all 108 (I think?) Monsties, each with their own unique mix of abilities and traits. Hunting down eggs is a little game unto itself. There are quite a few sidequests that unlock special abilities, some of which do elemental damage (separate from any inherent Elemental damage your weapon may do). All sorts of side-tasks and ways to improve your team are tucked into the game.
I really hope CAPCOM does a sequel on the Switch.
I did purchase three games, though only one of them is "off limits" due to the rules:
Guilty Gear Xrd Sign (PS4)
Katamari Reroll (Switch)
Pillars of Eternity Definitive (PS4)
I've wanted a physical copy of GG Sign because it's the only version in the franchise with English voice acting. I think it's endearing and quirky, and since it's the only GG title with English voiceovers I felt it was worth owning. Sean Connery Slayer is legit.
I got a good deal on Katamari Reroll and wanted to add it to my Switch collection. The kids will especially love it, but since I already own it on PS2 I'm in no hurry to play through this version.
Pillars is one more game checked off the list of "Western CRPGs on console that I want to buy". Pillars 2, Divinity 2, and the upcoming Infinity Engine console ports have yet to be purchased.
Next up for me to play is Downhill Domination on PS2. There's no reason to spend time
unlocking things, so it's just for pure fun. It's a great kids' game. The cartoony violence and reckless speed are hilarious. Highly recommended to any fan of the SSX series or anyone who generally loves unique and fun sports-racing games.
Plus, it's one of those guilty-pleasure 6th-generation games boasting a licensed soundtrack packed with "gems" from that era.