Capcom revealed at E3 2021 that Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will receive a Trial Version later this month, which will allow players to carry progress over into the main game. Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a turn-based RPG with a drastically different setting and gameplay style from the mainline entries in the series.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 is set in a world where the player is a Rider, rather than a Hunter. Riders raise monsters from the moment they hatch from eggs and they fight alongside each other on the battlefield, unlike the Hunters, who kill monsters and make equipment out of their hide. The player must care for a flightless Rathalos, who seems to be a prophecized creature that will bring destruction with the beat of its wings. There are people seeking out the Rathalos so that they can control its incredible power and use it for their own ends.
An extended gameplay trailer for Monster Hunter Stories 2 was shown during Capcom's presentation at E3 2021. It was revealed that the Nintendo Switch version of the game will receive a Trial Version on June 25, which will allow players to experience the start of the game. They will be able to use their demo save to continue their progress into the main game. The trailer with the Trial Version announcement can be seen on the official Nintendo YouTube channel.
The first free content update for Monster Hunter Stories 2 was also revealed. Players will be able to use the Palamute mounts from Monster Hunter Rise as a new Monstie, when it's added to the game on July 15, 2021. The people who have save data from Monster Hunter Rise will also be able to unlock a Kamura Garb layered armor set for their character in Monster Hunter Stories 2. A similar collaboration will be happening in Monster Hunter Rise, as the first Capcom Collab crossover event in the game involves content from Monster Hunter Stories 2.
The Monster Hunter Stories games are very different from the mainline entries in the series, and the turn-based gameplay and cartoonish aesthetic might put off some fans. The Switch has a bigger audience than the 3DS, and Monster Hunter Rise has millions of players on the platform, so the Trial Version will give them the chance to experience this different take on the Monster Hunter franchise ahead of the game's release.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will be released for Nintendo Switch and PC on July 9, 2021.
Source: Nintendo/YouTube