Tales of Monster Hunters is a spin-off series, and this shows in many ways. World Monster Hunter it's there, the tradition is intact, but it transforms the main line's real-time loot-based action game into a story-driven, turn-based experience that resembles a traditional JRPG. However, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection has now built another bridge between the spin-off and the main series by finally adding one of its most iconic features.
Cooking has long been a truly valued part of life Monster Hunter series from its first games to the end Monster Hunter Wilds. In fact, it's such a beloved element of the franchise that many players look forward to it when it's new Monster Hunter the game is announced or released. In many of the games in the series, players go to a dining room, choose a meal, and then watch a stylized character-driven animation as their hunter and Palicoes sit down to eat before going on a hunt. This whole experience made it a highlight for many players and helped define it Monster Hunter pre-hunting ritual. Now, for the first time in a spin-off series, Monster hunter tales 3 it has its own fully animated cooking scene and it's beautiful.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 finally features a fully animated cooking scene
Players unlock the ability to cook meals Monster hunter tales 3 shortly after Eleanor joins the party as she is apparently the main cook in the group. Afterwards, at camp or in town, players can choose food for Eleanor to cook that offers benefits such as increased stamina or health. After choosing one, a fully animated cutscene will play showing Eleanor cooking a meal by cutting meat and mixing ingredients while the prince (player character) and other companions watch in awe. And of course Palicoes also play their part in cooking.
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Monster Hunter cooking scenes have always been a popular feature
What makes a scene like this such a big deal is that for many players, the appeal of these cooking sequences goes beyond the stat boosts they provide. Monster HunterThe cooking animations have always brought a personality and charm to the series that little else can, with the Palicoes and chefs in particular becoming iconic and beloved symbols of the franchise's identity. Some longtime players have even complained from time to time when modern entries simplify or remove these scenes, mostly because they miss that special character-driven moment that brings the delight of the world right before the hunt.
In other words, what matters most is how these scenes feel Monster Hunter fans, and that alone is as rewarding as the temporary buffs that come from consuming meals. The visual elements of the animations have even been known to make players hungry or genuinely smile while playing. On community forums and threads, players often compare these scenes to some of their own Monster Huntermost memorable moments. For example, a Reddit post 8 years ago encouraged other players to share their love of cooking cutscenes, with many saying things like “It looks so delicious” and “I feel bad skipping these cutscenes.”
Previous Monster Hunter story games did not include a cooking scene
And that's why Monster hunter tales 3The new cooking scene means so much because previous games in the spin-off series didn't feature them. Unlike the main line Monster Hunter games where cooking and eating scenes are a long-standing tradition with fully animated sequences and character flourishes, the first two Tales of Monster Hunters the titles contained none.
original Tales of Monster Hunters had a simple way to prepare cooked meat by visiting a Grillmeister NPC and turning raw meat into steaks, but it was handled through menu interaction and a minor timing mechanism rather than a cinematic moment with full character animation. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin it similarly lacked a dedicated animated food sequence, with cooked meat items primarily obtained through quests rather than as a trigger for a busy cutscene. because of that Monster hunter tales 3The fully-animated cooking scene stands out even more by being the first for the spin-off series to incorporate one of the main games' most iconic traditions.
Players have already praised Monster Hunter Stories 3's cooking scene If Monster hunter tales 3The demo suggests that the cooking scene is already becoming one of those little touches that players associate specifically with this entry.
And there's no better sign of how beloved this tradition is than how the latest cooking animation Stories the game is already accepted by the community. Only Monster hunter tales 3There's a demo out at the moment, the full launch won't happen until March 13th, and yet players have already been talking about how great its cooking scene is. One Reddit post by MizutsuneMH called the animation “great” and invited other players to confirm their sentiment with comments such as “Sorry, I got distracted by how pretty everything looks” and “Honestly, if Monster Hunter wants to use this style for future core games, I wouldn't be mad.”
Such early enthusiasm speaks volumes. Cooking scenes were never a prerequisite for success Monster Hunterbut they've become part of the series' emotional DNA, a little ritual that makes the world feel warmer and more alive before players step into danger. For Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflectionadds that this moment does more than mirror the main games. Rather, it reinforces that this spin-off belongs to the same family, even if its combat and structure are different. A turn-based format may separate this mechanically, but a shared lore like this closes that gap in spirit. If Monster hunter tales 3The demo suggests that the cooking scene is already becoming one of those little touches that players associate with this entry in particular, and when a small detail can spark so much conversation, it shows just how powerful a well-cooked tradition can be.
- Released
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March 13, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen violence/fantasy, mild themes, in-game purchases
