I must admit, upon the initial two seconds of today's Summer Game Fest trailer for Monster Hunter Stories 2, I thought "is Cappers working on a BotW spinoff or something?", before quickly realising "no, no they're not".

Still, there's nothing wrong with a bit of inspiration is there? And in Monster Hunter Stories 2 -- clearly inspired by Ninty's seminal The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- we look to be getting an adventure based in a world full of rich stories to tell, and now presented in such a way that we might love those stories just that *little* bit more.

Here's the story update from Capcom:

Hatch, raise, and live alongside monsters as a Monster Rider in this fun-filled RPG set in the Monster Hunter universe.

Our epic tale begins with the mass disappearance of Rathalos from around the world. At the start of the story, you meet a Wyverian girl who knew your illustrious grandfather, Red. She has been entrusted with an egg, but what's inside it? The fate of the world hangs in the balance as the exciting narrative about the Wings of Ruin unfolds.

GAME OVERVIEW

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin offers both RPG and Monster Hunter fans a unique new experience with a rich storyline featuring charming characters, challenging quests, and friendly encounters with familiar monsters from the popular series. After Rathalos vanish across the world, players assume the role of a young Monster Rider who is the grandchild of the illustrious Rider Red. Together with the mysterious Wyverian Ena and the self-proclaimed Felyne hero Navirou, players embark on a sprawling adventure that spans numerous destinations. As players hatch, train, and live alongside their Monsties, they will encounter numerous new allies, foes and challenges on their path to unravelling the prophecy surrounding the Wings of Ruin.

At each new destination, players must make use of their Monsties’ unique abilities to reach new areas and uncover hidden valuables. Players will engage in thrilling turn-based combat, as they utilize familiar Monster Hunter weapons, strategic skills, and devastating Kinship Attacks to overcome enemy encounters. Those interested in partnering with a friend can even team up in co-op multiplayer battles.

FEATURES

• A Thrilling Adventure – Team up with familiar creatures from the Monster Hunter universe and a charming crew of companions for an emotional and expansive journey.
  
  
• Strategic Combat – Make use of assorted Monster Hunter weapons to target monsters’ weak points, employ powerful skills to control the flow of battle, and unleash devastating Kinship Attacks with your Monstie to overwhelm any foe.
  
  
• Become a Monster Rider – Create your own unique character, and use the power of your Kinship Stone to live in harmony with the monsters others fear.
  
  
• Deep RPG Progression – Collect and hatch eggs to build a party of Monsties with specific abilities and strengths, train your Monsties to become unique and powerful companions, and craft new weapons and armor to counter increasingly dangerous threats.
  
  
• Scenic Exploration – Navigate picturesque destinations on foot or while riding your trusted Monstie in search of egg nests, hidden treasure chests, and more. Utilize the unique skill of each Monstie to leap over large gaps, climb sheer cliff faces, and rapidly traverse expansive terrain.
  
  
• Rich Content – Complete a wide array of optional quests to assist the local residents of each location as you progress through the story and earn rewards.
  
  
• Co-op multiplayer – Join up with friends for tag-team multiplayer battles and exploration.

Obviously for MH aficionados this has been on a scale-bound (heh) calendar for a while, but for newcomers, this is a Switch title more than worth your eye.