An eight-player horror friendslop replaced monsters with a tornado and it might actually be a good game

Friendslop is probably the most dominant horror genre at the moment, and even though it’s not officially even a “genre,” all of us immediately know what kind of game is in question once the word is used. And, while most of the games in this loose amalgamation are rather similar, this upcoming eight-player title might finally break the mold.

Enter: Funnel Runners, an eight-player co-op horror title where you and your friends are tasked with finding ways to survive an incoming tornado. You have limited time and resources and must figure out how to escape the thing, lest you be swept up into the clouds, never to be seen again. Or maybe found in a field somewhere out of state. Either way, you’re screwed if that tornado comes in too close.

You can play it solo or with up to seven others. It is marked by significant destructibility, an interesting art style, and a high-stakes concept that does not require monsters or dark rooms to be effectively scary. The stress and tension of this incoming doom is enough to keep you on edge and is, for once, not broken by the presence of other players, as opposed to many of the other games in the friendslop sphere.

Horror is often described as a solitary experience, one almost exclusively meant to be played alone, as having anyone watching your back takes a lot of weight off your shoulders. Having to keep an extra eye open is rather horrifying in most cases, and with others to keep them open for you, it’s clear why things just aren’t as scary.

But with this huge tornado bent on destroying you and the town you’re in, no amount of players is going to make the experience any less terrifying. Sure, more hands mean more work can be done, and that itself would make the pressure lower, but that is in no way comparable to games like Lethal Company becoming comedy shows once there’s more than one or two people in a match. The same goes for those titles that actually do lean into comedy rather heavily, like R.E.P.O.

Funnel Runners has the chance to really blow more favorable winds towards co-op horror and proximity voice friendslop as a whole, and I sincerely hope the game succeeds in bringing a new twist(er) on the genre, potentially spawning a subgroup of similar games down the line.

It comes out in the second quarter of 2026, with the exact date yet to be revealed.

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Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection has a fair number of monstie mutations to collect, and you can start your grind pretty early in the game.

In fact, all four regions in the world of Monster Hunter Stories 3 have monster mutations to collect. They’re strongly related to the concept of Invasive Monsters (more on that later). This guide will help you figure out how to get every mutated endangered species unlocked on your adventure.

How to get all monstie mutation variants in Monster Hunter Stories 3

Since you can find mutation variants in all four regions, I have used four tables. You’ll find all the detailed separated region-wise. The tables also include the mutations for all native species for regions where applicable.

Azuria

Variant	How to Get
Pink Rathian	To get the Pink Rathian mutation, you need to defeat the Yian Garuga and release the Rathian from the clutches of its Invasive predator.
Dreadqueen Rathian	First, you need the Rathian or Pink Rathian’s Ecoystem Rank to be S. Then, it should be in the same region that has three poison monsties. The region of Sunpetal Plains already has Gypceros, and you’ll get Rathian and Pink Rathian in the same region.
Ivory Lagiacrus	Get a regular Lagiacrus’ Ecosystem Rank to A in any region.
Boltreaver Astralos	Get Astalos’ Ecosystem Rank to S. It should also reside in thunder elemental areas that have three or more thunder elemental monsters. Only monsties with base thunder elements can qualify for this requirement.

Canalta Timbaland

Variant	How to Get
Green Nargacuga	Get Nargacuga’s Ecosystem Rank to A.
Silverwind Nargacuga	You have to get Nargacuga or Green Nargacuga’s Ecosystem Rank is S. You’ll also need it to reside in an area that has two or more monsters who can control the winds. Some examples include the Legiana, Great Izuchi, and Paolumu.
Soulseer Mizutsune	You need to get your Mizutsune’s Ecosystem Rank to S.
Deadeye Yian Garuga	Get the Yian Garuga’s Ecosystem Rank to S. The creature also needs to have three or more monsties that have equal or greater rank than the Yian Garuga (the Ecosystem Rank).

Tarkuan

Variant	How to Get
Stygian Zinogre	Get the Zinogre’s Ecosystem Rank to A.
Thunderlord Zinogre	Get the Zinogre or Stygian Zinogre’s Ecosystem Rank to S. You also need the monstie to reside in a habitat that has one or more endangered species with enchanting, purple fur and considered bitter rivals of the Zinogre. The Soulseer Mizutsune can qualify for this requirement.
Brute Tigrex	Get the Tigrex’s Ecosystem Rank to A.
Grimclaw Tigrex	You need to get Tigrex or Brute Tigrex’s Ecosystem Rank to S. The creature should reside in a habitat that has four or more Power Type monsters. Your best option is to choose the Colossal Dragon’s Remains area as there are two native Power type in this region.
Hellblade Glavenus	Get the Glavenus’ Ecosystem Rank to S. The monstie should reside in habitats with four or more monsties that have appendages, like the Shogun Ceanataur, Seregios, Great Izuchi, and Magnamalo.
Bloodbath Diablos	Get the Diablos or Black Diablos’ Ecosystem Rank to S. The creature must reside in its native habitat in Tarkuan’s Bountiful Dunes.

Seranthis

Variant	How to Get
Sand Barioth	Get the Barioth’s Ecosystem Rank to A.
Azure Rathalos	Get Rathalos’ Ecosystem Rank to A.
Dreadking Rathalos	You need to get Rathalos or Azure Rathalos’ Ecosystem Rank to S. The monstie must reside in habitats that have four or more Flying Wyverns. To meet the requirement, you can place creatures like the Barioth, the Sand Barioth, or the Nargacuga.

Of course, you’ll also need to find the eggs of Endangered species to get most of the mutations noted above. To do so, you have to repel different Invasive Species, which itself is a job easier said than done.

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