Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Tested on: PC
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince (PC) – Review
Released on Steam on the 11th of September in 2024, Dragon Quest Monster: The Dark Prince combines the lovable and memorable monsters from the Dragon Quest series with the joy of monster capture games such as Pokémon. We already took an in-depth look at Dragon Quest Monsters back in 2023 for Nintendo’s hybrid console, and now the game has finally received a PC port as well. This quirky title is an interesting ‘new’ entry in the beloved RPG franchise. It combines Dragon Quest’s classical elements, such as turn-based combat and recruiting monsters, with a new layer of exploration and additional strategy. For today’s review, we’ll mainly be focusing on the quality of the PC port.
Story
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince follows the story of Psaro, the titular demon prince, who is cursed by his father, the ruler of Nadiria. The curse prevents him from harming any creature with monster blood. Stripped of his power, Psaro sets out on a journey to become the ultimate Monster Wrangler, traveling across realms to build an army of powerful monsters. Alongside his companion Rose, he seeks to defy his curse and challenge his father to overthrow him and become the ruler of all the monsters. As stated in our original review, the story remains quite interesting and it’s an interesting take on the monster-catching genre.
Graphics
Despite being 3D, the characters and monsters showcase the work of Akira Toriyama in their design and artwork. This gives all the monsters a rather cute appearance but also fills them with character and makes them memorable. The vibrant colors add to the anime aesthetic and make you feel like you are walking through an actual anime series. The art perfectly captures the essence of Dragon Quest.
Sound
The sound design in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince blends classic Dragon Quest music with new atmospheric sounds. The orchestral soundtrack, composed by Koichi Sugiyama, sets the mood for every part of the game, from lively towns to dark, mysterious areas. Battle sounds are sharp and exciting, while familiar tunes from the series add nostalgia.
Gameplay
All the base JRPG mechanics in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince are well-oiled but what sets the game apart from its contemporaries are its unique twists on the genre staples like acquiring new monsters, leveling those monsters, the environments where you can find them, and also battling with them. Psaro doesn’t catch monsters, he recruits them, which also means that monsters can ask to join you after defeating them.
This recruiting can be initiated by the player by performing a show of strength, literally displaying your power to try and convince the monster to join you. However, this is a double-edged sword, as failing to impress a monster will cause it to become enraged: increasing its damage output and making it impossible to attempt to recruit it again. Luckily recruiting can be influenced both by leveling up your monsters, which increases their show of strength bonus, and by feeding the monster food. Feeding also increases the likelihood of the monster asking to join you when you defeat it.
After catching a monster, and using it to further your grand scheme of conquering the Monsterworld it’ll level up and gain ‘Talent Points’. These points allow you to invest in skill trees for your specific monster. This way you can unlock stat boosts and special abilities for your favorite monsters. By using consumables like seeds you can also strengthen your monsters’ stats without having to level them. Another way to power up your monsters is by using the ability ‘Synthesis’ which permanently fuses two monsters of level 10 or higher together.
The combat system is also a great breath of fresh air, as your monsters can fend for themselves, following the tactics you tell them to follow. Should you not wish to grant your monsters the illusion of choice, you can still order them to do an action during each round of the fight. Tactics simply allow you to have your attackers focus on attacks, buffers focus on buffing, and so on. Applying tactics is a great time saver for grinding as your monsters will always comply with the tactic given to them, somewhat automating the process.
The last twist the game applies is using different seasons. During your travels the seasons constantly shift, giving you the chance to meet new and different monsters as well as experience how the environments change. Vines on a ledge grow during summer which can carry your weight, piles of leaves in autumn can hide monsters or items, rivers freeze over in winter, and leaf boats appear in spring. These all give you access to new areas all over the map which makes revisiting older areas every so often worth it.
Conclusion
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince blends classic Dragon Quest charm with modern monster-wrangling mechanics for a fresh and exciting adventure. The unique monster-recruiting system and tactical combat, paired with dynamic seasonal environments, add depth and variety to gameplay. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, it’s a fun, strategic journey through a vibrant, anime-like world. Get ready to conquer the monster world in style!
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