The MAD meter isn’t the only mechanic players need to watch in Monark’s battle systems. After three turns with this infliction, the MAD unit will be knocked out (that means game-over if the protagonist falls). In battle, if a character’s MAD meter hits 100%, they are inflicted with a heavy defense decrease while all other stats are buffed. Certain Artes can take health to use against enemies and Authorities raise the MAD Gauge, which is the focal mechanic of Monark.Īll these mechanics work in tandem to make for an interesting battle system full of risk vs reward moments. However, these abilities cost more than just MP or BP. Many times, I found myself baiting an enemy nearby and having two characters run behind them to double attack from there.Ĭharacters can use physical-based attacks called Artes and magic-based attacks, buffs, and debuffs called Authorities. For example, characters can attack together if they’re close by and can attack without fear of being counter-hit if they’re behind the enemy. This piece of Monark’s combat formula interested me, as it put extra focus on character placement with its free-roaming nature. This is a non-grid-based tactical JRPG, placing players in control of a party of up to six characters on a map where they can move a set amount of space within a circle, using and avoiding hazards while fighting enemies at the same time. There’s a balance that Monark’s battles seek to attain, and I think it comes close but could use some fine-tuning to really hit a home run. Starting with the Monark demo, I was immediately impressed by what new ideas this game brought to the table. While the story didn’t pull me in, the combat fares much better. This happens even in the beginning when the protagonist wakes up and everyone treats his loss of memory and the mist like a minor annoyance. Supernatural plot elements are treated like everyday occurrences. This isn’t helped by the lack of urgency I noticed in so many areas. Monark doesn’t hit that nail in the slightest and left me completely uninterested in anything that was going on with its characters or setting, despite the multiple ending nature it shares with Shin Megami Tensei titles. Like Monark, Tales of Arise has a simple story but offsets that with the depth and charm of its characters, their backstories, their missions, and its themes which makes it engaging the whole way through. left me completely uninterested in anything that was going on with its characters or setting … That’s a real missed opportunity in a game that’s releasing after Tales of Arise, which confidently explores deep themes like race and class issues. ![]() Players follow a crew of stereotypical characters that share the same arcs relating to base-level mental health issues. The core weakness of Monark’s storytelling is the characters. It’s actually a decent time and has a somewhat interesting twist later on. The plot is typical for a JRPG of this style, but that doesn’t make it unenjoyable. ![]() ![]() The team is tasked with defeating the seven Pactbearers and their Monarks. The party learns that the mist appears when a human becomes a Pactbearer and forms a pact with the highest-ranking demon, a Monark, and unleashes its power in the real world. Players join up with the principal, a group of students, and a demonic plushie. This mist has trapped students in various areas and driven people within it to insanity. Monark’s protagonist awakens in a madness-inducing mist surrounded and filled school of Shin Mikado Academy, where no one has a way in or out. The only issue is that Monark quickly falls into a rut with them, giving players a Japanese role-playing game that eventually runs out of steam. The ideas that Monark presents the players with are both new and borrowed from the past. What I was met with is a game that brings some great ideas to the table, but doesn’t have any idea how to use them to their fullest.
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