Monark (video game)

Monark[lower-alpha 1] is a 2021 Japanese role-playing game developed by Lancarse for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. It was localized and ported to Microsoft Windows by NIS America in February 2022.[1] The game received mixed reviews from critics.

Monark
Developer(s)Lancarse
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Fuyuki Hayashi
Mitsuhiro Hoshino
Composer(s)Tsukasa Masuko
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
  • JP: October 14, 2021
  • NA: February 22, 2022
  • EU: February 25, 2022[1]
Microsoft Windows
  • WW: February 22, 2022
Genre(s)Tactical role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Monark is a tactical role-playing game with combat similar to Lost Dimension. Gameplay is split between the character evolving their own desires by exploring the school campus, and fighting monsters called "daemons" in the Otherworld.[2]

Story

Monark takes place inside Shin Mikado Academy, a high school sealed from the outside world by a barrier and enveloped in a mysterious mist that drives the students mad. The player is part of a group of students who gained the ability to enter an Otherworld, where the demons empowering the mist must be defeated.[3]

Development

The game is developed by Lancarse and published by FuRyu. Some members of the staff from the Shin Megami Tensei series were involved in the game's development.[4] Fuyuki Hayashi wrote the scenario and dialogue for all of the major characters, while Ryutaro Ito wrote for the NPC characters. Kazunari Suzuki provided supervision and feedback on all parts of the scenario.

Reception

Monark received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[5][6][7][8]

IGN lauded the game's personalness, combat systems, and abilities, and cited the unengaging story, characters, party member system, enemies, repetition, and puzzles as its drawbacks.[13] Destructoid severely criticized the game's repetitive nature and concluded, "There are some novel ideas here, and if you’re looking for something outside the RPG status quo and with a darker vibe, Monark could fit the bill. Just go in knowing that it can get arduous, and you’ll need to overlook those faults to find what Monark does that’s really different."[9] Nintendo Life gave the game seven stars out of ten and praised the high-risk, high-reward combat system, creepy aesthetics, interesting story, and replay value, while criticizing the lackluster graphics, repetitive environments, and lack of enemy variety.[15] Push Square reviewed the game much more negatively, giving it four stars out of ten, and cited the use of the horror genre, boss designs, and music, as positives, while calling the repetitive, grindy combat the game's biggest downfall.[17] RPGFan liked the vocal tracks, opening cinematic, characters, themes and combat, and said that the game's bad pacing, subpar graphics and the transphobic treatment of the character of Perrine held it back.[19] Nintendo World Report thought that the story was interesting and that the stat progression system was unique but disliked the lack of environments, character-locking progression system, and puzzle design.[16]

Sales

In Japan, the Nintendo Switch version sold 10,521 physical units, making it the sixth best-selling game during its first week of release. The PlayStation 4 version sold 5,242 physical units, making it the seventeenth best-selling game in the country during the same week.[22]

Notes
  1. Monark (モナーク, Monāku)

References
  1. "Monark Worldwide Release Date Set for February 2022". Silicon Era. October 12, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  2. "Monark, the School RPG from Ex-Shin Megami Tensei Devs, Comes West in February". IGN. October 12, 2021. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  3. "New Monark Trailer Reveals More of Its Story and Characters". Siliconera. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  4. "'New school RPG' Monark launches October 14 in Japan for PS5, PS4, and Switch; developed by Lancarse". Gematsu. June 9, 2021. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  5. "Monark for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  6. "Monark for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  7. "Monark for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  8. "Monark for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  9. Van Allen, Eric (February 22, 2022). "Review: Monark". Destructoid. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  10. Brian, NE (October 6, 2021). "Famitsu review scores – October 6, 2021". Famitsu. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  11. Shive, Chris (February 16, 2022). "Review: Monark". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  12. Muñoz, José David (February 16, 2022). "Análisis Monark para Switch, PS4, Ps5 y PC; cuando el colegio SÍ que es una pesadilla" [Monark review for Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC; when schools IS a nightmare]. HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  13. Hawkins, Cameron (February 18, 2022). "Monark Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  14. Midnailah (February 16, 2022). "Test Monark : Une version revisitée de Persona 5 par des anciens de Shin Megami Tensei" [Monark Review : A revisited version of Persona 5 by former Shin Megami Tensei]. Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  15. Vogel, Mitch (February 16, 2022). "Monark Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  16. Theriault, Donald (February 16, 2022). "Monark (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  17. Cal McCormick, John (February 16, 2022). "Monark Review (PS5)". Push Square. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  18. Mauricio, Luis (February 25, 2022). "Monark Review". RPGamer. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  19. Parsons, Izzy (February 16, 2022). "Monark". RPGFan. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  20. Saba, Gian Filippo (February 16, 2022). "Moanrk – Recensione" [Monark – Review]. The Games Machine (in Italian). Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  21. Musgrave, Shaun (February 22, 2022). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring 'Sol Cresta' and Monark, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales". TouchArcade. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  22. Romano, Sal (October 14, 2021). "Famitsu Sales: 10/4/21 – 10/10/21 [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
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