Dragon Quest is also an established IP, so it’s no surprise that it has a few spin-offs.
The Dragon Quest series by Square Enix has spawned numerous spin-offs that offer different takes on the most classic JRPG formula to this day by leveraging the series’ unique aesthetic. One of these is the Dragon Quest Monsters series, set to expand worldwide on December 3 with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and Nintendo Switch. At Gamescom, Square Enix presented the press with a demo of the game, allowing them to experience the first hour of gameplay. This included the Monster Synthesis feature, which lets players combine two monsters to create a new one.
After their fathers fall ill, Bianca and Nera are visited by a creature named Fluffy who tells them that the Leaves of Life are the only cure. The two novice monster tamers set out for the Kingdom of Witherwood in a parallel realm, where they discover the kingdom is in turmoil and has been ravaged by evil forces that destroyed the Leaves of Life. After making contact with the monsters roaming the countryside, however, the two young people set out into the ruined landscape to obtain the Leaves of Life and perhaps restore the kingdom to its former glory. At the beginning of the game, players can choose to play as Bianca or Nera. This decision isn’t final, but it shapes the early stages of the game because the two monster tamers have different abilities that affect the monsters in your party.
These abilities don’t play a particularly decisive role in the first hour, so it’s unlikely that either choice would result in a more difficult start. In other respects, the gameplay and battle system of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World seemed very traditional. From the dialogue sequences to navigating the world map and exploring dungeons, the experience felt familiar right away, as did the turn-based combat system for battling enemies.
The biggest difference compared to the main entries in the series is monster recruitment: players must deal enough damage to a monster to get it to join their team. Monster synthesis was only available in a separate section of the demo. The list of starter monsters includes series staples like the iconic Slime. The customization options seem endless and perfectly fill the gap between Pokémon and modern Shin Megami Tensei games. The first boss was moderately challenging, and the visual elements and mechanics of the world map created a great sense of adventure. The speed settings allowed for lightning-fast battles.
While the game won’t revolutionize the series, there’s something to be said for the classic turn-based gameplay. The charming monsters created by Akira Toriyama are a joy to look at, regardless of the context.
Source: WCCFTech
