Monark

Monark is a solid start to a promising aspect of JRPG games filled with horror elements. It tackles heavy issues with its characters. Monark is a solid blend of Tactical RPG with JRPG leveling mechanics. It is an enjoyable game with difficult rewarding battles.

Monark delivers a satisfying JRPG experience, with a creative and unique battle system and creepy demon-filled world. But a weak story and characters prevent the game from truly delivering something stellar.

Monark is a fun JRPG with interesting characters and a unique story full of personality tests and high school drama. Though at times navigating the character can get a bit frustrating.

From the first trailer, something was truly captivating about Monark. Perhaps it was the close resemblance to another FuRyu production – The Caligula Effect. When I last covered that one, there was an avalanche of praise heaved towards the excellent soundtrack. The music was utterly fantastic, so in my head, that must apply here, too. Well, thanks to the many teases from NIS America, it seems that an ear orgasm was in my future. There’s also an English dub, thrilling my uncultured ass. Wh...

Monark launches with shades of Shin Megemi Tensei behind it. A great battle system and solid art have the making of a gem, but a slow and repetitive second half indicates plenty of room for refinement.

There is enough here that I’d give a Monark follow-up a shot. One that fills out its stories a bit more, amps up the horror, and flattens out the grind. 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.

Monark clearly pays homage to the Shin Megami Tensei series in its tone and setting. However, the game is weighed down by an underwhelming battle system and grindy pacing. Still, some memorable plot twists and colorful characters make for a promising baseline. Monark gets a passing grade, but we hope a potential sophomore sequel will aim higher in the future.

Although the combat system is a highlight, the madness stirs in this repetitive and dull RPG.

Monark is a JRPG set in a high school where the protagonist and a posse of other teenagers must protect themselves from demonic creatures. The teenagers fight by partnering themselves with demons themselves, and forge bonds with each other as they get stronger. The game is ripe with themes of identity and clashing ideals, with the protagonists going up against other students and school faculty who have traumatic backstories that explain their differing outlooks on life. All the while, an unde...

“Monark tries a lot of new ideas, but only finds success with an intriguing battle system ... and even that has a mileage that may vary.”

On the surface, Monark looks like any number of other Japanese role-playing games that star high schoolers like Persona, Trails of Cold Steel, or some Shin Megami Tensei titles. But Monark differentiates itself from that crowd by leaning into horror, with a slick gothy vibe throughout — it's a bit like Persona 3 going through a rough patch, overdoing the eyeliner and listening to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on repeat.