Monark Reviews
Monark has some good ideas on how to reinvigorate tactical JPRG combat but its repetitive level design makes it feel more like a prototype.
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
Monark is a slow and frustrating RPG over several hours of gameplay. His Ego system is his most interesting point, along with his riddles, although everything is diluted with some uninteresting characters and a way of playing that gets stagnant. At first it seems "more of the same", but after a while it is pleasant to play.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A mature, long-lived and sometimes inspired JRPG, held in check by an obsolete technical sector, forgettable characters and serious problems of repetitiveness.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Monark's creepy setting, tactical combat and banging soundtrack is well worth experiencing, but prepare for some obtuse puzzles.
Monark can be seen as a good opportunity to try something new in an ocean of stale JRPG tropes, especially for the players who enjoy tactical thinking and resource management gameplay.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Despite its flaws, Monark is not such a bad experience. Admittedly, it is not very pretty, a little heavy, but quite enjoyable. And while it's true that the real interest lies only in the combat system and its riches, that seems enough to draw attention to the title.
Review in French | Read full review
Monark has a solid combat system that combines great tactical elements with turned-based action. There is way too much grinding throughout the game that may turn off players who aren’t fans of the genre. But as a whole Monark does present some great ideas that will intrigue newcomers to the genre but nothing groundbreaking for JRPG veterans.
Monark is a turn based JRPG that brings to the table a lot of longevity and fun, especially for anime lovers, but unfortunately fails to reach its potential due to a technical department that is simply too dated.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
There's an interesting story here and the horror-JRPG vibe is much appreciated, but whatever enjoyment they could bring you is utterly annihilated by the outrageous, egregious amount of grinding you'll need to do to see the game through. Monark is gaming reduced to a thick, treacly sludge to wade through, no cutscene or story beat or reward ever feeling like it was worth the struggle. Just play Shin Megami Tensei while listening to Nine Inch Nails and you'll have a better time.
Monark has many great ideas, and some of them are executed well, but the game falters when it requires you to grind for hours just to stand a chance against the next story battle. The exploration and puzzle-solving keep things exciting, and the use of the Seven Deadly Sins for character personalities is a unique way to develop your characters. All in all, though, Monark may have been a better adventure or visual novel game than an RPG.
Monark is a game that boasts a solid foundation with some really good ideas and fun combat. It’s lack of polish, however, means this game is likely destined to be more of a cult favorite as opposed to a big hit. It’s a shame as the story alone is worth the journey. If you like an old-school 3D JRPG with interesting gameplay and don’t mind budget visuals, Monark is one ego trip worth indulging in.
Overall, Monark is a perfectly functional JRPG with a great combat system, some strong aesthetic designs, and a decent story. It's held back a bit by its school setting and a lack of exposition early, and could have benefited from embracing its darker themes more readily to help establish stakes in the opening chapters. Still, what's here is a fun game with an addictive combat system, and lessons learned in Monark could make the next effort from FURYU Corporation even more appealing.
Seven years after the launch of Lost Dimension, FuRyu and studio Lancarse are back on the scene to impress JRPG fans with a dark tactician. Although the influence of Shin Megami Tensei and Persona 5 in particular is evident on the narrative level, MONARK has conquered us with a dramatic, crazy and sometimes brutal story, as well as able to make us reflect on the most hidden and primitive desires of mankind.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
Monark proves itself to be an interesting, low-budget take on an SRPG, combining its Persona influences with original ideas to make for a compelling experience. Risky, rewarding combat, a creepy atmosphere, and an interesting story make this one easy to recommend, but things like the low-quality graphics, repetitive environments, and nonexistent enemy variety keep it from ever approaching greatness. We'd recommend Monark to any SRPG enthusiasts (especially those that are sick of fighting on a grid) or fans of the old-school SMT and Persona games. It may not have nailed its execution, but Monark is an experience that we think is still worth your time.
Monark has all of the dot points needed to be a great game, but it just doesn’t go far enough to stand out in any one area. It has a few great nuggets of ideas that would have been great to see expanded upon, but it barely scratches the surface. There are too many areas that were lacking either visual flare or gameplay substance for it to be memorable among titans like Persona and Megami Tensei. Despite that, it still might be worth playing for fans of the genre. It’s like popcorn — it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s easily consumable and will scratch that JRPG itch.
There is fun to be had and lessons to be learned, but it is a true test of your patience and dedication.
Although the combat system is a highlight, the madness stirs in this repetitive and dull RPG.