Monark Reviews
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.
Monark is a relatively accessible TRPG for beginners in terms of tactical complexity, while still being interesting and versatile. In addition, the game is recommended for those interested in shounen anime and plot premises similar to the Persona games and the dark brushstrokes of the main Shin Megami Tensei series.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I loved combat and working on the skill tree. The story is intriguing and I wanted to push on. The fun tanked when puzzles were ambiguous. I wanted to quit and was tempted to move on. Once I figured it out, though, the fun picks up.
Monark is a mostly solid JRPG with higher-than-average difficulty and a serviceable plot. While it won't surprise anyone with its unimpressive 3D graphics and a mediocre soundtrack, the characters and lore should indeed satisfy most fans of the genre.
I’ve got to admit, there are games that I review that I don’t really get, but sometimes they can still make quite an impression on me… though maybe not always with the hook that would grab other people...
In our intent to devote the right attention even to the less noble projects, we would have really liked to give Monark a higher grade, especially to reward the ideas and efforts of a certainly talented team that is looking for its space in the market. However, there are still limits to overcome for a real leap in quality, and we are not just talking about budget.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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
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.
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.
There is fun to be had and lessons to be learned, but it is a true test of your patience and dedication.
Monark weaves an engaging story even though it may rely on tropes and archetypes to do so.
Monark is a game filled with great ideas and themes, and it manages to deliver on some of those in spades. Unfortunately, Monark is also its own worst enemy, and many of the gameplay elements simply get in the way of making it something truly exceptional. Still, if you can manage to get through the slog of repetitiveness, there’s a fascinating and thematically engaging story underneath.
Monark treads the fine line between a good RPG and a truly great one. I enjoyed that it was a stripped back affair and that I only had the story to focus on instead of thousands of pointless side quests. The story, while dark, was enjoyable, particularly in the second half of the game. Some of the investigative portions really tested my mettle and while there is a grind to keep up with the difficulty curve, this was well balanced and always fair. If the early stages of hunting Pactbearers wasn’t the same process in a different environment, Monark would be a truly great game. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty good RPG, but the flaws are noticeable, and it runs the risk of putting people off.
If you’re looking for an entertaining turn-based strategy game and a linear, school-based story similar to the first two Persona titles, then go forth. For everyone else, it’s going to depend on whether you can stomach a bunch of frustrating puzzles, terrible graphics, annoying exploration mechanics and a story that takes its sweet sweet time to get going.
Overall, Monark scores above average on its report card. Non-traditional JRPG elements combined with a fun tactical based combat system and plenty of different musical tracks to groove to, it was hard to put down even when I couldn’t figure out what I was actually supposed to be doing. Maybe this was just me and the types of puzzles, or maybe it was a bit too vague, but it was often almost enough to make me quit and have to retake my semester all over again.
The story and creepy atmosphere paired with psych tests gives Monark a unique RPG twist. I highly recommend checking out and exploring Monark for its story development, gameplay, and its unconventional but familiar JRPG action.
Monark is an unrefined gem, but it is definitely a game worth checking out. Despite some issues, it’s a good first attempt with plenty of room for polish in any subsequent follow-up.
Monark is not a perfect game, but it's a really solid RPG. The battle system is good, the storyline is interesting once it gets going, and there's some great music, too. Graphically, the game is one of the uglier releases I've come across over the last few years, and I think the game could do a better job explaining elements of its battle system. However, if players can ignore these imperfections, there really is a lot to love, and I can see fans of the genre falling in love with it. The RPG genre has plenty of great options to pick from at the moment, but Monark's blend of JRPG, strategy, and horror elements make it a compelling option.
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 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.