Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a great starting point
This ain't your average monster collecting game.
One of the longest-running video game franchises just flipped the script with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. Instead of your usual hero’s journey, players will take on the role of Psaro, a character that most would recall as a powerful demon with a passionate hatred for humanity. To elaborate on this decision, General Director Yuji Horii and Producer Kento Yokota sat down with us and gave us a bit of insight on the franchise’s new installment.
Contrary to earlier Dragon Quest titles, The Dark Prince offers more than your usual RPG. Aside from portraying the central villain from Dragon Quest IV, you’re given access to a cavalcade of more than 500 different monsters from across the series. Psaro has the ability to “befriend” these monsters, utilize their capabilities, and synthesize them to create even more powerful versions.
Having shifted from the Nintendo 3DS to the Switch, the game now has a fresher, more wide-reaching audience. The Dragon Quest franchise has been around since 1986, with most of its fanbase being composed of loyal players who have stuck around since the beginning. It’s definitely worth wondering if anyone could pick up The Dark Prince in 2023 and still have as rich an experience as starting at the beginning.
Horii and Yokota guarantee that newcomers and veterans alike need not worry. While the game features a character from the fourth game, this is a completely new story with a new set of supporting characters.
It does happen within the same universe, and the lore is left intact. This means that new and old players alike will have some common ground to stand on. Given the new monster system, we’re given an added layer of new gameplay to enjoy–and we all know how fun collecting, selecting, and battling with monsters can be. Horii and Yokota agree that this title would be a great starting point for anyone looking to get into the series.
Dragon Quest always aims to offer a fun adventure, regardless of who the main character is, and whether it be the main storyline or one of the fun spinoffs. While you’re in the shoes of Psaro (to be) The Manslayer this time around, it doesn’t mean you can’t take a few monsters and make some new friends, right?
So, if you’re looking to take that plunge, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince drops for the Nintendo Switch this December 1.