In an increasingly crowded genre where heroes must befriend and recruit monsters for battle, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a standout. The latest entry in this spin-off series, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, features the iconic monsters of Dragon Quest and more than a few recognizable faces from past DQ titles. It's a game for longtime fans and newcomers alike, one that's accessible as a first-time entry or one that works as a trek down memory lane celebrating the series' past.

The story focuses on a young Psaro, whose adult version serves as the main villain of Dragon Quest 4. In the decades since DQ4 was first released, Psaro remains perhaps the best-written and coolest antagonist the series has ever offered, so it's great getting to explore his backstory some more. Knowing the story of DQ4 is nice, but not required. It's best to think of The Dark Prince as an excellent fan-fiction prequel. Rather than worrying about fitting it into some canon or timeline, The Dark Prince can be wholly enjoyed as a completely standalone game and story.

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Monster Synthesis & Combat Overview

The primary gameplay focus of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is on recruiting monsters and then synthesizing them to create better allies. Monster synthesis is excellent and absorbing, and at least half my playtime was spent experimenting with monster types and trying to make the most powerful creatures possible. Monsters can only be synthesized once they reach level 10, which may take a little effort initially, but is soon moot after the third or fourth area in the game. This is because monsters in the wild are now above that level. It can, however, mean newly-synthesized monsters have to sit in a Reserves slot for a few fights to level up.

New monsters can inherit traits and abilities from their parents, which is where strategizing and experimentation come in. The turn-based combat is excellent, and the "Auto-Battle" and "Fast" speed-up options all make grinding levels or barreling through mobs even easier. Those who want to micromanage their monsters can do so by giving direct and individual Orders, or if a broader approach is taken, then sorting through Tactics is key. Basically, this all means The Dark Prince can be played however the user sees fit. As the game goes along, though, figuring out Tactics and using items will be necessary - even if some players prefer being less methodical and keeping Auto-Battle on.

Monsters can be fought in the wild, but there are also battle contests - one in the human world at the Endor Colosseum and the other at the Maulosseum in Nadiria, the world of monsters. These unlock periodically throughout the story and often must be completed to move the narrative forward, with each rank becoming more challenging. While these fights are a way to break up the story, they sometimes feel unnecessary. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince could've cut its colosseums completely, and the story and exploration would've still worked great. Of course, then it probably wouldn't have felt like a DQ Monsters game - but if this were simply running around in the wild as Psaro with a band of monsters, I would've still been sold.

Performance Problems Are The Only Real Issue In The Dark Prince

There's a lot to love about Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, but its exclusivity on the Nintendo Switch means its somewhat bogged down by the restrictions of that console. This means the graphics and fps sometimes dip, especially in handheld mode. The only real issue I regularly experienced was stuttering, especially in areas with a lot of monsters or in seasons that used a lot of animations. This happened in both handheld and docked modes, although never for very long.

The good news here is that DQ Monsters isn't necessarily the kind of game that needs to look great to be great, and the portability of the Switch mostly outweighs the slight performance issues. By now, many Switch owners are used to these issues, so (to borrow a phrase) it is what it is. Other than some performance problems, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is smooth sailing.

Storytelling & Exploration In DQ Monsters Is Pretty Great

Mainline Dragon Quest games have amazing stories to tell, but with DQ Monsters games, it often feels like storytelling takes a backseat to gameplay. That's not wholly the case in The Dark Prince. While no one will equate its story to the narrative heights of mainline entries, it's surprising how much story is actually here. And that goes double for characterization, especially with Psaro.

Even the monster NPCs feel like they have a ton of characterization packed into their bite-sized lines. They are as endearing and humorous as I've come to expect from DQ (and especially Monsters games). The pun-based names of monsters really shine - from a reptile with a musical horn for a nose called Croc-a-Doodle-Doo to a mustachioed candy monster called Sugar Baddie, it's impossible not to grin at the clever names on display here.

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The areas in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince are open but condensed. Each area generally takes 30ish minutes to explore, and most monsters aren't easily caught (or "scouted") until the story advances. Completing an area makes Psaro's reputation grow, meaning monsters in that designated location are now easier to scout. A gameplay loop begins to form - battle monsters, level up the party, play through the story beats, and then go back through the area to scout monsters. Despite some areas being small, seasons change - offering unique monsters, landscape alterations, and more. This certainly adds to the replay value, and despite performance issues, the seasonal changes are smooth and don't require loading screens.

Review Score & Final Thoughts

All of this coalesces into a game that is surprisingly chill but also full of surprises. The storytelling, characters, and monsters are all trademark DQ. And with post-game content (no spoilers here), the good times can keep on rolling. The vibrancy on display here, along with Dragon Quest's signature sense of humor, dares anyone to play it without a smile. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is one of the most fun games of the year.

A code for the digital Deluxe Edition of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince was provided to Screen Rant for the purpose of this review.