As a long-time fan of Dragon Quest, I can confidently say that Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince was a much-anticipated gem in 2023 for me. However, the Switch version left a lot to be desired due to its performance issues and DLC-gated features. Fast forward to now, and the PC release has been a breath of fresh air.
Among my favorite video games in 2023 was Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. Being a fan of Dragon Quest, I’m naturally drawn to anything associated with this franchise. However, what truly sets the Dragon Quest Monsters series apart is its exceptional approach to monster collection and combat. Compared to even Pokemon, the mechanics are more enjoyable and immersive.
All of the frames, so many frames!
It’s not unlikely that readers would expect performance to be crucial, as it often is with games. Despite some post-release updates, The Dark Prince struggled significantly with performance on Nintendo Switch, a problem that many games face. For instance, One Piece Odyssey recently demonstrated how games can excel beyond the capabilities of the Switch. Given its less complex visuals and structure compared to contemporary RPGs, one might assume it would shine in this area. Regrettably, it suffered from severe frame rate drops, particularly at launch. For a more detailed analysis, I invite you to read my original review!
On a PC, The Dark Prince performs flawlessly with various settings for frame rate limits and VSYNC to ensure a consistent gaming experience. It runs smoothly even on my not-so-new laptop. I’ve also played it on both the Steam Deck and ROG Ally (the Z1 Extreme model), and overall, it was an enjoyable gameplay. There were moments of slight jitteriness on the Ally, but these devices can be finicky, as much as I appreciate them. Since games like this excel on portable devices, the Steam Deck currently offers the best gaming experience for me.
The DLC dilemma
In addition to making Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince more enjoyable on its latest release, there’s an extra feature that significantly enhances the gameplay – free downloadable content! If you’re unfamiliar with this title, one of the DLC additions is crucial for an optimal experience, and it goes by the name “The Mole Hole.” It can be a bit cumbersome to type out, but essentially, this DLC plays a vital role in late-game monster fusion, a key aspect when building the strongest team of creatures on your mission to exact revenge on humanity.
In The Mole Hole, you can descend into rooms that are tiered similarly to the monsters you can catch. Each floor generates monsters of their respective tiers that you’ve already captured, making them weaker in combat and easier to scan compared to encounters in the wild. Moreover, some fusion chains in The Dark Prince can be intricate, so this feature serves as a helpful shortcut, reducing some tedious grinding. Initially, it was downloadable content, but now that it’s included for free while the game costs $40 instead of $60, it feels less problematic and more like a value-added bonus.
Wait, there was multiplayer?
This is all great news, but there is one notable drawback. Competitive multiplayer has been completely scrubbed from the game in this version. It’s fairly easy to guess why, as the multiplayer in the Switch version is bogged down by cheating and a very unbalanced meta game in general. Unlike Pokemon, Dragon Quest Monsters has never really been tuned for serious competition, and the latest iteration is proof enough. The real appeal is in mastering fusion and getting all the most powerful monsters, or at least going as far up that food chain as you’re willing. I purposefully avoided online play, because this series is all about the vibes for me. But if you’re the type that is worried about feature completeness or online competition, it’s an important note.
Unfortunately, while the Nintendo Switch offers an excellent hybrid experience, some exceptional games have been known to launch with technical hiccups. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince was one such title, experiencing significant drops in performance and delayed DLC releases, which can be frustrating for consumers. However, the recently released PC version has rectified these problems, filling a noticeable gap in the game’s structure that surfaced late last year. Although the absence of multiplayer may seem like an issue, it carries less weight given its peripheral role in the overall gaming experience. If you’ve hesitated to try the game due to performance concerns or price, this could be your chance to explore a compelling alternative in the realm of monster combat games.
Right now, you can get your hands on “Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince” on Nintendo Switch, personal computers, and mobile devices. In exchange for this review, we received a code for the PC edition from the game’s publisher.
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2024-09-26 21:57