Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

"There are over 500 monsters in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, and over 40 hours of main story to trudge through. Fans will get a lot of bang for their buck, but expect to wince at the presentation which …"

"If you want to know this sub-franchise in which the protagonists are the monsters of this universe, it is definitely the first good step to follow, given that the previous installments can be considered lost."

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince presents an innovative twist to the Dragon Quest spin-off series, focusing on monster collection and battling with a unique progression system, although it falls short in narrative depth and visual presentation. The game shines …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: Prince of Shadows has a few things going for it, but overall I found it rather average. I&s;m a long-time fan of the main series, and I don&s;t think this one can hold a candle to Dragon …"

"Years after the release of the previous iteration of the Monsters genre, The Dark Prince had the opportunity to rejuvenate the historic playful formula of the spin-off and ferry it to still unexplored lands. Despite the predictions, however, the development …"

""Sometimes too simple despite the variety of monsters.""

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a fun traditional, monster-collecting RPG with plenty of homages to the classic Dragon Quest IV."

"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 …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a worthy resurgence for this beloved spinoff series. While the messy narrative pacing and poor framerate bring the adventure down a few notches, the addictive and rewarding gameplay loop with player freedom at …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a solid and enjoyable RPG that plays it very safe. If you enjoy Dragon Quest gameplay, then there&s;s a lot to like, and the monster customization and fusing systems allow you to create …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince forgoes complexity in favor of creating an accessible and enjoyable gaming experience."

"For my first Dragon Quest Monster game and first Dragon Quest title in a very long time, I have to say I had mixed emotions. You have this trailed and tested turn-based combat with the monster-focused gameplay loop which is …"

"The Dragon Quest Monsters series makes a great return on Nintendo Switch, but in regards to its story it does very little to properly honor the legacy of the game it takes inspiration from."

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince&s;s significant performance issues unfortunately sap a lot of the joy out of the game&s;s core loop of exploration and grinding, detracting from an otherwise solid monster-collecting experience. However, if you&s;re able to overlook its …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is fun enough to give frustrated Pokémon fans a solid alternative."

"Dragon Quest Monster The Dark Prince does very little to differentiate itself from the great number of similar games on the market, and still does everything right if you look at its bestiary and its gameplay loop. Therefore, it can …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a middling entry into a once legendary spin-off series. For every element or system the game nails, there&s;s a confusing design decision that holds them back. While The Dark Prince is far from …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince isn&s;t reinventing the wheel or changing the way we should view the monster-catching genre, but it is a huge amount of fun, and offers a lot of playtime for those who want to spend …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince has a deep combat and monster breeding system that can become addictive if you&s;re willing to overlook the very low quality of almost all of its sections: graphics, sound, story, level design, and development. …"

"As a whole, while I enjoyed some elements of DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince, it is not a game I resonated with as much as I would have liked. The monster collecting and designing is neat, but the time …"

"While its best ideas are held back by its lack of refinement, the adventure remains surprisingly compelling, even as you’re wasting hours away on levelling up your favourite monsters, and experimenting with battle tactics. It doesn’t quite live up to …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is, without a doubt, a fun RPG for fans of monster capture."

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince emerges as a triumph in the evolution of the Monsters subseries, celebrating its 25th anniversary with an incredible feat. By harmoniously fusing an engaging plot with fun game mechanics, the title transcends expectations, positioning …"

"In a lot of ways for someone like me, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is weirdly validating for a video game product you purchase. This series has been living in relative obscurity for decades, either going unlocalized entirely or …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince brings back all the monster raising you could ever need, but the performance lets it down massively."

"This new Dragon Quest part is fun for new players, but also for gamers who have been fans of the series for years and have been looking forward to a sequel/Spin-off. This strategy RPG distinguishes itself from its peers in …"

"Much like Dragon Quest Treasures last year, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a fun entry point into a long-running series that doesn’t ask too much of players in terms of prior knowledge (though that surely helps). If you’re …"

"While the narrative slightly stumbles in its execution and the post-game content feels somewhat shallow, the core gameplay loop is undeniably fun and provides immense satisfaction for monster collectors. The Dark Prince serves as a welcome celebration of the Dragon …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is an exceptional return for one of Square Enix’s most under-appreciated properties. With Pokémon going through a rare period where it’s not meeting nearly universal acclaim, perhaps this is the big opportunity for this …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is an enjoyable monster-catching RPG that combines charming visuals with addictive gameplay to make for a genuinely gripping experience, making it feel like the long wait since the last entry to leave Japan has …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince from developer Armor Project brings an enjoyable monster collecting and fighting gameplay blueprint to the Dragon Quest world, but falls short in its shallow narrative and humdrum visuals."

"By rigidly following Dragon Quest traditions, we end up with flat, cartoonish characters who inhabit a repetitive, cyclical world. But The Dark Prince plays to its strengths to deliver a solid RPG experience with a cozy narrative seasoned by a …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it has the best mechanics and combat the Dragon Quest series has ever seen, with the monster-focused gameplay loop providing endless fun. On the other hand, …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a stellar RPG that anyone who enjoys monster-catching games has got to play. The technical issues can be frustrating and surprising, but they don’t impede the game enough to be a serious hindrance. …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince does the monster catching, raising, and battling loop better than any similar game I&s;ve played. It has some good dungeon puzzles on top of that. The story isn&s;t amazing and the performance isn&s;t great …"

"Despite the negative points, I still think this is a perfect experience for Monster-Tamers enthusiasts, but just as I ask when I recommend XI to some friends, I advise you to play the demo before thinking about buying this game; …"

"Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a solid port of the Nintendo Switch original, free of all performance-related issues from its former release."