In the event you aren’t acquainted with Dragon Quest Monsters itself, it’s a spin-off collection of the primary Dragon Quest video games that includes turn-based fight, however as a substitute of the primary participant preventing, you seize, breed, and lift monsters to struggle for you. Once I performed Dragon Quest Treasures, I loved it, however was instructed that it’s a “Monsters-lite” sport so when Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince was introduced for Swap, I used to be excited to play it. I ended up loving it as you’ll be able to see from my overview linked above, however I feel it’s a very sturdy monster gathering RPG with turn-based fight no matter when you like Dragon Quest or not. What made Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince extra fascinating, is in the way it looks like a aspect story and prequel to Dragon Quest IV. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince additionally had a seasonal function the place the monsters modified relying on the season and space you’re in.
In the case of the story, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince, the bits from IV already made it extra fascinating than the same old spin-off, however I discovered myself focusing extra on getting my very own dream monster get together relatively than worrying concerning the narrative. I’m tremendous happy with how effectively thought out the mechanics are and the way the massive zones, lots of of monsters, and fight made me wish to preserve enjoying it extra even on Swap after I first beat it not to mention now on iPhone, iPad, and Steam Deck. Past the traditional turn-based battles and recruiting new monsters, Synthesis in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince is like Shin Megami Tensei’s fusion, and there’s simply a lot you are able to do with expertise right here. The seasons right here don’t simply change monsters, but additionally areas you’ll be able to discover with map modifications. This implies a water physique which you could’t cross might be frozen in a single season letting you entry a brand new secret.
Fight in video games like this will get monotonous so I’m glad to see the various high quality of life options right here just like the techniques menu that performs out just like the unique Persona 3, direct instructions, and extra. You aren’t right here to simply defeat enemies, but additionally scout them to convey to your get together and turn into stronger. I didn’t find yourself testing the net multiplayer on Swap a lot, so I can’t touch upon how massive a loss that’s right here, however it’s a sport mode being reduce nonetheless. In the event you did play it on Swap, preserve that in thoughts as it’s the solely space the cellular and Steam variations are missing in comparison with Swap.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince already shipped with plenty of content material, however the DLC solely elevated the expertise. This DLC was offered within the Digital Deluxe Version or as standalone DLC for the bottom sport. Simply the DLC was over $25 on Swap, so having the complete base sport with all DLC included for $24 on cellular makes it an incredible deal, however I’ll get to that in a bit. This DLC included The Mole Gap, Coach Joe’s Dungeon Health club, and Treasure Trunks. The Mole Gap was a dungeon that permits you to scout (recruit) monsters you’ve fought earlier than and it made min-maxing loads simpler throughout the sport. The DLC was additionally good to hurry issues up since you can additionally simply scout monsters who solely seem throughout a selected season or via synthesis.
The Coach Joe’s Dungeon Health club DLC has randomly generated maps and they’re meant to be postgame challenges relatively than skilled whereas enjoying the sport. The ultimate DLC is only a chest that may be opened as soon as an hour with 10 objects in whole. This is sort of a cheat DLC when you might. I didn’t suppose it was good to have helpful sport modes or content material in paid DLC, however that isn’t an issue anymore with all of it included on iOS, Androidl, and Steam within the base asking value.
Now let’s get to the cellular port options. With Sq. Enix, you’ll be able to by no means be certain what options will make it into the ultimate sport. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince doesn’t have controller assist. That is past disappointing because the sport is actually a console title ported to cellular. I attempted 6 completely different controllers with none luck to make sure. Apart from controller assist, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS has cloud saves and some graphics choices. The cloud saves work effectively.
In the case of controls, I used to be shocked at how effectively Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince felt with contact controls. It makes use of a floating joystick on the left for motion and a leap button primarily whereas exploring. The one minor subject you may run into is a few contact targets being a bit small on the non Plus/Max telephones. These aren’t a problem on iPads in any respect although. The controls really feel good, however Sq. Enix ought to’ve left full controller assist in since this can be a console sport ported to cellular in any case.
Certainly one of my solely actual points with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap was on the technical aspect. The body charge was tough at launch with visuals not being nice both. The previous acquired addressed to a point in contrast to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, however the latter by no means acquired fastened. On iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 12, and even iPad Professional, I had no main points with the visuals or efficiency. There are some hiccups on iPhone 15 Professional when working on the highest graphics high quality setting and shifting via some places, however it isn’t remotely as unhealthy as on Swap. The sport feels massively higher to play on iOS. Try the comparability under for the high and low graphics choices on iPhone 15 Professional:
There aren’t particular visible or body charge settings on cellular outdoors of the decision possibility in show settings. This allows you to play at low, medium, or excessive graphical high quality choices. These presets additionally have an effect on different settings just like the body charge restrict and post-processing. This setting can solely be modified from the title display on cellular when you can regulate it on the fly on PC. I caught to the excessive setting on all my iPhones. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince sadly has some minor efficiency points even on iPhone 15 Professional as I discussed above. The low setting appears unusable with how blurry it will get. On my 2020 iPad Professional, the excessive preset has extra common body drops than iPhone, and it additionally appears to be working with some tweaked settings. General, even the older iPad Professional runs it effectively, however not so good as iPhone 15 Professional as anticipated. Each gadget I examined on together with the iPhone 12 ran it loads higher than Nintendo Swap.
Visually, it appears loads cleaner than Swap even on older iOS gadgets when performed at excessive. Sq. Enix didn’t simply do a bare-bones port right here. It has fullscreen assist throughout gameplay on my iPhone 15 Professional, and even has a sample or paintings to fill the display throughout areas with pre-rendered or static 16:9 components. This sample or paintings is especially used on my iPad Professional because it doesn’t assist fullscreen there for gameplay. This additionally applies to Steam Deck to make up for that facet ratio in elements. I’m glad to see Sq. Enix put within the work right here to verify it nonetheless appears good no matter facet ratio.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince Steam Deck impressions
On Steam Deck, no matter my settings, I couldn’t get Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince to run at a locked 90fps even on the low preset when performed at 800p. I made a decision to go for a 60fps goal, and that was loads simpler to attain. One oddity is the sport not letting you regulate decision when enjoying on Steam Deck usually. You are able to do this by forcing the decision from the sport’s properties earlier than launching it. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on PC helps you to regulate graphical high quality (low, medium, excessive), anti-aliasing (off, low, medium, excessive), most body charge (30 to uncapped), toggle v-sync, and regulate show mode (windowed, fullscreen, borderless). In the event you play at 60fps, I like to recommend setting your Steam Deck OLED refresh charge to 60 to keep away from jitter as effectively.
Having now performed Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS, iPadOS, Steam Deck, Swap OLED, and Swap Lite, there’s little question that the Swap model is the worst of the lot regardless of the net mode being faraway from cellular and Steam. The large enhance in efficiency and higher visuals with all DLC included at a a lot decrease asking value solely makes it higher. One factor to notice is that the sport is marked as Steam Deck Playable and never Verified as a result of Valve says some in-game textual content is small and could also be tough to learn. I didn’t have any points with this, and I really feel like Valve has marked video games with smaller textual content as Verified earlier than. Both approach, you’ll be able to safely purchase this one to play on Steam Deck.
In the event you skipped Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap, the brand new cellular and Steam ports are the best way to go. Whereas the cellular model missing controller assist is disappointing, it’s nonetheless a sport I see myself enjoying recurrently with its enhancements over swap and unbelievable core gameplay loop. Having all of the DLC included means you should have sufficient content material to final you even longer. In the event you do worth controller assist in a sport like this, the Steam Deck is the best way to go. Hopefully we see Sq. Enix preserve bringing extra Dragon Quest video games to cellular sooner or later. Proper now, the iOS model of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince is well top-of-the-line cellular releases of the 12 months.
