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Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Details Combat, Monster Collecting

by Alex Fuller · September 5, 2023

Square Enix released new details and screenshots for the upcoming Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. The update covers the game’s new combat elements, as well as its monster collecting gameplay.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince follows Psaro, the eponymous cursed prince, and his companion Rose in the world of Nadiria. Psaro is cursed by his father, and the curse stops him from harming monsters. Looking for revenge, he becomes a Monster Wrangler, recruiting and fighting with monsters to build up his own loyal army.

Players can form a team of up to eight monsters, four in the main party with the others in reserve. Direct instructions can be issued to individual monsters in battle, or they can given general instructions such as “Show No Mercy” or “Focus on Healing”. Monsters can also enter a frenzied state, where they can inflict more damage and get more opportunities to act if their situation seems desperate. Monsters come in two sizes — small or large — with large monsters using up two spots in the party roster. However, they make up for it by having better stats and being able to act multiple times per round. There are nine ranks of monster: G, F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and X.

There are multiple ways to obtain new monsters. Some monsters can ask to join the team after being beaten in battle, while of the “Show of Force” can persuade stronger monsters to join up. Certain items, such as treats, can help increase the the chances of recruiting a monster. In addition to being able to combine his own monsters, other Monster Wranglers may also offer Psaro the opportunity to combine one of his monsters with theirs to create a new creature that he can keep.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince gives monsters three talent categories providing a mixture of skills, spells, buffs, and more. Players can unlock new spells and abilities for monsters by assigning talent points earned from combat and other activities. Synthesised monsters come with their own innate talent, as well as talents inherited form the parent.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is planned to release on Nintendo Switch on December 1, 2023. The game will feature over 500 monsters in total, including returning favourites, Dragon Quest XI’s Jasper Unbound and Krystalinda, and brand new monsters.