Again in December, I reviewed Sq. Enix’s monster gathering RPG Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap. I beloved my time with it regardless of its many technical points. I anticipated it to hit PC like Dragon Quest Treasures, one other Nintendo Swap unique, however I didn’t anticipate a cellular launch. Sq. Enix’s latest launch of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS, Android, and Steam brings all prior paid DLC into the sport at a decrease entry level, however removes one function. That is the web real-time multiplayer battles. Past that, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Steam and cellular is already a massively higher expertise simply on worth with its lower cost level and the content material included, however is the sport value your time on this crowded launch interval and with its premium value? That’s what I intention to reply with my Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince cellular evaluate additionally masking the sport on Steam Deck.
In case you aren’t accustomed to Dragon Quest Monsters itself, it’s a spin-off sequence of the primary Dragon Quest video games that includes turn-based fight, however as an alternative of the primary participant combating, you seize, breed, and lift monsters to battle for you. After I performed Dragon Quest Treasures, I loved it, however was advised that it’s a “Monsters-lite” recreation 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 possibly can see from my evaluate linked above, however I feel it’s a very robust 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 appears 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.
On the subject 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 occasion reasonably than worrying in regards to the narrative. I’m tremendous happy with how effectively thought out the mechanics are and the way the big zones, lots of of monsters, and fight made me need to preserve taking part in 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 abilities right here. The seasons right here don’t simply change monsters, but in addition areas you possibly can discover with map modifications. This implies a water physique that you may’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 numerous high quality of life options right here just like the ways menu that performs out just like the unique Persona 3, direct instructions, and extra. You aren’t right here to only defeat enemies, but in addition scout them to carry to your occasion and develop into stronger. I didn’t find yourself testing the web multiplayer on Swap a lot, so I can’t touch upon how large a loss that’s right here, however it’s a recreation mode being lower nonetheless. In case 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 loads 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 recreation. Simply the DLC was over $25 on Swap, so having the complete base recreation with all DLC included for $24 on cellular makes it a tremendous deal, however I’ll get to that in a bit. This DLC included The Mole Gap, Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gymnasium, and Treasure Trunks. The Mole Gap was a dungeon that allows you to scout (recruit) monsters you’ve fought earlier than and it made min-maxing quite a bit simpler throughout the recreation. The DLC was additionally good to hurry issues up since you may additionally simply scout monsters who solely seem throughout a selected season or by way of synthesis.
The Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gymnasium DLC has randomly generated maps and they’re meant to be postgame challenges reasonably than skilled whereas taking part in the sport. The ultimate DLC is only a chest that may be opened as soon as an hour with 10 gadgets in complete. This is sort of a cheat DLC when you might. I didn’t suppose it was good to have helpful recreation 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 possibly can by no means ensure what options will make it into the ultimate recreation. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince doesn’t have controller help. That is past disappointing because the recreation is actually a console title ported to cellular. I attempted 6 totally different controllers with none luck to make certain. Other than controller help, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS has cloud saves and some graphics choices. The cloud saves work effectively.
On the subject of controls, I used to be stunned 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 difficulty on iPads in any respect although. The controls really feel good, however Sq. Enix ought to’ve left full controller help in since it is a console recreation ported to cellular in spite of everything.
One in every 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 obtained addressed to some extent not like Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, however the latter by no means obtained mounted. 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 operating on the highest graphics high quality setting and shifting by way of some places, however it isn’t remotely as unhealthy as on Swap. The sport feels massively higher to play on iOS. Take a look at 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 exterior 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 whilst you can modify 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 operating with some tweaked settings. Total, 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 quite a bit higher than Nintendo Swap.
Visually, it appears to be like quite a bit 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 help throughout gameplay on my iPhone 15 Professional, and even has a sample or art work to fill the display throughout areas with pre-rendered or static 16:9 parts. This sample or art work is especially used on my iPad Professional because it doesn’t help 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 ensure it nonetheless appears to be like 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 quite a bit simpler to realize. One oddity is the sport not letting you modify decision when taking part in 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 allows you to modify graphical high quality (low, medium, excessive), anti-aliasing (off, low, medium, excessive), most body charge (30 to uncapped), toggle v-sync, and modify show mode (windowed, fullscreen, borderless). In case 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 web mode being faraway from cellular and Steam. The huge 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 troublesome 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 means, you possibly can safely purchase this one to play on Steam Deck.
In case you skipped Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap, the brand new cellular and Steam ports are the way in which to go. Whereas the cellular model missing controller help is disappointing, it’s nonetheless a recreation I see myself taking part in frequently 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 case you do worth controller help in a recreation like this, the Steam Deck is the way in which 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 definitely among the finest cellular releases of the yr.
