Monster Sanctuary is Metroidvania meets monster taming RPG and although it’s early days for the Kickstarter campaign, this game is absolutely definitely getting made. With almost a month left on the campaign, developers Moi Rai Games have already outstripped their goal of €20,000 by more than double.
Set in the pixelated fantasy world of Monster Sanctuary, you, the youngest in an ancient lineage of Monster Keepers, set off on a quest to follow the footsteps of your ancestors. With the familiar of your bloodline by your side to guide you, you’ll catch and train monsters Pokémon style as you add them to your party.
But it’s not all that simple. A mystery lurks within the sanctuary, and a series of disturbing events has the elder Keepers worried. It’s up to you to get to the bottom of this secret that jeopardizes the peace between humans and monsters.
It’s a Big Wide World
The game hinges on Metroidvania-like exploration, something the extensive demo‘s sprawling layout really demonstrates. Each monster has their own special skill – like flying or cutting through vines – that can unlock new areas as well as hidden loot. You’ll have to choose your party carefully if you want varied skillsets that let you explore freely.
There are no random enemy encounters, instead combat only starts when you collide with a monster. With a gang of up to six monsters in tow, combat is turn-based and pretty strategic. The combo counter boosts damage against an enemy within each turn and builds up as you go through your party. This lets you plan out the structure of your turn to give your heavy-hitters the biggest boost.
As well as battling the various critters roaming the world, you’ll also face narrative-progressing boss fights against Champion Monsters that put your party’s teamwork to the test. Your performance in in every fight is rated out of five stars, with higher ratings rewarding you with better item drops.
Monster Sanctuary aims to release on Steam in late 2020, with early access available for backers by mid-2019. Moi Rai are currently smashing their way through stretch goals, setting their sights on a much bigger variety of monsters, a Switch release, and an online multiplayer PvP mode.
