And also some really good trailer jams
Monark is a new project from former members of the Shin Megami Tensei team, and it’s coming to the West soon enough. Ahead of its February debut in North America, developer FuRyu is showing off the combat and style of Monark.
In battle, your character and their allies use the power of your Ego to fight what look like some creepy Otherworld forces. Calling down special attacks and magical forces seems the norm here. You can definitely see the Shin Megami Tensei vibes in the look and attacks, too. The combat in Monark looks a bit more like a tactical RPG rather than a traditional RPG, but it has those demonic themes and some sharp outfits for its party members, too.
The team already showed off its opening animation too, which had a fair bit of style all its own. And for both trailers, the music has been incredibly good. I’ve watched the combat trailer a few times, and at this point it’s mostly just to listen to the backing music.
If you haven’t seen it before, Monark is set within a school setting where the protagonists contend with a mysterious Otherworld. A dangerous Mist surrounds your academy, and in order to help your friends, you team up to combat enemies in an alternate dimension.
The Japanese version of Monark went live in October, but for the rest of the world, it lands on Feb. 22, 2022. Which is, well, right smack-dab in the middle of a window that includes Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring, and a Destiny 2 expansion. But hey, for those seeking a JRPG rather than those other options, this looks like it’s shaping up to be interesting.
Monark will launch in the West on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on Feb. 22, 2022.