Again in December, I reviewed Sq. Enix’s monster accumulating RPG Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap. I liked 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 cheaper price level and the content material included, however is the sport price your time on this crowded launch interval and with its premium value? That’s what I goal to reply with my Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince cellular assessment additionally overlaying the sport on Steam Deck.
For those who aren’t accustomed to Dragon Quest Monsters itself, it’s a spin-off sequence of the principle Dragon Quest video games that includes turn-based fight, however as a substitute of the principle participant combating, you seize, breed, and lift monsters to combat for you. Once I performed Dragon Quest Treasures, I loved it, however was informed 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’ll be able to see from my assessment linked above, however I believe it’s a very sturdy monster accumulating RPG with turn-based fight no matter should 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 standard spin-off, however I discovered myself focusing extra on getting my very own dream monster social gathering slightly than worrying in regards to the narrative. I’m tremendous happy with how nicely thought out the mechanics are and the way the big zones, tons 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’ll be able to discover with map adjustments. This implies a water physique that you would be able to’t cross will probably 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 much like the unique Persona 3, direct instructions, and extra. You aren’t right here to simply defeat enemies, but in addition scout them to carry to your social gathering and grow to be 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 minimize nonetheless. For those who 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 numerous 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 total base recreation 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 Fitness center, 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 lots simpler throughout the recreation. 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 Fitness center DLC has randomly generated maps and they’re meant to be postgame challenges slightly 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 whole. This is sort of a cheat DLC should you could. 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’ll be able to by no means be certain 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 nicely.
In the case of controls, I used to be stunned at how nicely Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince felt with contact controls. It makes use of a floating joystick on the left for motion and a soar button primarily whereas exploring. The one minor challenge you would possibly 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 help in since this can be a console recreation ported to cellular in spite of everything.
Considered one of my solely actual points with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Swap was on the technical aspect. The body fee was tough at launch with visuals not being nice both. The previous acquired addressed to some extent 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, nevertheless it isn’t remotely as dangerous 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 fee settings on cellular exterior of the decision choice 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 fee 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 working with some tweaked settings. Total, even the older iPad Professional runs it nicely, however inferior to iPhone 15 Professional as anticipated. Each machine I examined on together with the iPhone 12 ran it lots higher than Nintendo Swap.
Visually, it appears to be like lots cleaner than Swap even on older iOS units 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 components. This sample or art work is principally 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 side ratio in components. I’m glad to see Sq. Enix put within the work right here to ensure it nonetheless appears to be like good no matter side 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 lots simpler to attain. 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 helps you to modify graphical high quality (low, medium, excessive), anti-aliasing (off, low, medium, excessive), most body fee (30 to uncapped), toggle v-sync, and modify show mode (windowed, fullscreen, borderless). For those who play at 60fps, I like to recommend setting your Steam Deck OLED refresh fee to 60 to keep away from jitter as nicely.
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 large improve 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 approach, you’ll be able to safely purchase this one to play on Steam Deck.
For those who 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 help is disappointing, it’s nonetheless a recreation I see myself taking part in usually 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. For those who do worth controller help in a recreation 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 yr.
