Emerging game studio Jotoyo has officially announced Monster Fantasy, and this upcoming cosy adventure is most definitely one to keep an eye on in 2027.
Monster Fantasy is what you might get if you blended the worlds of Monster Hunter, Pokémon, and Stardew Valley.
That’s how the team at Jotoyo pitched their upcoming title after GAMINGbible attended an exclusive preview with game producer Fei Fei and Jotoyo CEO Allan Xai.
The game has two very distinct branches, with players both fighting monsters and establishing a cosy, picturesque abode.
Fei and Allan made it quite clear that you don’t have to partake in both with Monster Fantasy offering a sense of freedom; the idea is that the experience is what you make of it.
If you want to focus on fighting and collecting creatures, you can. If you just want to farm and decorate, you can.
The Combat Here Is Designed To Be Fun And For Players Of All Skills
Boasting a Chibi aesthetic, Monster Fantasy is being developed by a team of around 20 developers.
In fact, Allan explained that they picked a Chibi aesthetic despite the photorealistic open-world of Eldoras to indicate that Monster Fantasy is accessible.
Certainly, there are some formidable creatures you can defeat deeper into the game, but Jotoyo made it clear that this is not an experience that has necessarily been made with difficulty or challenge in mind.
On the combat side of things, there are several classes you select from. You can easily switch between them though, and you don’t need to worry about anything like a build.
One class, for example, specialises in swordsmanship, whilst another focuses on spells. Warrior, Mage, Archer, and Swordsman are the four available classes.
Once you’ve defeated certain creatures, you can actually collect them as your own, which is where the Pokémon element comes into play.
Bond With Your Creature Companions To Help Them Evolve
You’ll be able to build up your bond with your various creatures, many of whom cycle through three evolutions.
As they grow older and bigger, you’ll be able to get them to help out with gathering tasks before eventually using them as a mount and even fighting alongside them.
The creature system is very well considered. Monster Fantasy boasts a day and night cycle tied to real-life time and that’ll influence the types of creatures you might encounter.
You don’t have to fight alone. You can team up with friends via co-op or even recruit villagers (NPCs) from within the game.
You Can Ignore Combat Altogether Without Harming Your Story Progression
On the cosy side of things, players will be able to farm, gather, and decorate a cosy abode and Fei explained that both the cosy activities and monster hunting gameplay can progress the game’s central story.
There are four biomes in Monster Fantasy in total, which will open up as you level up and progress with various tasks.
“Our ambition is to break down the barrier between action games and cosy games, creating a world where players of different ages, skill levels, and play preferences can each find their own kind of enjoyment,” Allan said in a press release.
“We hope Monster Fantasy can become a bridge that brings friends and family together. Core players can share the joy of gaming with the people close to them, while casual players can find a warm, welcoming world to return to.
“We also hope the game can become a quiet emotional shelter, giving players a moment of peace when they feel tired or overwhelmed.”
Monster Fantasy is targeting a late 2027 launch, so there’s still quite a way to go. However, on 15 July, Jotoyo will open up a Kickstarter campaign for the title.
Support The Game’s Kickstarter And Enjoy An Upcoming Free Demo
Monster Fantasy is funded and will be launching regardless of the results of the Kickstarter. However, it’s hoped that by securing an additional budget, devs will be able to expand on various features.
This could see the addition of new areas, an elongated story, more online features, or improved gameplay complexity.
Already though, after witnessing a snippet of Monster Fantasy’s gameplay, this looks like a project brimming with potential.
Late 2027 may seem like quite a way off but the launch of Monster Fantasy’s Kickstarter is also set to be accompanied by the release of a free demo with details to follow.
Monster Fantasy is confirmed to be launching on PC only for now.
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