- Unique forms for Chomp add a lot of depth to the game
- Chomp can master moves to use them between different forms
- Ellie's moves offer a lot of variety for defeating monsters
- Gorgeous scenery and graphics that are not overly re-used
The Bad:
- Lots of backtracking makes gameplay tedious in places
- Monsters respawn during said backtracking
- Story is pretty mediocre compared to Henry Hatsworth
I think I'm probably a sucker for games that feature companions. When I saw the first few trailers for Majin & The Forsaken Kingdom, I was excited to be able to play a game where an AI companion would assist me. Monster Tale features the same concept, but instead of toddling along behind you and constantly tripping over his own feet like Majin, Chomp is a sort of Pokemon companion to Ellie in her Metroid/MegaMan style world.
The game begins with Ellie waking up from a deep sleep and wandering outside after hearing a few noises. There she discovers a magical band that wisks her away to another world, where she discovers a magical egg containing a creature she names Chomp. Chomp starts out as a cute little guy, but as he aids Ellie by defeating monsters and as Ellie feeds him and takes care of his needs by providing items dropped by monsters, he becomes more powerful.
The real beauty of the game is that Chomp has a wide range of forms that can be leveled up so that Ellie can face just about any foe without worrying about Chomp becoming a hindrance instead of a help. His forms each have their unique benefits in terms of status such as intellect, strength, and defense, but they're also based around three elements so that fighting monsters opposite of Chomp's elements grant him a huge damage bonus. Different trees for different abilities are unlocked deeper into the game, so it never feels as though you're trapped in using one powerful form over another.
As you travel from region to region within the world, you'll encounter the various Kid Kings have have taken over the world and enslaved the monsters to do their bidding. Occasionally as you pass from screen to screen these Kid Kings will have some banter to progress the story, but it's never really a problem to stop and listen to what's going on as the cut scenes hold valuable information for what's in store for Ellie next. The first few monsters the player will encounter are easy enough, but as you progress through the game, they become more of a challenge and Ellie must rely more on Chomp's ability to help her fight than being an errand buddy for certain interactive objects.
The game makes great use of the DS's dual screens, as the bottom area serves as Chomp's playpen where things Ellie collects are sent for him to study, but occasionally interactive objects and even monsters can appear down there that only Chomp can interact with. Keeping the bottom screen clear of monsters becomes important in later areas of the game, so having Chomp as your companion in the top of the screen is not always wise.
The visuals for the game are in perfect complement to Henry Hatsworth, a game several of the DreamRift members worked on for EA. The game has an anime style to the character designs, but plays very similar to Mega Man or Metroid. Platformer fans won't be disappointed, as the game features more than just run and jump Mario-style gameplay.
My only real complaint is the amount of backtracking you must do to complete the game. Because new abilities are introduced to Ellie's band through podiums scattered throughout the game world, you run into certain areas that cannot be accessed until you have unlocked that ability. Sometimes these podiums are scattered so far apart that backtracking becomes tedious, as monsters respawn on the screen any time you leave it.
Overall, it took me about 12 hours to beat the game, which I feel is a decent length for a DS platformer. The story was pretty 'meh' and is obviously geared toward children, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of leveling up Chomp and progressing through the various levels to see new monsters and unlock new items and abilities. If you are a fan of either genre represented in this game, then Monster Tale is a must play simply for the sheer enjoyment of exploration and taking care of your monster buddy.
