Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
A prequel starring Dragon Quest IV's antagonist as a monster wrangler.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a role-playing game from 2023, developed by Tose and released by Square Enix. It marks the seventh installment in the Dragon Quest Monsters series, arriving after Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3, and is the first entry to launch outside Japan since Joker 2 in 2011. The game debuted on the Nintendo Switch in December 2023, with versions for Android, iOS, and Windows following in September 2024. Critics gave it mixed reviews, yet it had sold one million copies by January 2024. It also stands as the final Dragon Quest game released while Akira Toriyama was alive.
The story centers on Psaro, the main antagonist from Dragon Quest IV, but takes place before that game’s events. Psaro, a half-human, half-monster prince, is cursed by his father, the cruel monster king Randolfo, after challenging him. The curse prevents Psaro from harming any monster, so he is exiled to Terrestria. Seeking revenge, he becomes a monster wrangler to work around the curse. Gameplay involves turn-based menu combat and 3D overworld exploration. As in earlier Dragon Quest Monsters titles, players obtain monsters by intimidating them, luring them with meat, or hatching eggs, then combine them through synthesis to build a team strong enough for tougher enemies.
Monsters grow stronger in battle, with their attributes changing as they level up. The environment cycles through seasons, altering the landscape and the monsters found in each area. The plot follows Psaro as he takes refuge in the human village Rosehill, where a retired monster master named Monty gives him his first monster and teaches him the basics. Psaro befriends a nameless fugitive elf, whom he names Rose, and she uses her elfin magic to help him enter Nadiria. The story serves as both a prequel and side-story to Dragon Quest IV, with the two games’ narratives overlapping at points.
Development was handled by Tose and Square Enix. After the Joker series ended with Joker 3, the team considered what story to tell, eventually choosing Psaro as the protagonist. Producer Kento Yokota noted how rare it is for an antagonist to become a lead, a concept series creator Yuji Horii supported. Yokota described two types of Dragon Quest Monsters games—those from the Game Boy era and those from the DS/3DS era—and aimed for this title to blend both styles.
According to Metacritic, the game received mi
- Developer
- Tose
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Release Date (Nintendo Switch)
- December 2023
- Release Date (Android, iOS, Windows)
- September 2024
- Series
- Dragon Quest Monsters
- Genre
- Role-playing video game
- Protagonist
- Psaro
Lore & Background
The story follows Psaro, a half-human, half-monster prince who challenged his father Randolfo the Tyrant, the cruel monster king of Nadiria. As punishment, Randolfo cursed Psaro to be unable to harm any monster and exiled him to Terrestria. Bent on revenge, Psaro vows to lift the curse, return to Nadiria, and usurp his father. Taking refuge in the human village Rosehill, Psaro finds a loophole in the art of monster wrangling: by becoming a monster master, he can have his allies defeat monsters for him, circumventing his curse. A retired monster master named Monty gifts him his first monster and teaches him the basics. Psaro soon meets and befriends a fugitive elf, whom he names Rose, who accompanies him and allows entry to Nadiria with her elfin magic.
Reader's Guide
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is significant as the seventh main entry in the Dragon Quest Monsters series and the first to be released outside Japan since 2011. It is notable for starring Psaro, the main antagonist from Dragon Quest IV, in a prequel set before that game's events. The game sold a million copies by January 2024, indicating strong commercial performance despite mixed critical reception. Its development by Tose and publication by Square Enix continued the series' tradition of monster collection and synthesis gameplay. Producer Kento Yokota described the game as a fusion of the Game Boy and Nintendo DS/3DS styles of Dragon Quest Monsters games. The game also holds historical importance as the last Dragon Quest game released during Akira Toriyama's lifetime.
Did You Know?
- The game is the first Dragon Quest Monsters title released outside Japan since Joker 2 in 2011.
- It sold 346,583 physical copies in its first week in Japan, becoming the best-selling game that week.
- The protagonist Psaro is the main antagonist from Dragon Quest IV, and the game is set before that game's events.
- It is the last Dragon Quest game released during Akira Toriyama's lifetime.
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