Ahead of its western release, the first-look demo of Monark is now available for download. Monark is a brand-new JRPG from ex-Atlus developers with the Shin Megami Tensei series on their resumes.
NIS America made the surprise announcement on Twitter, revealing that the demo is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
There's been people asking when the demo and digital preorder are coming for MONARK and I just had to sit there and twiddle my fins because I couldn't just say "Tomorrow"
😈 They're live today
Check out the demo trailer on YouTube: (https://t.co/C07nkkcL3Z) #MONARKGame pic.twitter.com/BpfoPFhTzk
— NISAmerica (@NISAmerica) January 25, 2022
For players who loved Shin Megami Tensei, Persona, and various other Atlus JRPGs, Monark will look familiar.
After waking up in Shin Mikado Academy, you quickly realize that things are not as they should be. There’s a barrier that separates the campus from the rest of the world, and the campus is infested by a madness-inducing Mist. Your protagonist must learn to use a demonic power called the Authority of Vanity to fight off fiends and figure out what’s happening in this world.
Like other Atlus games, Monark adapts a turn-based combat system, but a MAD Guage adds a new twist to combat. Every time you use your demonic power, your MAD Guage increases. You have to find a way to balance defeating your enemies while maintaining your sanity.
As your play through the story, you will make decisions that affect your Ego. Your Ego is made up of seven desires — Pride, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, and Lust — and throughout the game, you will develop your desires, giving you more customization options for your team of Fiends.
Monark is already available in Japan, but North American and European gamers will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the full game. Monark will be released on February 25. Physical pre-orders — including pre-orders for a limited-edition version — are on sale now. Monark Limited Edition includes the game, a collector’s box, a hardcover art book, the soundtrack, a cloth poster, and a set of acrylic stands.
