From the Manufacturer
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This game is a monster-collection RPG. The player has to gather
eggs incubate them and then send their collection of different
monsters into battle. You have a choice of 97 monsters each with
a set of 5 characteristics.
Review
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Monsterseed is the latest addition to the growing legion of
monster-breeding games, which have become so popular as of late.
In what appears to be a fine amalgam of the 16-bit and 32-bit
eras, Monsterseed can best be described as a 16-bit game in
quaint 32-bit trappings. Reminiscent of Riverhill Soft/Atlus'
Tactics Ogre series, Monsterseed is a monster-breeding/strategy
RPG of a specifically simple nature.
Perhaps ed at a slightly younger crowd, Monsterseed isn't
nearly as menu-heavy as Tactics Ogre or games of a similar bend,
but it's simple in a streamlined, easy-to-learn format. In the
game, you must find a wide variety of monster eggs, incubate them
at various temperatures, and combine them with an assortment of
solutions. The nature of your combination will then dictate the
nature of your monster.
Assuming the role of Daniel, a young "ruler" (which is another
term for monster breeder), you travel to a town called Len Bal
looking for work. Unfortunately, the town has been infiltrated by
a band of unscrupulous thieves named the Black Rope Gang. As a
ruler, it is up to you to breed an army of monsters to defeat the
scourge of Len Bal.
Upon starting the game, your first assignment is to enter the
Monster Fighting Ring, which is the local arena in which you will
hone your skills. After defeating the beginner level, you will
win various eggs and solutions, which you can hatch at the local
hatchery. As you complete increasingly difficult levels at the
ring, you will obtain even more exotic eggs and solutions, which
will enhance your chances of victory in battle with the Black
Rope Gang.
Graphically, the game features polygonal characters and graphics
(particularly during battle sequences), but it has prerendered
backgrounds and decidedly 16-bit graphics when it comes to
dialogue boxes and menus. This game really feels old school.
However, that's not to say the graphics are bad. The Dual Shock
works fine with the game, making moving around easy. Nice
spellcasting effects round out the package. While the sound
effects are nothing special, they don't detract from this
innocuous little game either. The weirdest thing about this game
is that whoever translated it must not speak English as his
native language, as the dialogue is often awkward and peculiar.
Ultimately, this game is certainly not groundbreaking, or even
flashy, and for some, it's way too simple an RPG, lacking the
depth of some of the newer monster-breeding games. But it still
has a certain intangible charm that gives this game a
recommendation. It has a straightforward storyline and a
streamlined front end that will keep gamers interested and
entertained. While Monsterseed makes no pretense of being the
next big thing, it just goes to show that there's nothing wrong
with being second best. --James Mielke
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