The Dark Prince iOS Review – Much better than Switch, but lacking in two ways – TouchArcade

Again in December, I reviewed Sq. Enix’s monster accumulating RPG Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Change. I loved my time with it, regardless of the various technical points. I anticipated her to hit like PC Dragon Quest Treasuresone other Nintendo Change unique, however I wasn’t anticipating a cellular launch. Sq. Enix’s latest launch i Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS, Android, and Steam brings all earlier paid DLC into the sport at a decrease entry level, however removes one function. These are real-time multiplayer on-line battles. Past that, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Steam and cellular is already a significantly better expertise for worth alone with its cheaper price and included content material, however is the sport price your time on this crowded interval and with its premium worth? That is what I intend to reply with mine Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince cellular evaluate that additionally covers the sport on Steam Deck.

In case you are not acquainted with Dragon Quest Monsters itself, is a spin-off of the principle collection Dragon Quest video games that function turn-based fight, however as an alternative of the principle participant combating, you seize, breed, and lift monsters to combat for you. Once I was taking part in Dragon Quest Treasuresi favored it however i used to be instructed it is a “Monsters-lite” sport so when Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince was introduced for Change, I used to be excited to play it. I ended up loving it as you’ll be able to see from my evaluate linked above, however I believe it is a very stable monster accumulating turn-based fight RPG, whether or not you prefer it or not Dragon Quest or not. What did he do? Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince extra fascinating, is the way it appears like a facet story and its predecessor Dragon Quest IV. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince there was additionally a seasonal function the place the monsters modified relying on the season and space you’re in.

On the subject of historical past, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Princebits from IV already made it extra fascinating than the standard spin-off, however I discovered myself focusing extra on throwing my dream monster occasion than worrying concerning the narrative. I am very proud of how nicely thought out the mechanics are and the way the big areas, tons of of monsters and fight made me wish to maintain taking part in it extra even on Change once I first obtained it, not to mention on iPhone , iPad and Steam Deck. Past the conventional turn-based battles and recruiting new monsters, Synthesis in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince it is just like the amalgamation of Shin Megami Tensei, and there is a lot you are able to do with abilities right here. The seasons right here not solely change the monsters, but additionally the areas you’ll be able to discover with the map adjustments. Which means that a physique of water you’ll be able to’t cross will rise inside a season permitting you to have a brand new secret.

Fight in video games like this could get monotonous, so I am glad to see loads of quality-of-life options right here, just like the techniques menu that performs much like the unique Individual 3direct instructions and extra. You aren’t solely right here to defeat enemies, but additionally to look at them to carry them into your occasion and change into stronger. I did not find yourself testing the net multiplayer an excessive amount of on the Change, so I am unable to touch upon how large of a loss it’s right here, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a sport mode that is getting minimize. Should you’ve performed it on the Change, maintain that in thoughts because it’s the one space the place the cellular and Steam variations are missing in comparison with the Change.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince it already shipped with loads of content material, however the DLC solely elevated the expertise. This DLC was bought within the Digital Deluxe Version or as standalone DLC for the bottom sport. The DLC alone was over $25 on Change, so having the total base sport with all DLC included for $24 on cellular makes it a tremendous deal, however I am going to get to that in a bit. This DLC included The Mole Gap, Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gymnasium, and Treasure Trunks. The Mole Gap was a dungeon that allowed you to find (recruit) monsters you had beforehand fought and made it a lot simpler to max out through the sport. The DLC was additionally good for dashing issues up as you could possibly additionally simply uncover monsters that solely seem throughout a sure season or by synthesis.

The Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gymnasium DLC has randomly generated maps and they’re meant to be post-game challenges and to not be skilled throughout gameplay. The ultimate DLC is only a chest that may be opened as soon as per hour with 10 gadgets in complete. This is sort of a cheat DLC in the event you can. I did not suppose it was nice to have helpful sport modes or content material in paid DLC, however that is not a difficulty with all of that included on iOS, Androidl, and Steam within the fundamental asking worth.

Now let’s transfer on to the cellular port options. With Sq. Enix, you’ll be able to by no means ensure which options will make it into the ultimate sport. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince no controller assist. That is past disappointing as the sport is actually a console title ported to cellular. Tried 6 totally different controllers with no luck to make sure. Along with controller assist, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS there are cloud saves and a few graphics choices. The cloud saves loads of work.

On the subject of the controls, I used to be shocked at how nicely Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince really feel with contact controls. Use a joystick on the left for motion and a soar button primarily whereas exploring. One small challenge it’s possible you’ll run into is that some contact targets are a bit small on non-Plus/Max telephones. Nevertheless, these usually are not an issue in any respect on the iPad. The controls really feel good, however Sq. Enix ought to have left full controller assist since it is a console sport ported to cellular.

One in every of my solely actual issues with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Change was on the technical facet. The framerate was tough at launch with the visuals not being nice both. The primary was addressed considerably in another way Pokemon Scarlet & Violethowever the latter was by no means mounted. On the iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 12, and even the iPad Professional, I had no main points with visuals or efficiency. There are some points on the iPhone 15 Professional when operating on the highest graphics high quality settings and shifting round some areas, nevertheless it’s not as unhealthy as on the Change. The sport feels significantly better to play on iOS. Take a look at the comparability beneath for the high and low graphics choices on the iPhone 15 Professional:

There aren’t any particular visible or body charge settings on cellular exterior of the decision choice within the show settings. This lets you play with low, medium or excessive graphics high quality choices. These presets additionally have an effect on different settings resembling body charge restrict and post-processing. This setting can solely be modified from the title display screen on cellular, when you can modify it immediately on PC. I caught to the excessive setting on all my iPhones. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince sadly there are some minor efficiency points on the iPhone 15 Professional in addition to I discussed above. The low setting appears unusable because it blurs. On my 2020 iPad Professional, the excessive preset has extra common body drops than the iPhone, and it additionally appears to work with some tweaked settings. General, even the older iPad Professional makes use of it nicely, however not in addition to the iPhone 15 Professional as anticipated. Each system I examined, together with the iPhone 12, dealt with it significantly better than the Nintendo Change.

Visually, it seems to be a lot cleaner than the Change even on older iOS units when performed at excessive settings. Sq. Enix did not simply do a bare-bones port right here. It has full-screen assist throughout gameplay on my iPhone 15 Professional, and even has a sample or art work to fill the display screen throughout areas with pre-rendered or static 16:9 parts. This sample or art work is generally used on my iPad Professional because it would not assist full display screen there for gaming. This additionally applies to the Steam Deck to compensate for that facet ratio in components. I am glad to see Sq. Enix put within the work right here to verify it nonetheless seems to be good whatever the facet ratio.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince Steam Deck Impressions

In Steam Deck, no matter my settings, I couldn’t get Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince to run at a locked 90fps even on low presets when taking part in at 800p. I made a decision to go for a 60 fps goal, and that was a lot simpler to attain. One oddity is the sport would not permit you to modify the decision when taking part in usually on Steam Deck. You are able to do this by forcing the decision from the sport properties earlier than launching it. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on PC lets you modify graphics high quality (low, medium, excessive), anti-aliasing (off, low, medium, excessive), most body charge (30 to uncapped), toggle v-sync and modify the show mode (windowed, full display screen, borderless). Should you play at 60fps, I like to recommend setting the Steam Deck OLED refresh charge to 60 to keep away from stuttering as nicely.

Enjoying now Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on iOS, iPadOS, Steam Deck, Change OLED and Change Lite, there is no doubt that the Change model is the worst, regardless of on-line mode being faraway from cellular and Steam. The large efficiency enhance and higher visuals with all of the DLC included at a a lot decrease asking worth solely make it higher. One factor to notice is that the sport is marked as Steam Deck Playable and never Verified as a result of Valve says a few of the textual content within the sport is small and could also be troublesome to learn. I did not have any points with this and I really feel like Valve has marked video games with smaller textual content as Verified earlier than. Both manner, you’ll be able to undoubtedly purchase this to play on Steam Deck.

Should you missed Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince on Change, new cellular ports and Steam are the best way to go. Whereas the cellular model missing controller assist is disappointing, it is nonetheless a sport I discover myself taking part in frequently with its enhancements over the change and unbelievable looping of the bottom sport. Having all of the DLC included means you may have sufficient content material to final even longer. Should you worth controller assist in a sport like this, the Steam Deck is the best way to go. We hope to see Sq. Enix proceed to carry extra Dragon Quest cellular video games sooner or later. For now, the iOS model of the Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince is definitely probably the greatest cellular releases of the 12 months.