MONARK (v2022.03.09 & ALL DLC)

A poisonous fog swallows Shin Mikado Academy, turning familiar classrooms and corridors into the center of a psychological horror story. MONARK is a dark tactical JRPG where a student leader investigates a supernatural outbreak while confronting the desires, fears, and obsessions that define each character. The real academy is tense and oppressive, but its parallel demon realm becomes even stranger, filled with warped architecture, hostile Daemons, and rival students who wield powers born from their own unstable minds. Its mood lands somewhere between Shin Megami Tensei’s occult dread and a school-set anime drama, with a heavy focus on identity and moral corruption.

Investigation alternates between searching the academy for clues, talking to allies, answering personality tests, and entering combat-heavy Otherworld zones. Battles use a turn-based tactical system with freely positioned units rather than a strict grid, letting you surround targets, set up attacks of opportunity, and coordinate your party’s moves. Your protagonist calls Fiends into battle through the Authority of Vanity, then develops their strengths through customizable skills, equipment, and stat-focused builds. Power comes with consequences: reckless use of abilities and lingering dangers can push characters toward madness, so managing health, resources, and positioning matters as much as dealing raw damage.

MONARK stands out through its striking neo-gothic visual design, sharp character art, and willingness to make personal psychology part of both its narrative and progression systems. Personality choices influence the protagonist’s development, while the large Fiend roster encourages experimenting with different combat roles instead of relying on one perfect party composition. The pacing can feel deliberate, especially during repeated academy exploration and lengthy battles, but that methodical rhythm suits players who enjoy systems-heavy JRPGs. Fans of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and tactical games such as Disgaea should find plenty to appreciate, particularly if they prefer bleak themes and customization over breezy school-life charm.