Monark Unleashes Its Unique Take on School and Madness in Early 2022

NIS America announced Monark will release February 22 in North America and Europe for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PS5, and PC. While FuRyu’s school story might seem like a Persona-lite — understandably, since former Shin Megami Tensei developers are behind it — there are a few key differences that make Monark stand out.

I had a chance to see a short glimpse of Monark‘s combat and exploration during a recent event NIS America held, and while the broader story beats remain a mystery for now, I did get a general idea of what to expect.

The segment NISA demonstrated took place in the middle of a madness segment, where the protagonist delves into the fog of madness to deal with the distorted ego poisoning the school and those inside it.

You’re accompanied by one companion who’s meant to counter the ego’s distortions, but on a more practical level, they also offer help in combat.

Monark‘s combat looks like a deeper and more tactical system built around space and movement. Attack ranges are determined by type and the character’s positioning, but in addition to controlling the protagonist and their companion, you’re also directing a number of Fiends.

Monark has high ambitions and the potential to tell an interesting story about human motivations, though we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out how well it sticks the landing.