For someone who loves JRPGs as much as I do, there's been a distinct lack of DQ in my life. My game of choice is generally Final Fantasy, but when Square Enix offered me the chance to play Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World at Gamescom, I decided that now is as good a time as any to dive in and give this franchise a shot.
So, going in completely blind, I picked up the controller and got started. Now, DQ Monsters games are a little different from the mainline titles and are described as creature-collecting RPGs, a bit like Pokémon, but with that classic Akira Toriyama flair.
In The Withered World, you get to take on the role of Bianca or Nera, two of the main characters from Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, after they're teleported into a strange new world in hopes of finding the Leaves of Life that may heal their ailing fathers. At the start of their journey, they're greeted by a particularly rotund little creature named Fluffy, who gives them the lowdown on their new locale.
This adorable lil guy lets them know that this area is plagued by malevolent forces that have all but eradicated the Leaves of Life. However, he bestows upon them the power to befriend monsters, in hopes that together they can revitalize this withered world and, in turn, find some Leaves of Life.
I had just one hour to explore during Gamescom, so before heading off to see the king, I took a look around at the various creatures and took part in a battle or two. You don't know this about me, but I actually own six ferrets. These little spaghetti cats aren't often represented in games, so I was very happy to see the Funky Ferret wandering around the place. I recruited him, instantly giving my new friend a prime position on my team.
The combat is also pretty unique, featuring turn-based tactical battles with your favorite monsters. You can issue direct orders to your team, or rely on an automated strategy that you can customize to focus on things like healing or hitting enemies with all you've got. Bianca and Nera also have a special power called the Wrangler's Spirit, which you can activate once per battle to receive helpful stat boosts.
As for your team, you can technically take up to four monsters into battle (as well as four in reserve), but creatures come in small or large, with large taking up two slots in your team. The 500+ monsters also have different personalities, so the way they develop as you level up can vary dramatically.
Another thing to consider is that the game has a very in-depth synthesis system. This feature allows you to combine two monsters to create a brand-new creature that can inherit its parents' stats and maybe become even stronger than its predecessors. I wonder if there's a Super Funky Ferret somewhere down the line…
Alright, so after taking in a bit of the overworld, I finally made my way over to the king to learn more about the story. He expands on the woes of this world, officially tasks you with venturing out to get to the root of the issue, and even gives you a watering can to help the droopy trees dotted about the place.
From what I experienced during my one hour with the game, I can imagine the story will tug at my heartstrings a little, but being able to help such a vibrant world alongside my Funky Ferret will be worth it.
It's worth noting that I played this preview on the PlayStation 5 rather than the Nintendo Switch 2, so I can't comment on handheld performance. However, it runs like a dream on PS5, and from its art style, I can imagine it's a perfect fit for the Switch as well.
I can't wait to dive back into Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World when it launches on December 3 across Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. While you wait, go ahead and take a look at our list of the best Nintendo Switch games so you have something to play in the meantime.