Meg's Monster
- March 2, 2023
- Odencat
- 5h median play time
Meg’s Monster is a great 2D pixel-style action-adventure game that has you exploring the underworld to help this lost human child get back to her mother. With a great story and battle mechanics it is sure to make you smile.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreIn Meg's Monster, a JRPG with a twist, players guide Roy, a powerful monster, and his friend Golan to help Meg, a little girl whose tears can trigger the apocalypse. With Meg's safety being paramount, players must find her mother and return her home. Roy has immense strength and high HP, but the game ends if Meg panics and cries.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
Xbox
Reviews
- Heartwarming and emotional story that resonates deeply with players, often leading to tears.
- Charming characters and beautiful pixel art, creating an engaging and visually appealing experience.
- Unique combat mechanics that integrate well with the narrative, making battles feel meaningful despite their simplicity.
- Gameplay is simplistic and lacks depth, which may disappoint players looking for a more traditional RPG experience.
- The pacing can feel rushed at times, particularly in the first half of the game, leading to some predictable plot points.
- Limited interactivity and exploration in the game world, making it feel linear and somewhat restrictive.
- story387 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Meg's Monster" is widely praised for its emotional depth, charm, and unexpected plot twists, making it a standout feature of the game. Players appreciate the heartfelt narrative that explores themes of friendship and responsibility, often leading to touching moments that resonate deeply. However, some critiques mention issues with pacing and exposition, suggesting that while the story is engaging, it could benefit from more polish and character development in certain areas.
“But from my time playing this game, it’s a really fascinating, emotional, and well-written story, I'd say… with lots of personality, charm, and literally plot twists after plot twist after plot twists here and there.”
“A beautiful, emotional story with excellent character writing and a good sense of humor.”
“The story is the strongest part of the game, the reason you should buy and play it.”
“Meg’s monster’s main story problem is that it breaks one of the fundamental rules of storytelling.”
“The game will often just dump huge amounts of exposition on the player, with no good story reason to do so, simply because the writer felt that the player should know it immediately.”
“I thought I was going to cry but the story is so predictable and cliché... like man, I cry easily watching series/films or even playing video games but this game was so underwhelming.”
- emotional162 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Meg's Monster" is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, unexpected plot twists, and relatable character development, often leaving players in tears. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend humor with poignant moments, creating a touching narrative that resonates deeply with players. Despite some criticism regarding pacing, the overall emotional impact and charm of the story make it a standout experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
“It has a beautiful and meaningful story with plenty of relatable or touching moments.”
“Meg's monster is a beautiful and heartfelt story, with so much charm.”
“A short but incredibly heartfelt game that will make you feel strong emotions.”
- gameplay132 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Meg's Monster" is largely simplistic and linear, featuring basic turn-based combat, light puzzles, and fetch quests that prioritize narrative over challenge. While some players may find the mechanics engaging and well-integrated with the emotional story, many criticize the lack of depth and interactivity, deeming it more of a visual novel than a traditional RPG. Overall, the game excels in storytelling and character development, but those seeking complex gameplay may be disappointed.
“It's a short, non-stressful, simple turn-based combat game that manages to be fun thanks to how it approaches its cute, heartfelt story and how it plays around with its simple turn-based combat by sprinkling some mini-game mechanics and funny dialogue.”
“Even the simple mechanics are pretty innovative, enjoyable for the ride, and blended really well with the narrative.”
“Gameplay doesn't disturb the beautiful story but enhances the emotional connection to characters.”
“The gameplay was far too easy and predictable.”
“If I were to just judge it 'objectively' purely on gameplay, it's a mediocre linear game with barebones combat.”
“Unfortunately though, I was struggling to find many positives beyond the aesthetics to continue playing the game beyond the first half: I felt that the gameplay was not very interesting (all the battles felt the same), and the plot developments were lacking intrigue.”
- music92 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and beautiful compositions, with standout tracks like "Wishing Star" leaving a lasting impact on players. However, some reviewers noted that the soundtrack is somewhat limited and can become repetitive over time, which detracts from its overall effectiveness. Despite these criticisms, the music is generally praised for enhancing the narrative and character experience, making it a significant aspect of the game.
“The soundtrack is also fantastic, and one particular song called 'Wishing Star' had me crying my eyes out and stabbed right in the heart.”
“An emotional roller coaster with a beautiful soundtrack.”
“Extremely touching story with amazing music composed by the now independent sound designer Reo Uratani, who previously worked with the Monster Hunter series.”
“The soundtrack is limited, and while the songs are quite good, they grow old by the end of the first hour.”
“My only minor complaint is I felt some of the music got repeated a bit too much, and an extra piece or two could have helped with keeping the atmosphere fresh.”
“I just got too used to the music and vibe that it didn't work on me anymore even at the big climax of the story.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and colorful pixel art style, reminiscent of classics like Mother 3. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail and the overall aesthetic, describing it as top-grade and visually appealing, though some express a desire for more animation in certain elements. While the visuals are a highlight, some players feel that the gameplay does not match the same level of engagement.
“I love the pixel art style for the game; it is amazing and colorful, and it almost reminds me of Mother 3, especially some of the scenes and character designs.”
“There are so many cute additional visual details put in every minor scene, which just adds to its already insane charm and great visuals.”
“The aesthetics are top-grade, with stunning pixel art rivaling that of Mother 3.”
“The art style is similarly charming, but simplistic.”
“Unfortunately though, I was struggling to find many positives beyond the aesthetics to continue playing the game beyond the first half: I felt that the gameplay was not very interesting (all the battles felt the same), and the plot developments were lacking intrigue.”
“The soundtrack was serviceable, if a bit forgettable, and the art style was really cute.”
- humor23 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, blending cute and heartfelt dialogues with funny mechanics that enhance the emotional narrative. Players appreciate the unexpected comedic moments that provide levity amidst the story's bittersweet themes, likening its humor to that of beloved titles like "To the Moon." Overall, the humor is described as both surprising and heartwarming, contributing significantly to the game's charm.
“It's a short, non-stressful, simple turn-based combat game that manages to be fun thanks to how it approaches its cute, heartfelt story and how it plays around with its simple turn-based combat by sprinkling some mini-game mechanics and funny dialogue.”
“A beautiful, emotional story with excellent character writing and a good sense of humor.”
“10/10 this game is funny, yet sad at the same time that it almost made me tear up, go play it!”
- character development11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its engaging storytelling and the ability to transform initial skepticism towards certain characters into admiration, though some players feel that the game could benefit from more depth and length in this area. The vibrant pixel art and soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making the narrative and character arcs the primary draw, despite the gameplay being less compelling. Overall, the character development is a standout feature that keeps players invested in the story.
“The strength of the game is the story which provides interesting character development for the big blue lug, Roy.”
“I feel like the game should have been longer or had more character development in certain areas to really have maximum impact, but it was still a pretty sweet story.”
“Simple and easy JRPG, but you definitely buy this for the story, character development, and music (vocals by Laura Shigihara) but not for its gameplay where there is very little of.”
“The story and character development keeps you invested, with twists along the way; some characters you started off skeptical over you end up admiring.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere aims for an emotional depth but ultimately feels flat, with little variation in mood during key dramatic moments. Additionally, the repetitive music contributes to a lack of freshness, suggesting that more diverse soundscapes could enhance the overall experience.
“They tried so hard to set up this emotional atmosphere most of the time that there were hardly any changes in the mood throughout the game.”
“However, as I stated before, it feels flat and hardly ever changes its atmosphere when some dramatic or emotional event is taking place.”
“My only minor complaint is I felt some of the music got repeated a bit too much, and an extra piece or two could have helped with keeping the atmosphere fresh.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game features no grinding, as all necessary stats are obtained through story battles without the need for battling default enemies or wandering. This design choice allows for a more streamlined and focused gameplay experience.
“You will not be grinding at all; there are no default enemies, and the stats you need are all achieved through story battles.”
Critic Reviews
Meg’s Monster (Nintendo Switch)
Meg’s Monster tells the story of a big, mean monster who stumbles across the responsibility of caring for a little girl; if she cries, she brings on the end of the world. Playing as the monster, Roy, it is your job to help Meg find her way back home from the underworld by protecting her from other monsters, and playing with her to keep her happy. This unlikely pair forms a sweet relationship in this cute and heartwarming story that is definitely worth a play.
90%Meg’s Monster Review (PC)
Meg’s Monster is an emotional journey with a lot of depth, a twisty narrative, and some great character moments. I loved spending time with Meg, Roy, and Golan. Combat isn’t very challenging but still generates tension. I actually wished that the game offered more to do because I wanted more time in its universe, even if I think it’s perfectly paced to deliver its payload of feelings. Some fans of the role-playing genre might be disappointed with the relatively thin mechanics. Others might find some situations a little manipulative. Every player should give this game a try, regardless of whether they have a connection to its genre or not. Meg’s Monster is a perfect example of how video games can be great vehicles for stories because of their interactivity. A review key was provided by the publisher.
90%Meg's Monster (Switch) Review
An enjoyable narrative adventure with some clever RPG hooks.
75%
