Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 691 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX Game Cover
Monster Rancher 1 and 2 DX stays faithful to the originals by mostly adding quality of life fixes to enhance the game. While not everything was modernised, there is enough here for players to have a great time.
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"Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX" allows players to raise, train, and battle with a variety of monsters, just like in the original games. Players can acquire new monsters and compete online, adding a multiplayer aspect to the classic monster-battling game. With the ability to dote or train intensively, players can find their own unique style of monster-raising.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 691 reviews
music10 positive mentions
grinding15 negative mentions
  • Nostalgic experience that brings back fond childhood memories.
  • The new CD database feature allows for easy monster generation without physical CDs.
  • Quality of life improvements like fast forward mode and autosave enhance gameplay.
  • Controls can be clunky and are better suited for a controller than keyboard and mouse.
  • The removal of the skip button for training animations makes the game feel tedious.
  • The game feels like a mobile port with limited graphical updates and options.
  • music67 mentions

    The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic element of using music to generate monsters, reminiscent of the original PS1 version. However, there are significant complaints about the lack of customizable sound settings, as players can only mute all sounds or keep them at maximum volume, leading to immersion-breaking issues like music cutting out during gameplay. While the remastered soundtrack is generally well-received, some users feel it doesn't fully meet the expectations of a true remaster, and the new music database has been criticized for its limitations compared to the original CD-based system.

    • “The game's soundtrack is also worth mentioning.”
    • “Great gameplay, great graphics, great music, tons of complexity and variety that keeps you entertained forever.”
    • “The music has a bug where it won't loop properly or change, and you will get dead silence in combat, kind of destroying the immersion.”
    • “I echo someone else's comment that it stinks you can't manipulate SFX/music sound levels in-game.”
    • “Either you have the music on full blast or you play the game on mute.”
  • graphics64 mentions

    The graphics of the game are largely based on the original PlayStation 1 era, which has led to mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the nostalgia and charm, others criticize the dated visuals and lack of significant updates. Many feel that a minor overhaul or remastering would have enhanced the experience, especially for younger audiences accustomed to modern graphics. Overall, the visuals are seen as a nostalgic throwback, but they may deter new players looking for contemporary graphical standards.

    • “The graphics are a significant improvement from the older games.”
    • “It's a beautiful blend of modern and nostalgic tunes, and it perfectly captures the spirit of the original games while adding new elements that fit the updated graphics and gameplay.”
    • “For first-time players: as long as graphics aren't something you require, this game will blow your mind in terms of playability, hidden mechanics, and wonderful surprises.”
    • “The graphics are somehow worse than the originals.”
    • “This was a re-release and not a remaster, I know, but I feel like they definitely could have spruced things up a bit more in the graphics department.”
    • “It's clear that the graphics are from an ancient PSX, and the content itself is limited to the era.”
  • gameplay63 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a nostalgic blend of classic mechanics with some modern enhancements, offering a unique monster-raising experience that is both addictive and complex. While it retains the charm of its original version, players may find the sparse tutorials and obscure mechanics challenging, often requiring external guides to fully grasp the systems at play. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable for fans of the genre, though it may feel dated and repetitive to newcomers.

    • “The gameplay mechanics remain the same, but with a few modern twists that make it even more enjoyable.”
    • “Great gameplay, fun concept of raising a monster and being able to fuse too.”
    • “The depth of gameplay and amount of crazy secret stuff you can unlock is beyond anything else in the genre.”
    • “You're essentially getting mobile ports (touch-screen UI intact, in fact) of PSX games with some minor tweaks (some bug fixes, some text/font changes for better readability on higher resolutions) for nearly 30-year-old gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, the tutorials are pretty sparse and the game barely explains its systems to you, which, given the era, makes a certain amount of sense since you'd get game manuals with the physical product.”
    • “The actual 'gameplay' part is extremely barebones and definitely doesn't stand the test of time.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it tedious and frustrating due to obscure mechanics and unskippable animations, while others appreciate the slow growth and farming elements that can be enjoyable. Many users express a desire for improvements to reduce the grind, such as faster progression options and more engaging training methods. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy a charming yet grind-heavy experience, though it may not suit everyone’s taste.

    • “I'm not talking about the graphics, but the game's nightmarish grinding system, combined with super obscure mechanics (that pretty much force you to look up a guide that spoils the entire game for you).”
    • “Unfortunately in the intervening years my tolerance of repetitive grinding and the clunky RNG-heavy combat has diminished to the point that the game is no longer that fun.”
    • “Secondly, drill animations are unskippable, making the training process all the more slow and tedious.”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around raising monsters to compete in tournaments rather than a traditional narrative journey. While there are exploration missions and events that add some depth, the overall plot is largely absent, reminiscent of older games that didn't rely heavily on storytelling. Players appreciate the character personalities of the monsters, but those seeking a rich narrative may find the experience lacking.

    • “Gather round kids, it's story time.”
    • “Its the exploration missions, and little events that pop up and special matches you can aim for that add so much to it.”
    • “It's a bit of a throwback to when games didn't really need a big storyline.”
    • “The story is essentially non-existent.”
    • “Not much story here, you just run a rancher where you raise a monster to fight in tournaments.”
    • “I know, common story so far.”
  • stability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report smooth performance and no glitches even on low-end hardware, others experience significant issues such as freezing during tournaments and various bugs that disrupt gameplay. Notably, tournament freezes are particularly frustrating and game-ending for some users, indicating a need for further fixes.

    • “Very light game and runs great.”
    • “No glitches in 120 hours on a literal potato computer, and it runs perfectly.”
    • “Played all the way to the end of the final cup and experienced no glitches at all.”
    • “Freezes during later rounds of tournaments.”
    • “The tournament freezes are game ending, please fix.”
    • “Way too many unresolved glitches in the port.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with users highlighting the diverse variations in monsters, abilities, and stat gains that encourage multiple playthroughs. The mechanics of loyalty and unique moves for each monster further enhance the experience, allowing for countless strategies and builds, making it ideal for casual gaming sessions. Overall, players find the potential for replayability to be nearly limitless.

    • “Great for chill time gaming and tons of replayability.”
    • “Loved this as a kid and still do; the variations in monsters, abilities, stat gains, and purpose of each monster give the game awesome replay value.”
    • “The potential of this game is endless and replayability is through the roof.”
    • “Nostalgic and replayable.”
    • “The potential of this game is endless, and replayability is through the roof.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in Monster Rancher 2 is highlighted by its quirky character designs and amusing scenarios, such as a one-eyed ball and a monkey resembling Buddha, which contribute to a lighthearted and entertaining gaming experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend humor with gameplay, making it a fun and memorable adventure.

    • “Monster Rancher 2 is a mix of hilarious coding with decent gameplay.”
    • “The ball with one eye is so funny, haha!”
    • “I got a funny monkey that looked like Buddha, and then right after, I got a woman in a latex outfit.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is a direct port of its mobile version, which some users view as a lack of effort in optimization for PC, yet it loads quickly and runs smoothly without any notable performance issues or bugs. Overall, it retains the familiar gameplay experience of Monster Rancher.

    • “It loads quickly and runs smoothly.”
    • “It's monster rancher as you'd remember it, and it plays the same with no performance issues or bugs that I've seen so far.”
    • “It's a direct port of a mobile version, which feels pretty lazy in my view. As a result, it's more or less optimized for a mouse.”
    • “It's Monster Rancher as you'd remember it, and it plays the same with no performance issues or bugs that I've seen so far.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, particularly from PC players, who feel that the port lacks effort and quality, despite being playable without a controller.

    • “The game feels like a dirty cash grab aimed at PC players.”
    • “Although the game can be played without a controller, it's clear that the PC port was a quick cash grab with little effort put into it.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews highlight a deep emotional impact, with players expressing heartbreak over the pricing of a classic game and sharing personal experiences of being emotionally affected by in-game elements, such as a creature generated from the soundtrack that left a lasting scar.

    • “30 for a bugged 20+ year old classic is heart-breaking.”
    • “I generated a creature from the Transistor OST, and the monster it made emotionally scarred me.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

Buy Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX

Play time

23hMedian play time
20hAverage play time
15-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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