I feel honored to be the first to review this great game, Monster. It was something really cool when it came out, and I spent countless hours playing it as a kid, and later when I was able to buy it from the video store where I borrowed video games, as a teen. It is like a cross between Pokémon and Digimon. You take on the role of a Ruler (person who is a master of Monsters) named Daniel (you can later change his name) who accidentally overhears the biggest baddies in the game plotting. They assume you are eavesdropping and get rid of you, only they don't actually succeed and you survive. You are later found by a man named Wolf who brings you to his home where he and his sweet granddaughter daughter Kal looks after you until you wake. Then you are off to complete missions given to you by the town Chief and fight against the Black Rope Gang, a group of thieves who are causing Mayhem in the town of Len Bal. What are they really up to?

Monster Seed is a strategy game and is turn based. It is similar in game play to Shining Force; you move by squares on a battle field grid. One thing that might turn you off about the game is that you only get to control Daniel and have very little command of your monsters. What I mean by that is they move and attack on their own. You can give them instructions like Attack (attack normally), Defend (be cautious), Suicide (attack with all you've got), and Assistance (use assistance abilities and magic), but that's pretty much it. I loved that about the game, though. Depending on the monster's personality, it might be very lazy and decide it does not want to fight and beg you to be recovered (like being returned to a Pokeball). On the other hand, it could be extremely loyal to you and sacrifice the last of it's strength to defeat your enemies (tear).

Graphics 8
For it's time, I think that the graphics in the game were pretty great compared quite a few PS1 games I have played. It looks 3D but has a good bit of detailing, good coloring, and looks believable and interesting. There are some showy magic graphics as well, and I really like the way characters and things in the game move.

Sound 7
The sound in this game isn't very special, but it isn't bad. What I do like is the sounds in battle and the sounds in hatching seeds. You can also hear things going on around in the background and things happening like when exploring in Jedes' Mine, the little rats that screech when you walk too close to them. The music is repetitive, but not too annoying.

Addictiveness 8
When playing this game, it is so easy to catch yourself playing for long hours. The part that is most addictive to me is finding and winning Seeds to hatch and hatching them. Many monster battling games are addictive, and this one is no exception. You always want to catch 'em all and be the very best and your partners are your buddies (you will find yourself loving a farting red pig with a mohawk).

Story 6
There isn't really that much to the story. You are a young Ruler who is raising a strong party of monsters to defeat the Black Rope gang and save Len Bal, and possibly the whole world, from its evil clutches. You do get to learn about some of the characters and explore a few different places, but there isn't many people to talk to and learn things from. You do get to talk to Kal and Wolf, and the town chief any time; they will often have something new and enlightening to tell you.

Depth 6
Though the game takes quite a while to complete, it isn't really deep. After you beat the game, that is the end; you cannot go further or continue on and have to continue from your last save at the inn. And sadly, there is no leveling up or evolving of the Monsters. Even so, there is plenty to enjoy about Monster Seed, like humor, especially during battle. While some Monsters look really cool or cute, some of them are just ridiculous and make you laugh. There is pretty good variety of Seeds you can hatch, Monsters that can come from them, and Potions (you use them while hatching to increase certain stats for the Monster you are hatching) you can use. Your monsters can also have a variety of different personalities. There are many items you can use during battle and give your Monsters for boosts. Each area you unlock you can visit as much as you want and continuously battle and find items. You just have to take time to explore and not run through the game.

Difficulty 7
Hatching battle-ready Monsters can be a bit hard because there will be a lot of times you will have duds and have to stick with them. If you have too many lame Monsters, you can lose a battle quick, and if you are deep inside one of the game areas and lose all of your Monsters, you are doomed. Daniel is not really a great fighter and cannot win a battle on his own, so you have to make sure you have at least a few good monsters before going too far anywhere or you will end up dying a lot. You might want to keep him out of battle as much as you can. The final battle is a killer, so be ready for that.

Overall, I give Monster Seed a 7.9; It is fun, funny, and different from most monster raising RPGs.

This is a pretty good review. Up until now I never even knew this game existed. I can say that after reading your review for it, I probably won't play the game since it doesn't have much of a story according to you and since I'm more of a turn based RPG than a strategy kind of guy, I likely won't play it. Thanks for making this choice so much easier for me and I'm looking forward to reading more of your reviews.

gamerforlifeforever2 : Thank you for checking out the review. It is turned based, but if you are looking for more story, Monster Seed does not have a lot, there are plenty of scenes. I wish a new remake comes out with more depth, it really is a great game.

bluethew0lf : your welcome! When I said I prefer turn based RPGs though, I meant I'm a bigger fan of games like Final Fantasy than Shining Force or Fire Emblem. Sorry for not being more clear about that...

Your review was good, but I will only give it a 4 because I thought you spent more on introducing the game rather than reviewing it. Otherwise the structure is good and you even make comparisons in order for people to get better-acquainted with the game.