MonCon

MonCon is an interesting rhythm-based RPG, where you play as Joey, a young teenager who struggles with social anxiety. However, Joey has decided to take a step outside of his comfort zone and attend MonCon - in hopes to meet Mr. Miyashiro, a legendary game dev. While this would be a simple and fun event for most, for our protagonist it’s unfortunately anything but - with just a simple conversation leaving him absolutely paralyzed. Thankfully Joey finds a friend along the way - called Karl - who can help him gain confidence and teach him basic conversation skills. The combat system is entirely based around this, with the “fights” consisting of mini rhythm patterns where you try and have a back-and-forth conversation with the “monster” Joey sees. When you first speak to someone, they show up as an uncomforting monster who must be tackled with an attempt at small-talk to beat them. At first sight, MonCon certainly seems like an interesting idea. To cover such an experience is an interesting journey, however, I was not able to play as much of the game as I liked. In order to progress you have to beat certain monsters with different things, sometimes you can just beatdown them with y…

I think that MonCon is a good game, it may not exactly be my kind of game, but I really do think there is a lot here for people to enjoy. MonCon plays pretty well. It is a mesh of a turn-based RPG and a rhythm game designed around the struggles of social interactions for those who are shy, autistic, or otherwise nervous around other people. It blends all of this very well; the RPG elements are solid, the rhythm-based gameplay feels good, the unique use of personality typing as a way to engage in conversations (combat) by creating a small typing system (like you would see in Pokémon, but at a way smaller scale) is well thought out, and the questing, inventory system, and mini-games are all good too. Though the gameplay feels good it does feel limited as well; leveling is basic, though the type system is neat the lack of many different types of personalities to interact with restricts the combat variety a bit, and it does feel like there is a right way to play rather than a ton of options. Also of note, the fact that the joystick on the controller doesn’t work only on the D-Pad is kind of annoying but completely workable. Nonetheless, I found the gameplay to be good, it is nothing a…

Really fun and engaging game!

HONEST REVIEW Overall, solid effort. Folks could enjoy this and have a good time. MUSIC: 8 / 10 This game demonstrates competence in musical composition and dynamic soundtracks. It reminds me of jazz improvisation, which supports the themes of conversational improvisation really well in a way that's strongly felt. SOFTWARE: 8 / 10 I did not encounter any bugs, and Steam Deck compatibility seems solid. NARRATIVE: 5 / 10 BUT YMMV A psychological thriller that made a gender transition into the slice-of-life genre. The calming effects of the music make it work, but only as long as the player is willing to enjoy the cringe. ART: 4 / 10 There are ways that the art is amplifying the cringe intentionally and unintentionally, so it's a mixed bag. An eye for perspective drawing would help - inconsistencies there are the most jarring thing for me. GAMEPLAY: 2 / 10 Points are mostly coming off for usability. I encountered small issues can that turn into big issues (such as signs that pointed me to the wrong floor, and I accidentally threw away my video game cartridge when trying to move it from the suitcase to the backpack since I thought "drop" meant I could pick it back up). For the co…

MonCon - ★★★★☆ MonCon was a delightful surprise for me, offering a fresh take on the RPG genre with a rhythm-based battle mechanic and focus on the topic of social anxiety. The hand-drawn art style is vibrant and cozy, perfectly complementing the story's heartfelt tone. Exploring the world feels rewarding, with a variety of unique "monster personalities" to battle, several items to collect and trade, and a handful of fun minigames tucked away in the corners of the game world. The combat system strikes a solid balance between accessibility and depth, making it easy to pick up yet satisfying to master over time. The musical battle attacks, while catchy, can feel repetitive during longer play sessions, which is my main gripe. Additionally, a few technical hiccups (like occasional battle timing issues) popped up, but nothing game-breaking. The story about a boy overcoming his social anxiety is treated as lighthearted at the beginning of the game, but gets some surprising depth the further into the game you go. The convention world is populated with lots of weird, quirky characters, bolstered by some genuinely witty dialogue that had me chuckling more than once. Overa…

A fun little RPG. Battles are very basic and can be a bit repetitive, the personality system also doesn't seem to be explained too well. Story is interesting so far. Price is a bit steep for all that's being offered though, so try and get it on sale if you can.