NIS America has announced that Monark will be released on February 22 in North America and Europe for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PS5, and PC. While FuRyu's school story might seem Persona-lite - naturally, since former Shin Megami Tensei developers are behind it - there are a few key differences that set Monark apart.
I was lucky enough to see a brief glimpse of Monark combat and exploration at a recent event hosted by NIS America, and while the larger story beats remain a mystery for now, I had a general idea of what to expect.
The segment presented by NISA took place in the middle of a madness segment, where the protagonist plunges into the fog of madness to confront the warped ego that poisons the school and those in it.
You come with a companion meant to counter ego distortions, but on a more practical level, they also provide combat aid.
Monark's combat feels like a deeper, more tactical system built around space and movement. Attack ranges are determined by character type and positioning, but in addition to controlling the protagonist and companion, you also control a number of Fiends.
Monark has big ambitions and the potential to tell an interesting story about human motivations, though we'll have to wait a bit longer to find out how well he holds up on the landing.
