Monster Rancher EVO Preview

Tecmo's Monster Rancher series broke new ground in 1997 when it debuted on the original PlayStation with its accessible gameplay and original, addictive monster-creation feature. The game let you create a random menagerie of critters from any CD that you placed into your console. In the nearly 10 years since the game's debut, the series has appeared on a number of platforms, including Nintendo's portable systems. One of the most appealing elements of the series has been its fluid nature. Whereas other franchises have stuck to a template and run as long and as far as they could within those constraints, the Monster Rancher games have been tweaked with the franchise's core formula. While this has resulted in an emotional roller coaster for fans who have loved or hated the way things have changed, there's something to be said for not coasting. Monster Rancher EVO marks the series' fifth appearance on the PlayStation 2 hardware and contains its most ambitious overhaul to date. We checked out a work-in-progress version of the game to see how it's shaping up.

You'll play as a young circus performer named Julio who aspires to be a top monster breeder. You'll work your way up the ladder of monster-breeding success as you travel around with your circus. The travel aspect of the narrative keeps you on the move and you'll meet all sorts of colorful folk. As with the previous games, you'll engage in monster breeding, training, and battling. The big change to these core mechanics comes from the circus setting, which serves as your home base in the game. You'll manage your time on a weekly basis as you deal with traveling, performing, training, adventuring, exploring, interacting with locals, and, of course, the standard monster-raising duties.

While this may sound like the usual Monster Rancher routine, there's quite a bit more to it. First off, there is much more of an RPG-like feel, as you'll be interacting with non-player-character townsfolk and trainers in each of the seven towns you'll travel through, which make up the game's seven chapters. You'll also engage in boss-battlelike brawls with foes unique to each town. The circus motif has also wound up changing the training system quite a bit, as you'll now improve your monster's abilities in two ways. Buffing your monster's stats will be done by training and performing in the circus. You'll train for the weekly performance in the days leading up to showtime by using a number of different items. During the actual show, your monster's performance will result in some stat increases. Shows are tricky affairs, as you'll have to contend with the audience's fickle whims, which will force you to bust out your best tricks to keep them interested. If you get it right, you'll have a lively crowd who will give up some useful rewards when your performance is over. If you get it wrong, you can plan on playing to a lot of empty seats.

The same, basic turn-based combat system from the previous games is on hand here. Your monsters will gain unique skills (depending on their breeding), which you can add to their repertoire of attacks. In order for each skill to be performed, however, a certain amount of "guts" needs to be built up. Though the battles are usually of the old-school, one-on-one variety, you'll also find three-on-three battles to keep you on your toes.

The skills you earn will also come in handy during the adventuring portions of the game, which find you setting out with one of your monsters. You'll explore the areas surrounding the town you're currently in and use your monster's skills to bypass obstacles. Since you'll only be able to head out with one critter, you'll have to choose carefully, as each of the different breeds is best suited for specific challenges.

Speaking of the monsters in the game, Monster Rancher EVO will again let you make life from any CD, DVD, or game disc you have handy. You'll find more than 200 monsters that break down into several different family types. As with previous entries in the series, the game will include a number of secret creatures you'll get by using specific game discs or DVDs.

The visuals continue the trend of what we've seen in the PlayStation 2 installments of the series, and they bring yet another new look to the proceedings. To date, we've seen cel- shading in MR3 and a more traditional look in MR4. Monster Rancher EVO's look leans more toward MR4's more-conventional third-person visuals and dresses up the presentation with a good dose of style. The circus atmosphere has allowed for a generous use of color and a fresh appearance. The character models and environments look good and maintain a cohesive look that's in tune with the overall atmosphere. The stars of the game are still all of the monsters you'll encounter. Although the basic designs of the monsters stay true to the early games, there's definitely a new spin on them because of the circus theme, which results in a bit more personality for the mono-eyed Suezo and pals.

The audio sticks to the modest basics we've come to expect from the series. You'll hear a bouncy soundtrack that matches the game's circus setting. Speech is still kept to a minimum, so you'll hear an assortment of roars from all the critters. You'll also notice the same aesthetics in the sound effects, which are equally modest, although you can count on some big effects to be heard during monster creation.

Based on what we've played, Monster Rancher EVO is looking like a smart evolution of the series. After four installments of RPG-like action, we're intrigued to see how far the game is going to run with its RPG elements. The varied gameplay seems to be a more manageable array of tasks than MR4's multitasking madness. The circus setting, especially the audience mechanics, is a fresh touch that we like. As far as the core monster breeding goes, we like the additions to the franchise's menagerie of disc-based creatures and how the system has been enhanced overall. If you've somehow managed to miss trying out the Monster Rancher games, Monster Rancher EVO looks like a good one to check out. Monster Rancher is currently slated to ship this April for the PlayStation 2. Look for more on the game in the coming weeks.