MONSTER FANTASY Blends Hunting Action With Village Life Sim at Bilibili First Look
Chinese studio JOTOYO showed a playable demo of its upcoming game MONSTER FANTASY at the Bilibili First Look event in Shanghai. The game combines hardcore hunting action with life simulation elements, drawing inspiration from Monster Hunter and Animal Crossing. Players choose from four classes-Warrior, Ranger, Ronin, and Mage-each with distinct mechanics. The Mage, for example, combines four elemental orbs to cast spells, while the Ronin uses an iai stance and can enter a demon mode. The demo featured three monster types, with a final version planned to include around 50. The in-game time syncs with real time, and monsters' behavior changes with time of day and weather. Players can delegate hunting and gathering to NPC villagers, who have their own daily routines and favorability systems. The village can host up to 10 NPCs out of several dozen types. The game is single-player with multiplayer features. Development began in earnest about four months before the demo, though the team spent years on preparation. Music is by Claude Ruelle, who worked on Monster Hunter Rise. The producer, Fei Ling, stated that a fifth class and romantic relationships with NPCs are under consideration.