Monster Menu | PS5 Review

 NISA's latest IP, "Monster Menu", brings to the player a pint sized dungeon crawling roguelike with 'Triple A' trimmings. It is a pick up, and put down style of turn based RPG adventure centered around fully customizable anime characters of different classes who have found themselves lost in a dungeon with no supplies. 

To survive, and escape this seemingly impossible ordeal they must become bottom feeders, or scavengers of sorts. Feeding off of dungeon offal, and beastly bits. Utilizing a combat system akin to that of Disgaea's while minding four base stats that will effect performance, overall. It is through maintained HP, Hydration, Happiness, and Calories that the party will either make it out alive, or repeat their situation via an odd Groundhog day reoccurrence upon each failed attempt. Gaining access to more powerful gear, and weapons while simultaneously losing any leveling progress made until they finally traverse all floors of the dungeon.

Monster Menu takes to heart it's namesake by utilizing a cooking and crafting system that goes hand in hand with the roguelike dungeon exploration, and combat. At the start you get to create your protagonist through a detailed menu of appearance based, and class based options. Classes like Berserker, Thief, Mage, Lancer, and other familiar archetypes are there to choose from. Each with their own base attributes, and weapon specific skills. You'll also be able to select poses, character stature, colors, and expressions that coincide with the character's avatar. Naming them when it's all said and done will seal the deal, and get you started on this little misadventure.

While the menu system is deeply involved, and the options plentiful the basic gist of the game is survival. In particular surviving for as long as possible to amass the ingredients, materials, and gear needed to eventually complete a full run. In each run or playthrough you will be controlling your created protagonist, and some party members who are also created by you. 

Through them you will mind your limited inventory space as to not become overburdened to the point of immobility while scouting the floors of the dungeon for ingredients or items that can be used in the camp's Monster Menu or Crafting station. All while picking fights with the local beasties, or avoiding them if need be. The beasts make possible the feasts, and the items obtained from chests, and rubble provide crafting materials as well as gear and weapons of different rarities.

Working in tandem with the Monster Menu cooking gimmick is the individual ingredient based prep menu alternative. Offering up four different prep options including Chop, Crush, Grill, and Stir-fry. Each with a different result on outcome. Ingredients, in general have a shelf life, and will deteriorate over time unless you prep them before that expiration phase. Once prepared these single item ingredients can be utilized as a source of additional skills as well as single use items that replace traditional items like remedies or potions. That or weapons against the enemies. The prep menu can be accessed at anytime during a playthrough including during dungeon exploration, and at base camp. 

Each floor in 'Monster Menu' is an opportunity to both level up, and get what you need to survive the next floor/s in line. Combat which is grid and turn based like Disgaea's with position/terrain advantage and team synergy in mind has you taking turns attacking the enemy/s with a weapon attack, using a skill, or devouring a downed enemy for HP, Hydration, Happiness, and Calorie refills if there are more than one. This new devour mechanic helps stave off death, and is but one of three ways in which to do so. The other two include eating raw ingredients directly from the inventory, or using the 'Rest' option at the floor's exit to visit camp, and cook up dishes using the 'Monster Menu, menu.  

Dishes, as they are, can be cooked up manually, and experimentally so, or through obtained recipes. Whatever you eat there is a risk or reward system tied to it. A positive and negative trade-off. Some dishes will heal/boost all four base stats while others will negatively effect one or more of the base stats. Thus balancing the pros and cons of each dish is crucial for longer lasting playthroughs. You'll even find that some dishes, according to preparation, will benefit the player with bonus boosts to performance. Be it attack, defense, or other key functions.

Outside of the Monster Menu lies the 'Craft' menu, and it is here that campsite tools, and additional weapons or gear can be crafted supposing you have the materials to do so. Materials are made available through dungeon scavenging, and through the breaking down of gear or weapons in the same menu system. Weapons, and gear come in different rarities with added skills that can be unlocked using a certain crafting item. The rarer the gear or weapons the more powerful or durable they are. Sadly, these necessary tools also wear out over time, and if not repaired using a repair tool they will be lost.

In the end a playthrough lasts as long as you are able to maintain HP, at minimum. If your main character loses HP it's back to the old drawing board. You are placed back at camp with all gained levels forfeit. Only your gear, and weapons remain. Making progress imperative to completion. Also worth noting is Monster Menu's altars which serve as the game's biggest roguelike feature. Finding an altar, and paying up earned points from repeated combat encounters will afford you one of three randomized blessings or curses. These altar offerings are also very much risk and reward type mechanics with their own pros and cons that will need to be weighed. That being said Altars are not mandatory to partake of and can be passed up if you so desire.

The Extras ...

For those of you looking for those NISA extras they are included here. You'll gain access to the soundtrack, a bestiary, and detailed statistics based upon your playthrough performance. 

The Verdict ...

If you are thinking about buying into "Monster Menu" you need to know that it's not as grand in scale as a game like Disgaea. What it has going for it though is immense replay value. In that regard it is very much a roguelike that's about a tedious grind. Thus if repeating playthroughs over and over to get to the end turn you away you might want to pass on this one. If you don't mind the grind though there is still some fun to be had that can easily be digested in short pick up and put down sessions. Presentation-wise it's basic by NISA standards but retains that signature art style, and mechanics. Allowing for both a censored or uncensored version from the start.