Most RPGs have you take the role of the hero, exploring everything from sprawling outdoor locations to claustrophobic dungeons on your quest to slay monsters and gather treasure. New indie Monsters Domain takes that idea and turns it on its head: here you play as the monsters, fighting off adventures foolish enough to wander into your territory.
There's more to Monsters Domain than simply taking swings at heroes in shiny armor, though, as you'll have to build and upgrade your forces of evil and equip them with improved weaponry and skills if you're going to have a fighting chance against the side of good.
"You can play any monster from your army and give them specific orders to follow," says the game's Steam page. "Every killed hero makes them stronger and gives you an opportunity to equip them better or develop new skills or monstrosities. You can reanimate fallen intruders or collect pieces of your slain warriors and research new ways to use it."
Monster's Domain is currently in development and is targeting a Q3 2023 launch. To give players a taste of what to expect, developer G-DEVS has just released Monsters Domain: Prologue, essentially a demo version that lets you learn the mechanics and generally find your feet in the realm of monsters as well as take on the game's first boss.
Reviews of the prologue version have been "mostly positive," though many point out that there's work still to be done. "Def potential, have had fun with what I've done so far," said one reviewer, adding that it "will need polishing, but on the whole, it's off to a good start." Another said: "Some interesting ideas to build upon but a lot of work still needed. I'm optimistic about the game's potential."
Looking for a more traditional role-playing experience? Check out our guide to games like Skyrim.
