Key Preview Takeaways:
- The Toriyama artwork model makes the most recent model on this long-running Dragon Quest sub-series immediately interesting.
- A staggering 500 collectible monsters left me blown away by the range and sheer roster dimension.
- Some folks in my preview session skilled movement illness whereas exploring the world map.
Whereas the core Dragon Quest video games are the principle draw for a lot of followers of this long-running franchise, the well-established Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series has garnered its personal devoted following since its debut in 1998. Very like its counterpart within the Pokemon collection, Sq.-Enix’s monster-collecting RPG is all about capturing Dragon Quest’s weirdest critters and coaching them to be the perfect. With the upcoming entry Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, the sequel is trying to elevate the monster-collectathon and turn-based battle gameplay even additional, all channeled into Dragon Quest’s stylized, high-fantasy storytelling that is dropped at life by the artwork model of the legendary Akira Toriyama.
At PAX West 2026, we obtained some hands-on time with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, seeing the expanded narrative with a number of protagonists, amassing a few of the Dragon Quest franchise’s strangest monsters, and including them to our occasion. It is so far obtained the makings of one of many strangest and most expansive entries to this point with over 500 monsters to gather — however above all, it is particularly specializing in the guts and plentiful allure that Dragon Quest Monsters is all about.
The Withered World focuses on the additional adventures of Bianca and Nera, the returning protagonists from Dragon Quest V, as they embark on a brand new journey in one other realm. After each of their fathers contract a mysterious sickness, they discover that the one remedy is in a brand new realm generally known as the Witherwood, which is coping with its personal disaster. After discovering a magical watering software to assist restore sacred bushes within the decaying lands, the pair will group with different monster wranglers and collect a large occasion of monsters to assist carry stability to the realm and save their mother and father.
What makes the Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series such a well-loved spin-off is that it usually goes for a extra light-hearted, folksy journey that is fulfilling for all ages. Furthermore, it actually leans into the inherent allure and weirdness of the Dragon Quest collection by letting you group up with a few of the franchise’s most weird foes. Sure, you’ll be able to have a celebration stuffed with the Slime monsters, and that might very effectively be a strong group for those who energy them up effectively sufficient.
However what Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World focuses greater than different video games is the expertise of its lead monster wranglers, Bianca and Nera. In distinction to Pokemon, DQ Monsters makes the lead monster wrangler extra of a key fixture of the occasion than earlier video games, and The Withered World particularly does that with each Bianca and Nera having distinctive perks and favored monster varieties. This creates extra alternatives and advantages for constructing out particular monster events for the particular wranglers, particularly with Bianca’s desire for dragon and beast varieties.
Although there’s extra of a story following with The Withered World, there’s nonetheless loads of time to discover the totally different zones and construct up your occasion at your leisure. The 2 areas I obtained to discover had been the beginning desert zone round Witherrealm’s core kingdom and the tropical island zone with some critically highly effective monsters roaming round. Relying on the protagonist you selected at first, you may have a celebration that is constructed for sure situations – reminiscent of Nera’s glasscannon-style construct of therapeutic all MP post-battle for magic-focused monsters and resurrecting fallen allies, or Bianca’s extra brawler construct favoring preserving the occasion’s HP topped off and having a better time bedazzling foes. Nonetheless, regardless of your decisions, the protagonists and new monster wranglers will meet up over the course of the journey and mix their events.
Very like different DQ Monsters video games, battles play out within the acquainted turn-based design, with the monster wrangler providing solutions on targets and particular assaults, utilizing objects to heal allies, and even letting the monsters do their very own factor with the auto-battle operate. It is pretty customary with its method and execution, but it surely all makes for a satisfying circulate. I particularly admire the best way occasion composition works. When you can have a celebration of 4 mid-sized monsters, bringing within the bigger ones will take up extra particular person slots, making for a smaller occasion, however a probably stronger one relying in your chosen wrangler and what their talents are.
With apparently over 500 collectible monsters to coach and evolve, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is admittedly emphasizing the huge roster of allies to amass. Even throughout my restricted hands-on time, I used to be blown away by how a lot selection there was within the number of monsters. Additionally, the designs are so expressive and colourful, which actually leans into the Toriyama affect. The core technique to develop your occasion is, after all, by way of battling and scouting. Relying on the kind of monsters, you may meet sure situations to have the ability to scout them in the course of a battle. If you’re stronger than them, or for those who’ve managed to beat them down sufficient, you’ll be able to outright recruit them throughout battle, which is able to add them to your roster and finish the battle.
Together with the acquainted beats of battling and amassing monsters, The Withered World additionally provides the flexibility to synthesize new ones, primarily merging most of the acquainted Dragon Quest monsters into new creations. That is on high of the already massive variety of base monsters, lots of that are spiced variations of current creatures – such because the Coconut Slime, a extra tropical cousin of the enduring Slimes. In my case, I mixed a Bantamweight rooster monster with a Platypunk to create a Bullfinch monster, a brand new powered-up beast that helped add some energy to my occasion.
Sadly, one notable situation that got here up throughout previews was that some customers could be vulnerable to movement illness whereas taking part in. Whereas I personally did not expertise this, some gamers in my session and others did not react effectively to the visible model of world exploration particularly. This visually attention-grabbing world map is offered as a stylized, rolling map that may look a bit of disruptive to some. Fortuitously, the sport’s accessibility choices embrace methods to ease movement illness by adjusting the digicam and visible results throughout exploration.
To date, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is shaping as much as be one other strong and charming entry within the sub-series. The monster-collecting model of RPG is a reasonably crowded market lately, however Sq. Enix’s efforts to double down on the allure and wholesomeness of Dragon Quest’s world are what make this collection so distinctive and enjoyable to dive into. I had a blast with my restricted time with Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, and I am unable to wait to see what different oddities and bizarre creatures to uncover.
When you’re right here, take a look at these latest previews of different huge upcoming video games we have checked out not too long ago!
Alessandro Fillari is a longtime video games media skilled. Discuss video video games with him on BlueSky at @afillari.bsky.social.