Monstrum 2 Preview

I haven’t played the first Monstrum game but when I came across the trailer for the second one, I had to get my hands on it to give it a try. I love the whole player vs monster mechanics in a game ever since Turtle Rock Studios brought out Evolve. I was very sad when this games flame went out and the company pretty much-abandoned ship and left Evolve in like a weird space where you can still play the game but technically not to its full extent. That being said I was very happy when I came across Monstrum 2 and saw that it was using similar mechanics. I hope Team Junkfish can deliver on what Turtle Rock Studios didn’t. This article will cover my time playing the game will it is in early access.

Monstrum 2 is an asymmetric multiplayer game that is a sequel to Monstrum. It pits prisoners Monstrum 2 is an asymmetric multiplayer game that is a sequel to Monstrum. It pits prisoners against a monster as the team of prisoners try to escape a decrepit sea fortress. You get the options to play as either a monster or a prisoner, depending on which one you choose your objectives for that match is different. If you choose to be a prisoner, you have to complete a variety of tasks to try and escape the sea fortress while trying to avoid the monsters. If you pick the monster your objective is to kill all the prisoners before they can complete their tasks and escape. Each match also has a timer so it’s also a race against the clock for the prisoners to try and escape.

Mechanically the game isn’t too intense, it’s easy to pick up and play. There are two main roles to play in Monstrum 2 and that is either you playing as the Monster or the Prisoners. If you play as the prisoners you must scavenge items that have been left around the facility to aid you and your team in completing various tasks. You can only carry so much so having your teammates pick up a variety of items will help you complete your tasks quicker. You can hide in lockers to try and escape the monster as well as a slide that can get you through small holes in the walls to get the upper hand on the monster. I find playing as the prisoner repetitive and not as much fun as playing as the monster. You do get some good puzzle elements when you are completing your tasks but you don’t get much else. It feels too similar, like active this, go here, do this. It’s just too simple. Many if they added in a few extra mechanics that could shake things up then it might play prisoners more but for now, I will stick with the monsters. There are currently three monsters in the game and these are the Brute, Bhagra and the Malacosm. Each one has its own skillset and helps bring that diversity to gameplay when playing as the monster. If you feel like your getting bored of playing a Brute you can change to one of the other two, which can keep the game feeling fresh and exciting. This is what I feel is lacking with the prisoner side of the game, maybe if they implemented a class system so that each human has a different role to play so that you feel like you have more of a purpose then that would be cool. At the minute you could just sit back and let your teammates do all the work and that’s not fun. The game does come with the option to play 1v1, 2v1, 3v1 or 4v1. Monstrum 2 is at its best when played 4v1 but can still be enjoyed playing the other ways if you are struggling to find a full lobby which at the minute is a huge problem on the Europe server.

Personally, I wouldn’t say the graphics blew me away, the creature designs are cool and I love the run down and spooky feel that comes with the procedurally generated sea fortress but to be honest I would have liked it to be a little bit more glamorous. That just me being picky really but it does feel like a game that would have come out seven years ago rather than on current generation titles. The prisoners are generic it would have been nice to be able to have a little bit of customisation to try and make you look a bit more unique in lobbies. The atmosphere is great while you are the humans as sneaking around the map can build tension as any corner you turn could be your last, the monster side of things is cool as you do feel powerful and each one comes with unique abilities that can strike fear into many players hearts.

Monstrum 2 has a lot of replay potential if they could fix the matchmaking bugs and the fact that it takes forever to find a game and then takes forever for it to load and get playing. When you eventually find a game, it is really enjoyable and working with players as the prisons are fun but nothing beats playing as the monster. I don’t yet have the option for matchmaking with friends so for now you just get paired with random players but this isn’t a problem as the community doesn’t seem toxic and they are all committed to the teamwork side of the game. However, the game does come with its bugs and this at times can be frustrating but I can’t judge too much on this as it still is early days for Monstrum 2.

Closing Statement 

Monstrum 2 has the protentional to be something great but does need a bit of fine-tuning to take it up to another level. The bugs and teething problems are expecting but the matchmaking is a problem for me. I don’t enjoy waiting fifteen minutes to find a match to then have it bug out or half the lobby leave. It’s just frustrating. The gameplay is good but could use some polishing and maybe a few different mechanics or classes add to the prisoner’s gameplay to help shake it up from match to match. The monsters are awesome and for me are the heroes of the game. Love using them and love how each one has its own play style. It will be nice to see if they add new ones in future updates once the game gets released. If you have played the first one or like these types of games then I can see you taking the time to play it however it doesn’t grab you enough to make you put down some of the other heavy hitter games that are currently on the market. If you had the choice over this or a big AAA title, for example, I know which game I would rather be playing. That being said Monstrum 2 is in early days so this gamer will be keeping an eye on it over the next couple of months to see how it further develops closer to its full release. It’s not that the game is terrible it just feels lacking in the modern gaming market currently.

Monstrum 2 is Developed and Published by Team Junkfish

Monstrum 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC

Monstrum 2 was reviewed on PC

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