Out in 2027, Monster Fantasy blends Monster Hunter and Stardew Valley, and I’m here for it

Chinese independent studio Jotoyo has something rather special to unveil and, after viewing a hands-off preview of the game last week, I have to say I’m rather excited. Monster Fantasy is an upcoming RPG that blends the high-octane monster hunting thrills of the likes of Monster Hunter with the more cosy, sedentary vibes of Stardew Valley. It’s an odd pairing, but one I’m very much here for.

Of course, Monster Fantasy is a brand new IP, and its generic name doesn’t quite live up to the creativity and vision that the small team has so far poured into the title. I’ve seen a trailer and a segment of gameplay, and it’s a stunning-looking game: cute character art is juxtaposed against beautiful, realistic environments, doused with realistic lighting. It’s a sight to behold, and it’s the type of game world that simply begs to be explored.

And explore you will: multiple regions are promised, each with their own ecosystems and, presumably, their own monster types to fight. You can look forward to a green and leafy rainforest region, a frost-covered valley, a volcanic ‘Ashlands’, and more.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Monster Fantasy, though, is the fact you can approach the game however you see fit. If you’re more excited about getting stuck into the action and taking down giant beasts, then you can focus on the monster hunting side of things. But if you fancy a more laid-back experience, you can put most of your energy into the life-sim/farming elements here.

Jotoyo describe the game as being ‘split into two’. The combat and life sim elements operate independently, with both progressing the story. In your village, you’ll be able to spend time farming, fishing, crafting, cooking, brewing potions and more, alongside building your home and befriending villagers. Those friendships might come in handy as you can have NPCs help you complete the tasks you don’t want to do, and they can also fight alongside you.

If you want to focus on fighting, you can expect a deep, action-focused combat system based around weapons. There are four character classes to choose from – warrior, swordsman, archer and mage – but you’re never locked into just one class. Skills come from the weapons you use rather than your character’s inherent abilities, so switching up your weapon will allow you to access new abilities. It means you can easily try out all classes and decide which fighting style works best for you.

There are dozens of large monsters to take down, as well as some legendary beasts to face off against. You can fight them for victory, sure, but you can also tame monsters, allowing you to befriend them and keep them as pets. Tamed monsters can be used for traversal or to give you the edge in combat, and thanks to an evolution system that sees them go from juvenile, young to adult, they’ll gain different skills and abilities as they age, too.

It isn’t just the passage of time that will affect monsters in Monster Fantasy, either. They’re also influenced by the weather, as well as the time of day it is. There’s a full day/night cycle in the game, but it’s as of yet unclear exactly how this will impact the monsters you encounter. Joyoto says it will encourage players to learn about monsters before they choose to hunt them, with you sometimes needing specific knowledge about their behaviours given the time of day. It certainly sounds interesting.

Considering this is a game in development by a team of just 20, it’s very ambitious indeed, but from what I’ve seen so far, I’m sold on the concept. Development will go ahead as planned regardless of the outcome, but Jotoyo is set to launch a Kickstarter in July with the hopes of raising additional funds to bring on new developers, build a bigger world and to be able to action player feedback.

There’s much more to learn about Monster Fantasy, and with its release not slated until late 2027, there’s plenty of time to find out more. But I’m already intrigued. As someone who has enjoyed both Monster Hunter and farming sims like Stardew Valley, the melding of the two could work very well. I’m particularly sold on the idea that players can approach the game however they want, focusing on their own areas of expertise. Providing Jotoyo can deliver on its promises, this could be something very special indeed.

Monster Fantasy is slated to launch in autumn 2027, with a Steam release confirmed and console TBC.