A cozy retro handheld-inspired RPG where you research and battle monsters, save a seaside village, and create a new life at your own pace. This time, you are the Monster Researcher.

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Planned Release Date: Q1 2027

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About This Game

WELCOME TO MONSTER COVE

Monster Cove is a love letter to games from the retro handheld era. You'll explore the beautiful Seaglass Cove, while starting a new life as a Monster Researcher. Set in a charming seaside village, you'll research mysterious monsters, battle wild creatures, make friends with quirky locals, and uncover the secrets hidden around the cove. As you explore the world, you'll gradually help restore the village and shape a life at your own pace.

After returning home from university, you'll find your hometown a little bit different than when you left. Caves around the cove have been mysteriously unsealed, revealing monsters of all shapes, colors, and sizes. To make matters worse, a mysterious shadowy group is kidnapping scientists, and trying to capture the monsters for their own personal gain.

You'll be hired by Professor Lopper to scan and document the monsters. You'll learn more about them, and even get to name each species! All while trying to figure out what evil plans that shadowy group has for the people of Seaglass Cove.

ABOUT THE GAME

Monster Cove is a cozy retro RPG inspired by the golden age of handheld adventures. It's a true passion project for me, as I grew up playing games like this. As such, the game features graphics that evoke a long lost era of gaming. But with modern gameplay elements and features. The player will get to choose from a male or female character option, and even how they play the game. You can play more passively or defensively. When scanning monsters, they will naturally attack you. Once you complete your work you can escape, or you can choose to battle the monster to knock them out. Monster Cove is all about the combination of nostalgia and choice. You'll play your way. You'll even be able to build your own Monsterpedia. You're not naming monsters you collect, you're naming entire species.

Monster Cove combines creature researching, exploration, village life, and nostalgic pixel art into a relaxing adventure full of discovery. To add life to the retro world of Seaglass Cove, the game also features lively NPCs. When you talk to them, they will have the usual one line of dialogue like most retro RPGs. But Monster Cove goes beyond that with a "Talk" option, where the NPC will give you different lines of dialogue allowing them to breathe a little life into the game.

In your downtime from exploring caves and researching monsters you can take time relaxing on the beach, go fishing, play card games or slots at the casino, or just make friends with the locals. There are many things to discover.

FEATURES

  • Male or female character options

  • Retro open world to explore

  • Research and encounter unique monsters

  • Battle wild creatures and grow stronger through exploration

  • Meet memorable villagers and build friendships

  • Help restore and protect your seaside home

  • Discover hidden locations, treasures, and secrets

  • Fishing minigame

  • Retro chiptune-inspired soundtrack

  • Turn-based battles

  • Passive or defensive battle options

  • Create your own Monsterpedia and name your own monster species

  • High replayability

  • Steam Deck and Handheld Gaming PC Support

  • Steam Cloud Save Support

  • Full controller support & Xbox controller support. Also supports touch screens and full keyboard support

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: Microsoft Windows 8.1/10/11 (64bit)
    • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or better
    • Memory: 1 GB RAM
    • Graphics: DirectX 9/OpenGL 4.1 capable GPU
    • DirectX: Version 9.0
    • Storage: 600 MB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.