Soon to be released in Early Access,Monomythis an upcoming first-person dungeon-crawler from one-man developer Rat Tower Software, with a demo available now on Steam. Inspired byArx Fatalis,Thief, andFromSoftware’sKing’s Fieldseries,Monomythtasks players with delving deep into a sprawling underground dungeon to fight monsters, discover secrets, and unravel the mystery of a lost expedition. Though far from the first game to attempt to carryKing’s Field’s torch,Monomythmight strike a particular chord with fans of classic FromSoft.
Successfully raising over $40,000 on Kickstarter in 2021,Monomythpromised many things: classic first-person dungeon-crawling inspired by theUltimaandKing’s Fieldgames,open-ended systems-based immersive-sim gameplayinspired byDeus ExandDark Messiah of Might and Magic, stealth options reminiscent of theThiefgames, and atmospheric, moody environments inspired byDark Soulsand old anime OVAs likeAngel’s Egg. While living up to such a heady mix of influences seems like an impossible task,Monomythappears to be following through on its promises.
Monomythisn’t the first indie game to take direct inspiration from FromSoft’s first-person dungeon-crawlers. 2023’sLunacidis a notable recent attempt at faithfully recreating the atmosphere and gameplay of classic FromSoft games—even including framerate settings which allowed players to replicate specific framerates from the PS1 and PS2King’s FieldandShadow Towergames.
Monomyth Samples a Wide Variety of RPG Sources
With varied gameplay systems and a wildly uneven tone,Monomythoscillates between its many inspirations on a moment to moment basis. Underground catacombs filled with glowing blue crystals and draugr-like enemies can often makeMonomythfeelmoreElder ScrollsthanElden Ring. At other times, ruined churches and desolated ancient battlefields make the game feel distinctly FromSoft—with areas inspired by Sen’s Fortress reinforcing this even further. Occasionally, the game shifts gears entirely, abandoning atmospheric dungeon-crawling in favor of wide-open combat arenas. At other times, in sequences reminiscent of Frictional’sAmnesiagames, players are tasked with sneaking around high-level enemies while solving puzzles and finding secret passageways.
While there is something to be said for consistency,Monomyth’s tonal and gameplay variety makes for an almost hypnotic experience. No loop outstays its welcome before throwing the player into something completely new, and each sequence pushes the player deeper into the game’s tangled, disorienting web of tunnels. WithinMonomyth’s bewildering monster- and puzzle-filled catacombs, players are gradually introduced to the game’s ever-stranger cast of NPCs, such as a talking rat who sells out his comrades and gives up his stash of treasure to avoid being killed by the player. If there’s anythingMonomythdoes that makes it a worthy heir totheKing’s Fieldfranchise, it’s making the player feel completely lost in a hostile, mysterious, and vaguely surreal fantasy world.
Monomyth Still Has Room to Grow
WhileMonomythis a strong artistic achievement, the current build of the game is plagued by small technical errors that damage the overall experience. The lack of controller support is a particularly notable issue, as are frame-hitching andgraphical glitchesthat tend to spoil the game’s otherwise impressive atmosphere.
Enemy and weapon variety are also lacking. The majority of the game revolves around battlingdraugr-like zombie soldiers, rats, and slimes. While these enemies are all staples of the dungeon-crawler genre, the lack of creative enemy designs makes the game’s world feel more generic than it should. Thankfully, both of these issues are relatively minor, and will likely be solved with future updates.
Monomyth Is More Than Just a King’s Field Clone
Monomythis a truly weird experience. Rather than a direct spiritual successor toKing’s Field, the game takes inspiration fromFromSoft’s classic dungeon-crawlersto craft something entirely new. While it still needs some polish,Monomyth’s has made great strides in atmosphere, ambition, and gameplay variety even before early access. Featuring a vast world to explore, mysteries to unravel, and complex systems-based gameplay, the demo forMonomythis well worth checking out for fans of dungeon-crawlers, classic PS1 FromSoft, and melee-focused immersive-sims.
King’s Field: The Ancient City
WHERE TO PLAY
An accursed idol responsible for the destruction of an ancient race has resurfaced to wreak havoc once again among the kingdoms of man. You must return the idol to the Ancient City to break its curse, but monsters of unspeakable horror haunt the ruins. There is a palpable fear in the air of the Ancient Citv - even the monsters themselves fear the evil that has returned.Treasures beyond imagination await the warrior bold enough to attempt the journey, strong enough to face the minions of death, and wise enough to follow the path that leads to the essence of light! Use your sword arm well to rid the land of a potent curse! Be aware that should the sword fail, you have the magical arts to serve you in your quest. Learn the propertime and place for each or you too shall be counted amongst those lost forever.First-person exploration RPG that immerses you into the 3D rendered world of King’s Field with an all new story and incredible graphics!More than 40 arcas of non-lincar exploration where you seck upgrades for your weapons and armor as well as componcats for magic spells!Unlock the art of using powerful spells, discover items long forgotten in secret areas and Icarn valuable knowledge from characters you mect.More than 100 unique monsters and villains, each with their own arsenal of attacks and defenses, ready to claim their next victim!A plethora of weapons, armor, rings, and more await your discovery and use!
