Creepy Candidates

The story of Prime Monster is fairly simple. The creatures of the night have taken over humanity. But then they decided they needed some order, so they turned to humanity’s scariest invention: DEMOCRACY! Now every monster species is part of their own political party and are vying to become the new Prime Monster candidate.

There are dozens of different monsters like mummies, ghosts, and goblins, and more unconventional ones like scarecrows, swamp creatures and living trees. Many of these parties even have multiple members so every encounter is a unique experience, as every opponent has unique gameplay mechanics to use or play around. Despite this, you can only choose between 3 different monster classes, so some extra variety would be nice.

It’s Alive! (And Running for Senate!)

While real world politics may be difficult to grasp, Prime Monster keeps it simple. As this is a roguelike, each run can yield different results. You start by selecting from a choice of debates, some of which may be more difficult due to controversy or different parties teaming up. Once you’re in a debate, it’s time to unite your MPs (Monsters of Parliament) to fight for your cause. You do this by playing cards that can help you, destroy your opponent’s unity, or “exploit” them for political capital, each which uses unique tactics. For example, Chopper Badstone the Orc uses an aggressive focused build, while Viscount Suckworth the Vampire can suck the opponent’s unity and gain some for himself. You can also play “dirty tricks” which are very powerful cards but come at the risk of setting off The Sheriker, the Judge whose a roll of the dice can spare you or permanently remove one of your MPs for the remainder of the debate.

A Difficult Curse

Make decisions that could help or hinder you in the long run. Buy items and hire staff from the shop. Maintain the top of the poll rating, and after many long-winded speeches, you will become the Prime Monster. But don’t let this game fool you; it gets very tough and sometimes even unfair. A run could end way sooner than you think, even on medium difficulty. There were times I felt like I could do nothing as any of my upgrades weren’t enough to save me.

Final Thoughts

Prime Monster is a very unique take on this genre. While the art style and gameplay are great, there are still many things that keep it from being amazing. I would love more choices for monster classes at the start of the game. The difficulty spike also makes it hard for newcomers. But if you think you have what it takes to be a (literally) slimy politician, then is the game for you.

The game is out now on steam for $19.99. Get it now or wishlist it for when it goes on sale.