Japanese game developer Tecmo has announced Monster Rancher/Farmer 2 will be arriving on the Japanese App Store, Google Play, and the Nintendo eShop. Though there is little information whether the game will be localized for the West, it will be released in the Fall of 2020, be priced at 2880 Yen (about $27 USD), and be available for an online pre-order. Despite the little information, the game may entail various features of the original 1999 version released for the PlayStation.
For those who may be unaware of the game, Monster Rancher 2 revolves around the main character, Genki, who enters a virtual world in a game he won at the monster championships. Once teleported, he meets new friends, learns more about the monsters in the game, and adventures to reveal the secrets of the virtual world. In addition, Genki can obtain monsters in Compact Disks (CDs), focus on nurturing monsters, and battle against others he encounters. Players of Monster Rancher 2 will also be able to do these activities. They can capture over 400 different types, nurture and strengthen their abilities, and strive to battle S class monsters with the Big Four champions towards the end of the game.
Though this concept sounds similar to Nintendo’s Pokemon, Monster Rancher 2 has a different gameplay style. While Pokemon focuses more on collecting various Pokemon throughout a player’s journey, Monster Rancher 2 is more on nurturing monsters for battle. For example, If monsters are raised without care, they may become disloyal or ignore battle commands. On the other hand, if they are raised properly on a regular basis, they will have a higher chance of listening to players and performing critical hits in battle. Monster Rancher 2, therefore, has a stronger emphasis on developing personal relationships with monsters rather than merely collecting them.
If you are interested in learning more about the game, check out the official Monster Rancher/Farmer official Twitter account. There is also the official website for details about the game in Japanese.