Apr 142023
Last year, the Utawarerumono series saw a new entry, a turn-based JRPG called Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten.
Only the PC version was localized, with no sign of the PS4 and PS5 versions coming west.
Well, that has changed. Yesterday, NISA announced that Monochrome Mobius would be released in the west for PS4/PS5 this fall. They also revealed a Limited Edition available for preorder.
(The website lists a smaller Deluxe Edition, as well, but preorders aren’t up yet. Initially, the website also listed an English dub, but that was an error and has since been removed.)
I already have Monochrome Mobius on Steam, but I have to admit I’m tempted by the art book, soundtrack, etc. included in the Limited Edition. Is it worth picking it up for collection purposes? We’ll see. Maybe I’ll have played Monochrome Mobius by then.
Earlier this year, I finished playing Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and found it to be a compelling start to the story told across the two Mask entries. This Monochrome Mobius news has sparked my interest in starting Mask of Truth sooner rather than later.
Getting news like this from NISA, along with other announcements from various developers over the past couple of months, has made me miss the New Game Plus Expo that was held in March the past two years. There are several games and release dates that felt like they would have been announced there if it had been held this March as well. The New Game Plus Expo often showcased games that appeal to me, so I hope they’re just planning to hold it later this year (like in 2020, when it was in June).
Anyway, are you interested in Monochrome Mobius? If you already played it on Steam, are you planning to pick up a console copy?
Monochrome Mobius seems like an interesting departure from the other games, gameplay wise. I think a JRPG really suits the setting of the series. It’ll be nice to leave the VN UI and actually explore the world. A bit disappointed to hear that there won’t be an English dub.
I like to get limited editions of games and I might get this one, I just wish there was something among the goodies that was solid and sturdy, like a small figure or a steel game case. I’d be too afraid to display the cloth or any of the cards, in case they got damaged.
Yes, the others are all visual novels with strategy RPG battles, so a traditional JRPG like Monochrome Mobius is quite a different direction. I’m surprised there isn’t a steelbook, but maybe the acrylic displays are sturdy enough to keep out without concern about them being damaged.