Dark Gnome vs Monster Harvest
Dark Gnome
Dark Gnome is a fun, pixel-style 2D fantasy RPG that's fresh from the oven from Upjers. Currently available for players who know how to read German, the game will have you set up your ultimate team of warriors and send them to battle various creatures in the game's many dungeon-like locations for amazing loot. You can recruit new heroes from the tavern and equip them with the best gear you have. You can even help injured warriors recover by sending them over to the only medical tent in town.The old-school-styled combat system in this game, on the other hand, is mainly turn-based and allows you to choose which action to take, be it to attack or to stand your ground.
Dark Gnome is a game that gives off a strong 2D dungeon crawler vibe which, I believe many players would probably enjoy. The game is currently in its Open Beta phase and once it is officially released, hopefully, Upjers will provide an English version for their global players.
Monster Harvest
Monster Harvest is a very promising game that features a refreshing blend of monster-collecting and farming simulation. In this game, you grow various “pocket monsters” called Planimals at your farm and bring them to the local rec center to test your mettle or the dungeon to gather special materials. You'll get to develop both your farm and your skills as a Planimal trainer.If you love farming sims and collecting Pokemon - or any other types of pocket monsters really, then Monster Harvest is the game for you! The game features the very interesting premise of turning your crops into battle pets, and how you “slime” them will result in different kinds of pets with varying power. There’s even a roguelite dungeon and a gym for you to test your mettle at and, in the case of the dungeon, gather special resources for upgrades.
The sad thing is Monster Harvest is woefully early access and a work-in-progress. The game still has some pretty massive bugs and pending content (such as the empty-feeling “festival”), though none of them are completely game-breaking. In the worst case, you’ll just have to restart the game, though some players have reported corrupted saved games where all their planimals stored in the pen went missing.
Due to this, I’d not recommend getting the game right now. If you’re really interested, try the free demo and wishlist the game to keep an eye on it. Once the bugs are squashed to a more manageable level and some more features and content are added, then you might want to splurge and grab the game.