"Monochrome Echoes - white -" is a 2D field-exploration fantasy summoning RPG developed by the indie game studio Thousand Games.
As part of the “Monochrome Echoes” series, “Monochrome Echoes - black -” has also been released, featuring a bold reinterpretation of this title.
In this article, as the first in a two-part series covering the franchise, we present a play report on *Monochrome Echoes - white -*.
A hack-and-slash-focused RPG where you can explore a “world of white and black”
This title is a 2D field-exploration RPG that follows in the footsteps of Thousand Games’ flagship “METRO QUESTER” series.
While the setting is a fantasy world and the screen features a “monochrome” color scheme—as the title suggests—the core gameplay remains consistent with the *METRO QUESTER* series: you feel your way through unexplored areas, expand your exploration range while battling enemies, and occasionally obtain rare items.
First, choose one of four parties with different character compositions and begin exploring the “Ruined Archipelago,” the setting for your adventure.
At your base, you’ll receive various quests from the locals once every 10 days.
If you don’t complete them within 10 days, you’ll be fined, so you’ll want to time your quest completion carefully.
You’ll also need food for your adventures. Food is consumed simply by walking, and you’ll lose it when you’re injured in battle—in exchange for automatic healing.
However, even if your food supply drops to 0, there are no penalties other than being “forced to return to base,” so feel free to keep expanding your exploration area.
Combat follows the format—a hallmark of *METRO QUESTER*—where characters can take up to three actions per turn. Using their own skills and those hidden within their equipment (two weapons and one accessory), characters can perform up to three actions within the limits of their action cost.
Additionally, “Hate” from enemy characters is displayed as a numerical value in the lower-left corner of each character’s screen; the character with the highest Hate value is more likely to be targeted by enemies.
Some warrior-type characters possess abilities that intentionally increase their hate or defense count, so it’s best to clearly define your party’s roles—such as having a character act as a “tank” or a “healer” to heal injured tanks—to ensure a stable battle.
After battles, you can obtain new items from monster drops or treasure chests.
Items come equipped with various active and passive skills. One of the game’s major appeals is exploring dungeons across the land and continuously defeating enemies in search of new items.
As you continue your adventure, you’ll acquire various important items, such as the “Spirit’s Axe,” which lets you chop down obstructing trees on the field, and the “Canoe,” which allows you to travel from the pier out to sea.
Acquiring these items expands the range of the “Ruined Archipelago” you can explore. Experiencing this expansion firsthand is one of the game’s greatest appeals.
As you continue exploring, you may also discover “Springs” that unlock new abilities for your adventurers. Here, a random character’s job change will be unlocked.
When each character reaches Class Level 30 and 50, a Master Skill valid for all classes of that character is unlocked, so it might be a good idea to level up multiple classes. However, I found the process for changing classes to be somewhat confusing—specifically, the step where you must select the character slot on the far left of the “Party” screen before choosing the new class—which I felt was a drawback.
The character level cap increases by collecting stone tablets scattered throughout the world and defeating powerful “Bounty Hunters.” To strengthen your characters, you’ll need to explore every corner of the world.
As the scope of your adventure expands, the enemies you face will grow stronger, but you’ll also acquire new items along the way. For example, the shuriken for Ninjas—while it doesn’t have a level drain prevention effect (level drain doesn’t exist in this game to begin with)—is a powerful weapon capable of wiping out an entire group of enemies in a single strike.
There’s also the “Dragon Scale Bikini Armor”—a piece of gear straight out of pulp fantasy that a female warrior might wear (it significantly boosts HP and increases attack frequency with a battle cry, so it’s actually quite powerful).
Of course, there are plenty of powerful yet quirky “gimmick” weapons as well, so gamers who love collecting items can immerse themselves in the hunt to their heart’s content.
There’s also a feature that lets you fuse weapons of the same name to power them up, so aiming to create the ultimate item is part of the fun.
Set in a world of black and white, this game lets you enjoy endless exploration and hack-and-slash action in a vast world. It’s a title recommended not only for retro RPG fans but also for anyone looking for a fast-paced RPG.
A Word from Spa-kun
A massive exploration RPG with a scope you’d never guess from its black-and-white visuals. Plus, the girl characters are subtly cute (important).
Title:Monocrome Echoes: White
Supported Platforms: PC (Steam) / Nintendo
Switch Platform Used for This Review: Nintendo
Switch Release Dates: Steam version April 25, 2025; Nintendo Switch version July 23
, 2026 Author’s Playtime: 10 hours Available via
Subscription Service:No Price
: 2,800 yen *Product
information is current as of the time of writing.
￥4,487
(価格・在庫状況は記事公開時点のものです)
