Farmagia’s Monster Collecting is a Logical Progression From Pokemon’s Horde Battles

Farmagia‘s approach to collecting monsters feels like a natural evolution of what players saw from the Horde Battles in Pokemon. Of course, Farmagia‘s gameplay formula and battles are going to be quite different from Pokemon‘s, which has already been made clear by the reveal trailer. Rather, the game’s take on gathering and raising monsters is going in its own direction. Despite that, some parallels can be seen between it and the Horde Battles that debuted in Pokemon X and Y. In that sense, Farmagia could take something that looks familiar and make it into a battle format entirely its own.

In the recent Nintendo Direct, Farmagia was announced for the Switch. A fantasy RPG with heavy anime influences, a big part of the game is focused on the monsters that the player can collect. These monsters take on many forms, from wolves, to dragons, to golems. In one particularly unique move, the game has a farming system, which may remind players of Stardew Valley or Disney Dreamlight Valley. However, these crops instead grow into monsters that can join the player’s growing team. This unusual take on raising monsters combined with an interesting set of designs could help Farmagia stand out within the genre.

Farmagia Lets Players Command Their Own Hordes of Monsters

Farmagia Gives Players an Army of Monsters to Control

Farmagia does more to set itself apart than diverting from Pokemon‘s method of catching monsters. Although the player will have a team of monsters in Farmagia, they don’t operate like a team of Pokemon. While Pokemon gives the player a party of six with one fighting at a time, Farmagia lets the player have a swarm of monsters active at once. When a battle takes place, the player can have their entire stock of monsters attack, while also having the option to plan more strategic strikes. With this method of fighting, battles in Farmagia look like they will be quite a spectacle.

Farmagia Flips the Script of Pokemon’s Horde Battles

The monster armies of Farmagia can easily bring Pokemon‘s Horde Battles to mind. Unlike most Pokemon battles in the series, Horde Battles involve a swarm of wild Pokemon attacking at once, making the fight much more chaotic and difficult than normal. Farmagia‘s battles look like a way for the player to use the dynamics of a horde battle in their favor, using their own monsters to swarm their enemies with a barrage of attacks. It’s a cool visual, and should certainly make players feel powerful. It will be interesting to see the kinds of monster armies that players will be able to build.

Its Approach to Monster Collecting Makes Farmagia Unique Among RPGs

As a take on the monster RPG genre, Farmagia‘s monster armies should help make it unique. Surprisingly reminiscent of the strategic battles in Pikmin games, it’s an approach that gives its fights more character. It’s far from simply being one of Pokemon‘s Horde Battles with the perspective reversed. This is most notably shown off through both the real-time fights as well as the ability to summon Fusion Monsters that can deal extreme damage to foes. Farmagia‘s fights are going to require their own kind of strategy. Thankfully, the game looks flexible enough for players to create many approaches to any combat scenario.

Players who want to turn the tables on Pokemon‘s Horde Battles may be interested in Farmagia. Pokemon fans will already be waiting for Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s release in 2025, so Farmagia‘s launch date of November 2024 could provide them with something to play in the meantime. If the trailer is any indication, it could prove to be a dark horse in 2024’s impressive-looking slate of RPGs. Pokemon gave players a real challenge with its Horde Battles, but Farmagia is going to let players become the horde themselves.

Farmagia

Combining monster-collecting, farming, and action combat, Marvelous’ Farmagia allows players to lead an army of monsters into battle. The JRPG’s character designs are by Hiro Mashima, the creator of the Fairy Tail and Eden Zero manga.

Released

November 1, 2024

Developer(s)

Marvelous