Let's get into game play you control Ellie and Chomp at the same time ans it's quite easy. Chomps sort of like your superpowers with the left and right bumpers at the top of the screen. Don't sell Ellie short she can blow you away with different fighting moves and a blaster that get more powerful throughout the game. You fight monsters of all kinds as you go through different worlds. Defeat a monster get money and maybe get a cookie or something else they dropped. These items go to the bottom screen where chomp can eat them and get more powerful and evolve and get new powers. It very reminiscent of Henry Hatsworth for DS and it should be as it's from the same creator. He should change it up for he's next game or he"ll be considered a one trick pony on top and bottom screen games for ds. The bottom screen items can also affect game play. A toy that's played with Chomp, like a toy car will sputter of the lower screen to the top damaging enemies. Two types of enemies that I've encountered so far can travel to the bottom screen to attack, too.
Getting more into chomps powers, this where the game shines. Chomp can shoot lasers, water bombs, become a bomb, become and anvil. Become gigantic and punch enemies across the screen. He can lick enemies and eat them, summon force fields and more.You can also pull off some great combos that set of multipliers for attacking with attacks that work well together. Ellie is part of this combo as you can attack with her different attacks while your using chomp.
Style wise the game looks great, clearly time was taken to make some fun designs for levels. There's minor little things that tell you the games been polished. Tiny seagulls in the background move away in one section, while giant monstrous eyes follow you in a dungeon level. Chomp's animation for attacks are nice to watch. He has many different attack to try on array of enemies.
The games problem, or it might be me is that you have to switch Chomp's evolution manually for it to evolve to another form you want. You don't have to manage Chomp that much, but if you want all the powers, then your going to have to play with his other monster forms. You have to enter a sub-system to set what your monster can become. You however can just play with the same type of monster if you like and keeping powering it up and slowly work towards whatever monster is next in line. Another annoyance is you have to level up with the monster your on even if you don't like it to earn your new power from the new monster form.
Food and items you get greatly effects how long it takes to evolve into your next form. The sub-system tells you what to get and it does kind of become a hassle. I like that there's so much choice, but I'd like it be easier to get powers and less getting the correct item to feed your monster to get it evolve. Some evolution are worth it, some aren't. One evolution had the same tongue grab move as another and it was a waste of time.
However, if you more easy going you can just not care and level up the form you like and slowly evolve to other types. If you've chosen a form you like, playing the game is still fun. I found it great creating force fields ans shooting energy balls out of my head as chomp.
One of the best title out for DS right now including all the 3DS title which are just rehashes of old stuff . It'll be remembered as one of the best titles that came out for DS that's for sure. It's not over short either you'll be playing it for a while. Buy it or rent it from gamefly. It's going to take a bit to finish it so I'd just buy it.
Monster Tale Only 28.99 on Amazon
Majesco provided the reviewer with a copy of the game for review purposes.. Writer was at 49% when game was reviewed.
