Wired: "Take Master of the Monster Lair, for instance. This is a Nintendo DS game in which you're tasked with digging elaborate holes in the ground and filling them with adorable monsters to further the ailing tourist industry of your town.
There's no epic, world-spanning quest; there's no ultimate evil threatening your very existence. You never once have to squeeze off a headshot on an enemy soldier -- and yet the game is deeply engrossing and a lot of fun.
One afternoon, your avatar, a young male denizen of the tiny town of South Arc, happens upon a shovel. Far from an ordinary shovel, this one happens to talk and, in typical Japanese role-playing game fashion, proves to be the key to the rest of the story."
Atlus has delivered another quirky, very Japanese game with Master of the Monster Lair. Part RPG and part Dungeon Tycoon, it has its charms but the slow pace and repetitive nature will be a turnoff to many. The most likely audience will be younger gamers (who don't mind repetition so much) and fiends for wacky Japanese stuff. Just be prepared for the grind.
Presentation - 7.5
Graphics - 5.5
Sound - 5.5
Gameplay - 6.5
Lasting Appeal - 6.0
Overall -
Gaming Nexus writes: "I'm not sure how I feel about Master of the Monster Lair. On one hand it's cute and charming and plays great in short bursts. But on the flip side it's not a very meaty adventure like say Etrian Odyssey, which demands your utmost attention and map-making skills to succeed. MotML (seriously, Atlus, you guys love long titles) is a great first experience for anyone looking to try out an RPG. It lets you play at your own pace which I found to be quite enjoyable considering I run a rather hectic schedule. It also allows you to play things your own way, you create the dungeons, you decide where the monsters go, and you grow in areas where you think you are lacking. This free-form approach to gaming seems like a successful plan, in the case of Master of Monster Lair, it just needs a little more fleshing out."
Master of the Monster Lair makes for a moderately enjoyable blend of old school RPG mechanics and Harvest Moon-type gameplay. Depending on personality, players will either grow tired of the unchanging formula after a few hours of gameplay, or identify with the sometimes tedious tasks and become addicted. In either case, the game is an interesting diversion from the typical RPG fare and makes for a fun experience at least for a little while.
Pros:
* Dungeon design is fun
* Relaxed pacing
Cons:
* Can grow repetitive and boring
