As a ’90s child, creature collecting is in my DNA. It doesn’t matter if it’s Pokemon, Digimon, Medabots, or anything in between. If you can capture adorable creatures and make them fight one another, I’m fully on board. That’s why when I came across Montabi, a creature collector/roguelike/deck builder, I was incredibly intrigued. The idea sounds perfect on paper. Using creatures for combat, all while having random cards slapped down on the playmat before you. All mixed with a typical roguelike map. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see how well everything meshes together. It’s an interesting premise that lives up to its potential, even if this demo was short and sweet.

I Never Would Have Thought That Creature Collecting and Roguelike Deckbuilding Would Work Together So Well, but ‘Montabi’ Nailed It

Each of the creatures, referred to as “Montabi” in the game, has its own deck of cards. These cards are their attacks, their defense, and everything in between. As with any deckbuilder game, there’s a slight learning curve. The trainer, able to attack and defend themselves, is the main chain of command. I can use my AP per turn to move my Montabi around the map, give them defense buffs, or additional cards for their hand. Or, I can go on the offensive and toss rocks at the creatures. Rules of Nature or survival of the fittest, I guess.

Battles in Montabi are quick, strategic affairs. Each card has a range of attack, with some requiring additional cards to reach their full potential. It’s incredibly satisfying finding a way to utilize your creature’s skills to wipe out the board in just a matter of a few clicks. Seeing as I’m obsessed with cats, I had to pick Wishly as my starter Montabi, and that was the best choice I could have made.

This little catfish could use the power of waves to push enemies back, then drop the heavens upon them. Once I learned the finer intricacies of how the battle system worked, I was mowing through foes like it was nobody’s business. Of course, I got a little too cocky for my own good, and that’s when I ran into trouble.

Even if You Feel Like It, You’re Not Invincible — One Wrong Move Could End Your Run

On my first run, I made it just a little over halfway through the demo map. I was cruising along, evolving my Montabi and making them into the best versions of themselves. Carelessly, I was smashing down foes, all while disregarding the health of my trainer. My run came to an end when a sentient piece of Sushi decided to lob an attack my way, knocking out my trainer and leaving me defenseless. It was over just as quickly as it started, but I was itching to get back in for more.

To be upfront and honest, deckbuilders aren’t my favorite type of game. Sure, I did love ROGUE LIGHT DECK BUILDER, mainly due to the literal interpretation of how the game played. But Montabi has that juice. It’s stylish, colorful, and beautiful to see in motion. It’s easy enough to learn, even for the most inexperienced of players. All while having a unique hook to draw players in. It reminds me a lot of games like Beastieball, where the developer knows why people love creature collectors, but they’re willing to try something completely out of the box with the genre.

Overall, I’m very optimistic about Montabi. Could this be the first deckbuilder game that gets me to lose countless hours to it? A task that even giants like Slay the Spire haven’t accomplished? There’s potential that it may do that. The wonderful art, great soundtrack, and adorable beasties have me intrigued. I just need to see if I’ve got what it takes to become the greatest Montabi trainer of all.