Meg's Monster

Meg's Monster is a short story-driven JRPG from Odencat with a structural twist that genuinely changes how combat works. You play Roy, a hulking ogre from the Underworld — a land of monsters and mutants who eat humans for breakfast — who has no interest in human cuisine and instead finds himself responsible for a lost little girl named Meg. Meg has the unfortunate ability to bring forth the apocalypse the moment she starts wailing in fear, which makes protecting her from crying the central design problem of the entire game.

The combat mechanically reflects the stakes. Roy starts the game with 99,999 HP and is virtually untouchable; the question isn't whether he can survive a fight, but whether Meg can be kept calm through it. Each battle has its own unique mechanics and mini-games baked in around protecting Meg, using her favourite toys to pacify her at critical moments, and learning how each new enemy threatens her differently. If Meg starts crying, it's game over for everyone — Roy's HP pool is irrelevant.

Over the course of their journey home, Roy, Meg and Roy's best friend Golan encounter a host of quirky and colourful characters rendered in Odencat's vibrant pixel aesthetic that makes even scary monsters look cute. There's plenty of drama and intrigue beyond the central premise, and previously defeated enemies can be befriended through optional sub-events. What begins as a simple and heartwarming story about two unlikely friends expands into something much larger as Roy and Meg slowly unravel the mysteries surrounding the Underworld and themselves.