Monster Sanctuary
Pixel-art creature-collecting Metroidvania with tactical turn-based team battles
moi rai games · Published by Team17 · Released Dec 8, 2020
ActionAdventureIndieRPGStrategy
- Reviews
- Very Positive
- 91% of 13K
- Recent reviews
- Very Positive
- 86% of 53 in 30 days
- Playing now
- 74
- right now
- Steam Deck
- Verified
- Last update
- 2 months ago
- Jul 16, 2026
Free demo available, 0 playing it now: get the demo.
Metacritic: 81/100 (critic reviews)
What is Monster Sanctuary?
A 2D creature-collecting RPG set in a Metroidvania-style fantasy sanctuary. As a new Monster Keeper guided by a spectral familiar, you hatch and train monsters, build teams for turn-based battles, and use their abilities for platforming and environmental puzzles. Online PvP and optional Randomizer, Bravery, and Permadeath modes are also available.
For you if...
- +you enjoy building teams around skills and combat synergies
- +you want monster abilities to unlock exploration routes
- +you like optional challenge modes and online PvP
Not for you if...
- −you prefer simple combat without extensive team optimization
- −you have little patience for backtracking and level scaling
- −you want a story-led RPG with developed characters
What players say
91% of 12,694 reviews are positive · 86% of 53 in the last 30 days
Players praise the distinct monster skill trees, flexible team-building, and combat built around synergies, buffs, and debuffs. Common complaints include steep difficulty spikes, level scaling, drawn-out routine fights, frequent backtracking, and a thin story.
Screenshots and trailer
Monster Sanctuary system requirements
As published by the developer.
Minimum
- OS
- Windows 7
- Processor
- Dual-Core, 2.0 GHz
- Graphics
- GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB, Radeon HD 4870 512 MB
- Memory
- 2 GB RAM
- Storage
- 1 GB available space
- DirectX
- Version 10
Recommended
- OS
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor
- Dual-Core, 3.0 GHz
- Graphics
- GeForce GTS 450 or Equivilant
- Memory
- 4 GB RAM
- Storage
- 2 GB available space
- DirectX
- Version 10
PC version details
DRM, required accounts, controller support and Steam features.
- DRM
- None declared on Steam
- Controller
- Full controller support
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Achievements
- 41
- Steam features
- Cloud saves, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Steam Deck: Verified
- All functionality is accessible with the default controller configuration
- Shows Steam Deck controller icons
- In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
- Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck
Multiplayer and co-op
Languages
Text only: English, French, German, Spanish - Spain, Russian, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese - Brazil.
Tags
- Creature Collector
- Pixel Graphics
- Metroidvania
- Turn-Based Tactics
- Singleplayer
- Turn-Based Combat
- Exploration
- Fantasy
- Adventure
- JRPG
- RPG
- 2D
- Strategy
- PvP
- Difficult
- Indie
Recent updates
- Jul 16, 2026 · Monster Sanctuary Update 2.2 out now
- Oct 3, 2025 · ❗Update Required
- May 9, 2023 · Monster Sanctuary - Relics of Chaos Update
- Mar 9, 2023 · Monster Sanctuary 2.1 Update soon and announcing our next game - Aethermancer!
- Dec 13, 2021 · Monster Sanctuary Update 1.3 - Counter Attack Update
2 DLC available.
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