Always Sometimes Monsters
A 2014 role-playing game about a cross-country journey to win back lost love.
Always Sometimes Monsters is a role-playing game released in 2014, created and self-published by Canadian developer Vagabond Dog for Windows. The player controls an author who, after getting evicted from their East Coast apartment, must journey to the West Coast within 30 days to stop the love of their life from marrying someone else.
At the start, a narrative sequence lets players choose their character and their love interest, with the relationship able to be straight or gay. The story unfolds through text windows and character portraits, with dialogue and action choices altering the plot and the protagonist’s fate. Players explore city environments, talk to non-player characters, and earn money through repetitive, low-paying odd jobs that may test their morals. Time passes in morning, day, and night cycles over 30 in-game days, and choosing how to spend time is crucial since some options block others.
The game was released for OS X and Linux on 8 January 2015, with a later update using the MonoGame framework bringing it to iOS and Android on 28 May 2015, and to PlayStation 4 on 10 October 2017. After Vagabond Dog acquired the publishing rights, a Nintendo Switch port was also released.
According to review aggregator Metacritic, the PlayStation 4 version received “mixed or average” reviews (score 72), the PC version received “mixed or average” reviews (score 68), and the iOS version received “generally favorable” reviews (score 80).
A sequel, Sometimes Always Monsters, was announced on 13 August 2015. Though originally planned for 2016, it was released on 2 April 2020 for Windows.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Always Sometimes Monsters
- Developer
- Vagabond Dog
- Publisher
- Devolver Digital / Vagabond Dog (Switch)
- Engine
- RPG Maker VX Ace
- Platforms
- Android · iOS · Linux · Microsoft Windows · OS X · PlayStation 4 · Nintendo Switch
- Released
- Windows / 21 May 2014 / OS X, Linux / 8 January 2015 / iOS, Android / 28 May 2015 / PlayStation 4 / 10 October 2017 / Nintendo Switch / 8 April 2021
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
- Designer
- Justin Amirkhani
- Programmer
- Jake Reardon
- Artist
- Sarah Dario · Kelvin Put · Jessica Alves · Victor Cueva Rodriguez · Donovan Liu · Luis Emilio Aceves Amaya
- Composer
- Laser Destroyer Team
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Always Sometimes Monsters begins with a narrative sequence that allows players to select their character and love interest, with relationships possible as straight or gay. The story unfolds through text windows and character portraits, with player choices in dialogue and action altering the course of the narrative. Players explore city environments, interact with NPCs, and earn money through repetitive odd jobs or moral compromises to progress.
Reader's Guide
The game's significance lies in its focus on narrative choice and time management over 30 in-game days, where each decision can disable other options. Its reception varied by platform: the PlayStation 4 version received 'favourable' reviews, while the PC and iOS versions received 'mixed or average reviews' on Metacritic. A sequel, Sometimes Always Monsters, was announced on 13 August 2015 and released on 2 April 2020 for Windows. The game's legacy includes its exploration of moral compromise and the consequences of time allocation in a story-driven RPG.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed and self-published by Canadian studio Vagabond Dog.
- The game was released for OS X and Linux on 8 January 2015; a later update using the MonoGame framework brought it to mobile and console platforms.
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