Since 2018, Beautiful Glitch has been experimenting with the Monster Prom formula, to great and usually sexy impact. There’s much to be said about why the original Monster Prom became such a smash hit on release, but it really boils down to a desire for more dating simulators with a gender-free gaze in mind. (I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the large contingent of monster lovers online, as well.)
Across multiple spin-offs experimenting with the formula (Camp, Roadtrip), Beautiful Glitch has successfully expanded the Monster Prom universe, and in the recently-released Monster Prom 4: Monster Con, it’s developed yet another excellent sequel that builds on everything that’s come before. In fact, this might be the best one yet, with a very strong theme and accompanying mechanics that make it a bold, colourful adventure worth playing over, and over, and over again.
As part of LudoNarraCon 2025, Monster Con now has a playable demo – the full game was just released, as well – so if you’re looking for a fun, silly, and self-indulgent time, it gets a hearty recommendation from me.
Monster Con begins as most Monster Prom games do. You get to choose a monster to embody (Vicky remains my firm favourite), and then you set off to make friends at the annual “Monster Con” nerd celebration. Along the way, you’ll meet a host of other monsters, and also work on developing a comic book, based on your interests and experiences.
In the array of Monster Con‘s romanceable pals, there’s really something for everyone. While I did miss Damien this go around (he’s a player character and purchasable DLC), Omen was a very nice second choice. She’s a former evil overlord who’s very spiky and standoffish, but if you can build your boldness (and lose your smarts), she makes for a delightful, only occasionally dour, date.
Clown monster April First is also a fantastic inclusion, with her bright and bubbly personality only slightly disguising her strange, slightly evil tendencies. April’s quirk is that while she’s bright on the outside, her real emotions may “escape” in the form of summoned monsters.
Like April, each of the other monsters available to date have some sense of strangeness or mystery about them – but despite their differences, they’re really just looking for someone to care about them. To that end, you’ll need to travel through the standard Monster Prom relationship-building loop. That means spending a few days at the annual Monster Con, exploring a range of activities and inputting dialogue to build your stats – smarts, boldness, creativity, charm, and fun.
The game doesn’t tell you which avenues to pursue, but you will need to buff particular stats if you have a firm beau in mind. As with other games in the Monster Prom series, you must consider the desires and vibe of your partner as you answer questions or provide solutions in dialogue, with a view to build the right stats to appeal to them. In lunch break sessions, you’ll also need to take your beau out on dates, to indicate your intention.
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If they don’t feel the same way about you as you do about them, you’re in for a pretty rough end-of-con rejection. At the very least, you do get a cool comic to look through before the verdict is handed down, with this popping in almost like a consolation prize. Hey, Omen rejected me. But at least I got to read a neat comic starring Damien as a sword-fighting hero.
In my second run through Monster Con, I had much more awareness about the tact of my words, and which responses would net the right additions to my stats.
The next round, I still ended up putting my foot in it occasionally, but I did manage to avoid any smart-mouthed comments, wooing Omen ever closer. Working out exactly what she wanted was a slow path, but an entirely satisfying one – as Monster Con encourages you to start over with new events, dialogue, and surprises awaiting in each loop.
That’s what elevates this game above the others, in my eyes. While each game does feature unlockables, Monster Con feels very generous in giving you new reasons to try again.
No two runs are ever the same, and with plenty of new features as reward for your efforts – including new comic genres and interest options – you won’t feel like you’re treading water with each new attempt. In several hours with the game, I encountered dozens of new scenarios and dialogue, allowing for new experimentation with my stats. Of course, you can also switch up which characters you take for even more options, ensuring that Monster Con stays fresh throughout its loops.
I’m going to keep pursuing Omen well into the future, I feel. Sometimes, I know I’ll fail at the first post – but with new endings to unlock, and ample opportunities for cosy little dates, there’s plenty of goodness on the horizon. Of course, when Omen’s path is done, there’s a whole host of other monsters waiting for their perfect match, and with enough time and patience, I’m sure I’ll unlock their mysteries, too.
Monster Prom 4: Monster Con is now available via Steam.
