There’s no shortage of monster-taming games trying to recapture the magic of the genre, but Netmarble’s reveal of Mongil: Star Dive at Summer Game Fest 2025 actually made me pause my Pokédex grind. With a slick Unreal Engine 5 trailer, new fighter reveals, and a closed beta just around the corner, it’s clear Netmarble wants to make a splash. But is it anything more than eye candy and nostalgia bait?
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Netmarble |
| Release Date | TBA (Closed Beta: June 19-26, 2025) |
| Genres | Monster-Taming, Action RPG |
| Platforms | PC (Epic Games Store) |
I’ll be honest: when I first saw the title “Mongil: Star Dive” pop up in the SGF schedule, I half-expected another generic mobile cash grab. But Netmarble’s reputation is complicated—they’ve got some genuinely addictive games under their belt (Solo Leveling: ARISE and Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross are no slouches), but also a history of monetization schemes that can rub core gamers the wrong way. So when they promise a “high-quality” monster RPG, my hype is mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism.
The trailer certainly doesn’t disappoint on spectacle. Unreal Engine 5 brings vibrant, almost anime-inspired landscapes to life, and the character lineup—Cloud, Verna, Nyanners (yes, really), plus the new Sangun—shows a clear effort to bring personality and cultural flair to the party. Sangun, in particular, stands out as a nod to East Asian folklore, which could give the story some much-needed depth. But let’s be real: great character art only gets you so far if the loop is stale.
The big promise here is a hybrid of classic monster collection with real-time, tag-based combat. Instead of the turn-based battles you’d expect from a Pokémon or Temtem, Mongil lets you control a three-character squad in fast-paced brawls—potentially giving the genre a much-needed shot of adrenaline. The footage of Nyanners using “unique taming abilities” hints at mechanics that could be more involved than just tossing a digital ball and hoping for RNG mercy. If Netmarble nails this, it could finally scratch that itch for action-oriented monster catching that a lot of us have wanted for years.
But I can’t ignore my concerns. Netmarble’s games are notorious for being grindy and leaning hard on gacha or microtransactions. The press release is suspiciously light on how progression and monetization will work—will we be forced to “synthesize” rare monsters via lootboxes, or is there a legitimate path for skill-based play? Their previous monster-taming title from 2013 won fans (especially in Asia), but times have changed, and players are way less forgiving about pay-to-win or paywalling rare monsters behind cash shops. The lack of mention about platforms beyond PC also makes me wonder if a mobile version (and its baggage) is inevitably on the way.
Still, the closed beta from June 19-26 should give us a real taste of what Mongil is working with. Netmarble promises that player feedback will “shape the final release,” but we’ve all heard that before. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic—the monster designs look adorable, the action RPG angle feels ambitious, and if the taming mechanics actually matter in combat, this could be more than another pretty trailer. But I’ll be diving into the beta with my eyes wide open for red flags.
If you’re burned out on Pokémon clones and craving something with more adrenaline and less autopilot, Mongil: Star Dive could be worth keeping on your radar. Unreal Engine 5 visuals and party-based combat are a welcome change, especially for those who’ve wanted monster RPGs to modernize their gameplay. But until Netmarble proves the game respects players’ time and wallets, I’d advise cautious optimism. Wishlist it on Epic by all means, but don’t pre-order anything until we see how the beta shakes out.
There’s potential here for a new contender in the monster-taming space—if Netmarble leans into depth and player agency, not just cosmetics and FOMO. I’m hoping the closed beta shows Mongil is more than a flashy nostalgia trap. Stay tuned for hands-on impressions once we can actually get our hands on those virtual monsters.
Mongil: Star Dive wants to bring action-RPG flair to monster taming with Unreal Engine 5 visuals, party combat, and a June beta. It looks gorgeous and ambitious, but Netmarble’s track record means we should all keep a critical eye on monetization and grind. Worth a wishlist, but temper your hype until we see if the gameplay is as good as the trailer.