Dawn of the Monsters

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 88 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Dawn of the Monsters Game Cover
Dawn of the Monsters is an excellent Brawler that any kaiju fan can sink their teeth into.
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In "Dawn of the Monsters," gigantic Nephilim creatures invade Earth, and it's up to DAWN's colossal combatants, Megadon, Aegis Prime, Tempest Galahad, and Ganira, to defend the planet. Smash through destructible environments in over 35 missions, utilizing distinct abilities, DNA augments, and Rage moves. Play alone or with a friend in 2-player co-op to save mankind from the monstrous threats.

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Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews
story12 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Dawn of the Monsters features a visually stunning comic book art style and satisfying arcade-style combat, making it a fun experience for kaiju and beat 'em up fans.
  • The game offers a variety of characters with unique abilities and playstyles, allowing for dynamic gameplay and experimentation with different builds.
  • The story, while somewhat predictable, is engaging and filled with nods to kaiju and tokusatsu culture, appealing to fans of the genre.
  • The game suffers from poor controller support and awkward default controls, which can detract from the overall experience, especially for PC players.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as the inability to jump or grab enemies, feel limiting and can make combat less satisfying compared to traditional beat 'em ups.
  • The soundtrack is often described as dull and repetitive, failing to enhance the excitement of the kaiju battles.
  • story43 mentions

    The story in "Dawn of the Monsters" is a fun homage to classic kaiju films, featuring charming characters and a predictable yet enjoyable plot. While the narrative may not be groundbreaking, it is well-voiced and complemented by engaging gameplay, offering a variety of missions and character interactions. Players appreciate the depth of lore and the overall experience, despite some critiques regarding pacing and originality.

    • “Each character has their own story and conclusion in the game, which I really love!”
    • “The story is interesting and the gameplay is great.”
    • “The story is just a giant kaiju love letter, filled with all the tropes: telepathic children who are friends to monsters, an Ultraman expy, a giant mech, and a pretty good not-Godzilla monster. All of it is perfectly voice acted by an amazing cast.”
    • “For an arcade game, Dawn of the Monsters tries far too hard to tell a story.”
    • “The plot is not the most original ever, even compared to kaiju-themed movies.”
    • “The story is just a giant kaiju love letter and you just got all the tropes, telepathic children who are friends to monsters, an Ultraman expy, a giant mech, and a pretty good not-Godzilla monster.”
  • gameplay18 mentions

    The gameplay in "Dawn of the Monsters" is widely praised for its depth and dynamic mechanics, offering a satisfying combat experience that encourages experimentation with various characters and combos. While some players note challenges for beginners and express a desire for more impactful sound effects, the overall consensus highlights the game's engaging and well-executed beat-em-up mechanics, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players. The art style and potential for future content further enhance the positive reception of the gameplay.

    • “The gameplay is top notch and the soundtrack is crazy and fast-paced, which is strangely fitting for this game.”
    • “Dawn of the Monsters is loaded with style and gameplay that's easy to approach but dynamic enough that you can master and grow with it in finding your style with the varied characters and the choice of augments.”
    • “Combat features mechanics like juggling, wall bounce, special canceling, and even OTG, so you can always experiment with different combo routes.”
    • “The core gameplay is 'pretty decent' with 4 characters that play differently and satisfying combat, but there is a lot of super armor on enemies, which helps with the 'weightiness' but isn't that fun.”
    • “Moving on to the gameplay properly, it's just okay.”
    • “The combat and upgrade mechanics are decent.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it dull and repetitive, while others appreciate its fast-paced and cinematic qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as serviceable and fitting for the genre, though it lacks standout elements and can feel like background noise at times. Voice acting is noted as a positive addition, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere.

    • “The gameplay is top notch and the soundtrack is crazy and fast paced, which is strangely fitting for this game.”
    • “The cinematic drama of this soundtrack really adds to the feel of this game, making you feel one with your character and the action around you.”
    • “At the game’s current price point of $29.99 you get over 35 missions with striking visuals, full voice acting, and an action-movie soundtrack.”
    • “The only negative I can think of is the rather dull soundtrack.”
    • “Music is pretty boring, typically just a buzzy drum and bass soundtrack that I'm sure is made to make you feel badass, but it's very, very repetitive.”
    • “The music is all white noise and there's strangely very little in the way of sound effects; some good chunky sound effects would help make you feel you're controlling a heavy and powerful character.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their unique comic book style, blending western anime influences with vibrant colors and bold lines. Reviewers highlight the aesthetic appeal of the characters and monsters, noting the clear contrast and satisfying visuals that enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.

    • “This art style gives the game a nice, clear contrast with bright colors, deep shadows, and bold lines.”
    • “Dawn of the Monsters features a brilliant art style and gameplay that, while admittedly very tough for beat-em-up novices, is satisfying as hell.”
    • “The visuals are very western 'anime' turned comic, something between Samurai Jack and a manga.”
    • “When you’re not controlling a humongous kaiju destroying the city to save the world, the art style falls back to a more traditional manga/comic feel.”
    • “I don't love this choice, but the actual aesthetics of the characters and monsters are fantastic.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd elements, such as dinosaurs jumping like bunnies and amusing voice acting, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Players find the combination of funny yet challenging combat and intentionally flawed mechanics, like broken controller support, to contribute to the overall comedic experience.

    • “The voice acting is great, and sometimes the writing is a little funny, too.”
    • “I like the way the monsters and the screen are colored; the fighting is funny but hard sometimes, but it's not like Mortal Kombat where you have to push all of these buttons to fight.”
    • “Hilariously broken controller support, and surprisingly inept in other ways.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Reviewers express disappointment in the game's replayability, citing a lack of diverse playable characters and a lengthy gameplay experience that discourages multiple playthroughs. The consensus suggests that the game would benefit from additional characters to enhance replay value.

    • “I hope more playable characters are added in the future.”
    • “I would love to see more playable kaiju and characters!”
    • “The only thing dragging this game down is the lack of replayability.”
    • “It really lacks replayability and drags on way too long to replay the game from beginning to end.”
    • “Hopefully more playable characters make their way in.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in this game is straightforward and refreshing, contrasting with the overly meta approaches seen in many contemporary titles. However, it does not reach the depth found in games like Hades.

    • “The character development is refreshing and straightforward, offering a welcome departure from the overly meta approach that many games adopt these days.”
    • “While it may not reach the level of character development seen in Hades, the growth and depth of the characters are still engaging and well-crafted.”
    • “The characters evolve in meaningful ways, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable throughout the game.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks the depth needed to make the players truly connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, making it hard to stay invested in their journeys.”
    • “While the game attempts to present a narrative, the characters remain one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the story.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users generally feel that the game's optimization is lacking, with many expressing dissatisfaction regarding its performance and efficiency.

  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported common stability issues, leading some to express frustration and a lack of interest in troubleshooting the problems.

    • “I checked the Steam forums a bit and saw that the issue was relatively common, and decided that I wasn't interested in troubleshooting this.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and disconnections, which ruined my gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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