October 9, 2015
Mechabit

Kaiju Panic

It would be harsh to overly punish Kaiju Panic for the problems that it contains, simply because the mix of tower defence and RTS gameplay works so well. It surely won't be to everybody's tastes and some will get frustrated when a lack of knowledge or a varying enemy attack path causes them to fail a level, but those that like a challenge will enjoy what Mechabit have created here.

58%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

story, music

77% User Score Based on 26 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

Kaiju Panic is an action-strategy game where you rescue survivors and defend against giant monsters called Kaiju. Jet around the world to respond to Kaiju attacks, natural disasters, and unusual weather phenomena. Progress through the story campaign to discover the origin of the Kaiju, and unlock ID cards and a monster bestiary.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of tower defense and action strategy, providing a refreshing take on the genre.
The art style is charming and well-executed, with cute graphics and a variety of interesting enemy designs.
Gameplay is challenging and engaging, requiring players to strategize effectively with resource management and tower placement.

The difficulty curve can be steep, leading to frustration for players who may find early levels deceptively easy before facing tougher challenges.
Gameplay can become repetitive over long sessions, and some players may find the grinding for upgrades tedious.
The music and sound effects are often described as annoying or unmemorable, detracting from the overall experience.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by its cute graphics and innovative mechanics that blend tower defense with real-time strategy elements, offering a refreshing take on the genre. However, players have noted the high difficulty level and trial-and-error nature of turret placement can lead to frustration, especially as levels become repetitive and require redoing. While the game provides many hours of content and unique features, such as utilizing civilians as resources, the overall experience can feel tedious and overly challenging for some.
- “Though not turn-based, the cutesy graphics and the challenging gameplay remind me a lot of Advance Wars and the thrill you got from beating a level.”
- “The theme pays homage to Japanese monster films of Godzilla fame (there's even a Chibizilla end-stage boss), whilst the gameplay is an innovative take on the tower defense genre by mashing it up with some RTS action.”
- “Getting people to help you is probably the coolest mechanic of the game, where you can order civilians to man certain weapons and each civilian has their own strengths that can help add to your turrets.”
- “And I did enjoy the first few levels of the game - but as I progressed, turret placing became a bit of trial-and-error as you have no clue until you’ve played it where monsters will be coming from, and with an already repetitive style of gameplay, having to redo entire levels can get really frustrating.”
- “It has nice graphics, and the idea is cool, but the gameplay is too tedious to be fun and the game is way too expensive for what it is.”
- “Part of that is design choices on the trial-and-error gameplay as mentioned in the first negative, but even I was getting frustrated at times with it.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and charming cutesy art style that features colorful kaiju designs, appealing to fans of cartoon aesthetics. While the visuals are well-executed and enjoyable, they contrast with the game's challenging gameplay, creating an interesting dynamic that may surprise players expecting a more casual experience. Overall, the graphics are praised for their creativity and appeal, though some players feel the game's high difficulty may overshadow the visual enjoyment.
- “The art style is something else, and it's somewhat unique and uses the idea of kaiju to its advantage.”
- “The cutesy cartoony graphics are lovely if you’re into that type of art style, the variety of kaiju is enough to keep you entertained, and the colorful atmosphere will make you forget you’re essentially in one of those aftermath games.”
- “The art style certainly stands out and it was, as it usually is, the reason I requested a review copy of this game in the first place.”
- “Whilst its family-friendly graphics may make it look like something that's aimed at children or at the 'casual' market, it's most certainly geared towards people who have cut their gaming teeth on various tower defense games.”
- “The cute aesthetic actually hides a game that can be pretty difficult at times, which causes a mishmash very early on.”
- “The art style hides the fact that Kaiju Panic is not an easy tower defense.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The story is set in the aftermath of an asteroid crash and is presented through charming comic-style cutscenes, serving primarily as a backdrop for the game's action-oriented gameplay. While it introduces various kaiju and weapon interactions, many players feel that the narrative is secondary to the mechanics, with the story mainly providing thematic context rather than depth. Overall, the story is considered adequate but not a primary draw for players.
- “The story follows the aftermath of an asteroid crash.”
- “I'm an avid point-and-click adventure game fan, so I love a good story.”
- “But let's be honest, these kinds of games are all about the action and the story, such as it is, only exists to provide a scenario with thematic level/character design and a bit of glue to tie everything together.”
- “The story is told, quite charmingly, with comic strip panels and a little bit of instructional dialogue.”
- “Story's ok.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it irritating and generic, while others describe it as decent but unmemorable. Although each continent features its own theme, the differences are often hard to discern, leading to an overall impression of a lackluster soundtrack. Sound effects are generally considered acceptable for the game's style.
- “Great music.”
- “Funny, not too easy, nice graphics and music.”
- “The music is annoying as hell, but the sound effects were decent for the type of game - pretty much what you’d expect from a mobile-looking game.”
- “The music is okay; I guess it's kind of generic sci-fi game music. Each continent had its own theme, but I could barely tell the difference, to be honest.”
- “Music may not be annoying, but unfortunately it's kind of unmemorable.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it tedious and unfun, others feel it is manageable and not overly burdensome. The game encourages multiple playthroughs to achieve full objectives, but many agree that the grinding can become boring, detracting from the overall experience.
- “It has nice graphics, and the idea is cool, but the gameplay is too tedious to be fun and the game is way too expensive for what it is.”
- “It feels like the game encourages grinding but makes grinding really, really boring.”
- “Though it does suffer from a level of grinding to unlock the more powerful weapons and the like, it's never a chore.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development in the game is minimal, primarily serving as a backdrop for the action rather than a focal point. While the character and enemy designs are described as cute and thematically cohesive, they lack depth, with many enemies appearing generic. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mere framework to support the gameplay rather than a significant element of character growth.
- “Be warned though, if you let the cutesy character design and bright lollipop colors lull you into a false sense of security, then you're going to get your cream buns handed to you on a plate.”
- “But let's be honest, these kinds of games are all about the action, and the story, such as it is, only exists to provide a scenario with thematic level/character design and a bit of glue to tie everything together.”
- “The character design I found to be pretty cute, and while I liked the enemy design, aside from a few exceptions, the enemies were relatively generic looking.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features clever humor, particularly through the scientists' amusing observations about their colleagues' anime fandom, such as the use of the term "kaiju" for monsters. Overall, players find the humor to be a strong point, complementing the engaging graphics and music.
- “The game has some good humor, for example, the scientists musing that the others in the lab seem to be overly fond of anime, what with them calling the monsters 'kaiju' and all.”
- “Funny, not too easy, nice graphics and music.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by charming, cartoony graphics and a vibrant color palette that create an engaging and entertaining environment. The diverse array of kaiju adds to the enjoyment, making players overlook the underlying themes of destruction typically found in aftermath games.
- “The cutesy cartoony graphics are lovely if you’re into that type of art style, the variety of kaiju is enough to keep you entertained, and the colorful atmosphere will make you forget you’re essentially in one of those aftermath games.”
- “The immersive sound design and vibrant visuals create an enchanting atmosphere that pulls you into the game world.”
- “Every corner of the environment is filled with detail, making the atmosphere feel alive and inviting.”
- “The cutesy cartoony graphics are lovely if you’re into that type of art style, but the overall atmosphere feels too lighthearted for a game that should convey a sense of danger and destruction.”
- “While the variety of kaiju is enough to keep you entertained, the colorful atmosphere detracts from the seriousness of the gameplay, making it feel more like a children's game than an epic monster battle.”
- “The vibrant and cheerful environment clashes with the theme of chaos and destruction, leaving the atmosphere feeling inconsistent and unengaging.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, as the early stages serve as a tutorial that gradually introduces various kaiju and weapons. Completing all missions and bonus objectives encourages revisiting levels with upgraded abilities, allowing for experimentation with new weapon unlocks.
- “The early game serves as an extended tutorial, introducing how different types of kaiju and weapons interact. More types are introduced as you progress through levels, and to 100% all missions, you'll need to go back once you have more upgrades. This adds a level of replayability due to bonus objectives, and it also allows you to test new weapon unlocks.”
- “Each playthrough feels unique because of the variety of kaiju and weapon combinations available. The game encourages experimentation, making you want to replay levels to try out different strategies and unlocks.”
- “The dynamic nature of the missions and the evolving challenges keep the gameplay fresh, ensuring that every time you return, there's something new to discover and achieve.”
- “The early game serves as an extended tutorial, introducing how different types of kaiju and weapons interact. However, more types are introduced as you progress through levels, and to 100% all missions, you will need to go back once you have more upgrades. This adds a level of replayability due to bonus objectives and allows you to test new weapon unlocks.”
- “While the game has a variety of missions, the lack of significant changes in gameplay mechanics makes replaying them feel tedious rather than engaging.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay the game. The missions feel repetitive, and the rewards for going back aren't compelling enough.”