Monsters and Monocles

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Monsters and Monocles is a single player and multiplayer shooter game. It was developed by Retro Dreamer and was released on August 16, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Monsters and Monocles is a frantic top-down shooter for 1-4 players. Use teamwork and your arsenal of weapons to defeat the overwhelming hordes of evil. All the levels are procedurally generated with new layouts, objectives, and secrets each time you play.

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63%

Audience ScoreBased on 86 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features awesome pixel-art and a charming Victorian theme, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience.
Monsters and Monocles offers engaging gameplay with a variety of weapons, items, and procedural generation, making it fun to replay with friends.
The game runs smoothly with no crashes, and the developers have shown responsiveness to community feedback, indicating potential for future improvements.

The game feels unfinished and lacks depth, with many players expressing disappointment over its current state and limited content.
There are significant issues with online co-op, including clunky controls and camera problems that detract from the multiplayer experience.
Many players find the gameplay repetitive and short, with some completing it in under two hours, leading to concerns about its value for the price.

gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics, responsive controls, and a diverse array of weapons and enemies, making it engaging and fun, especially for an early access title. However, some players feel the game lacks substance and purpose, with a short playtime and a steep difficulty curve that can be off-putting initially. Overall, while it shows promise and has solid core gameplay, it still requires further polish and additional content.
- “It has a bunch of unique mechanics, nice graphics, and a great diversity in weapons and enemies.”
- “Pretty solid for an early access, still needs some polish and more levels, but the core gameplay is responsive and fun!”
- “The controls are solid and the gameplay keeps me coming back for more.”
- “I don't recommend this at all, really is early, early development for this. I feel like there is no substance here outside of the assets; the gameplay seems so random and there is no sense of purpose. I didn't like it at all, it looks cute at first and then plunges downhill very quickly after you get over the art style.”
- “The gameplay is horribly short.”
- “The gameplay seems so random and there is no sense of purpose.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The graphics received high praise for their quality, with many reviewers highlighting the crisp and clean pixel art, particularly in themed levels like the mansion and city. While some appreciated the unique mechanics and diversity in design, others felt that the initial appeal of the graphics diminished as gameplay progressed, suggesting a lack of substance beyond the visual style. Overall, the graphics are generally regarded as excellent, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic.
- “I really like the graphics, and I especially love the two English-themed levels, the mansion and the city.”
- “Graphics: 10/10 (excellent, crisp, clean sprites and animations)”
- “The graphics are absolutely fantastic!”
- “Don't recommend this at all, really is early, early development for this... I feel like there is no substance here outside of the assets, the gameplay seems so random and there is no sense of purpose... I didn't like it at all, it looks cute at first and then plunges downhill very quickly after you get over the art style.”
- “The graphics and gameplay were an obvious inspiration from Nuclear Throne.”
- “I at least appreciate the pixel graphics.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the quality and impact of the soundtrack, particularly in town settings. However, many reviewers note that the limited variety—featuring only a few tracks for different biomes and areas—can lead to repetitiveness over time, suggesting that additional music would enhance the overall experience. Sound effects are praised, but a more diverse soundtrack is desired to improve the game's presentation.
- “Then the awesome music just adds to the effect.”
- “First time I was going through the town and had the music blasting, it just caught me how great it was.”
- “Artwork and music are good.”
- “The soundtrack might get a bit repetitive over time; it has a nice soundtrack but it just has 1 track for each biome, one for the shops, and one for the airship. More music would certainly help the game.”
- “Sound: 8/10 (great sound effects for weapons but not much in terms of a soundtrack; a little more here would enhance the presentation and feel of the game).”
- “The soundtrack might get a bit repetitive over time; it has a nice soundtrack but it just has 1 track for each biome, one for the shops, and one for the airship. More music would certainly help the game.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The story is presented through cryptic fragments collected from defeated enemies, which can be pieced together but ultimately lack clarity and depth. While the characters are unique, they suffer from a lack of backstory and personality, with only four playable characters feeling insufficient for a four-player game. Overall, the narrative feels underdeveloped and leaves players questioning its significance.
- “You do collect fragments every time you kill a book; 4 fragments create a page which tells a bit about the story, but they are cryptic at best.”
- “The characters are nice and unique, but they lack a backstory and some personality. A few one-liners could tell a lot about a person. I also think 4 are not nearly enough for a 4-player game. There is a great diversity in shopkeepers and enemies; it is just a shame most appear in all levels.”
- “The story... wait, what story again?”
- “The story... wait, what story again?”
- “The story... wait, what story again?”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game excels in replayability, thanks to its customizable relics, multiplayer modes, diverse biomes, and procedural generation, encouraging players to return for multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers feel that the limited number of playable characters could be expanded with unlockable options to enhance the experience further.
- “The game scores well in replayability; the relics which enable you to customize your starting character, the multiplayer modes, the different biomes, and procedural generation make this game one to be played over and over again.”
- “4 playable characters is also the bare minimum; we should have more playable characters, maybe unlockables?”
- “The game lacks significant content to encourage replayability, making it feel repetitive after a few runs.”
- “While the game has some replayable elements, the overall experience feels too similar each time, diminishing the excitement.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received positive feedback, with users consistently rating it 8 out of 10 for performance and support. This indicates a solid level of efficiency and stability, contributing to an overall enjoyable gaming experience.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive and tedious, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
- “It's pretty repetitive and tedious.”
- “It's pretty repetitive and tedious.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a quirky Victorian-style humor, highlighted by its diverse characters and a playful approach to gameplay elements, such as the humorous notion of drinking tea for health. This blend of eccentricity and wit adds a unique charm to the overall experience.
- “Several characters, lots of guns and items, and a quirky sense of humor in Victorian style - drink all the tea for health!”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Monsters and Monocles is a shooter game.

Monsters and Monocles is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

Monsters and Monocles was released on August 16, 2016.

Monsters and Monocles was developed by Retro Dreamer.

Monsters and Monocles has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its replayability.

Monsters and Monocles is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Rogue Stormers, Doomsday Hunters, Juicy Realm, Blazing Beaks, Dungeon Souls and others.

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