PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 830 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate Game Cover
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PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate is a tower defense game where players protect Tikiman and his tribe from enemy hordes. This ultimate edition includes all content from the original game, as well as extra levels, tower types, and enemies. The goal is to strategically place and upgrade towers to stop the waves of colorful critters.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 830 reviews
gameplay28 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • Charming graphics and enjoyable art style that appeals to a wide audience.
  • Engaging gameplay that combines tower defense mechanics with character movement and upgrades.
  • Great co-op experience that enhances the fun and strategy of the game.
  • Frustrating difficulty spikes and lack of clear enemy paths can lead to trial-and-error gameplay.
  • Controls can feel clunky and imprecise, making it difficult to manage the character effectively.
  • No speed-up option for waves, which can make longer levels feel tedious and drawn out.
  • gameplay100 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mix of enjoyable tower defense mechanics and unique character control, allowing players to actively engage in building and upgrading towers while managing resources. However, many users noted issues with imprecise controls, slow pacing, and a lack of clear explanations for certain mechanics, which can lead to frustration. Overall, while the game offers a charming aesthetic and addictive elements, it may not appeal to everyone due to its tedious aspects and steep learning curve.

    • “The gameplay is simple enough that literally anyone can play, gamer or not, and the strategy is deep and addictive enough to draw them in.”
    • “The gameplay and level design complement one another incredibly well.”
    • “Very well balanced and addictive gameplay, simple but challenging, great music.”
    • “The game frequently introduces mechanics without explaining them, such as the aforementioned balloons and effects such as the 'green shield' (which is vulnerable to the tesla tower) that can completely throw you for a loop on your first time playing a level—needless to say, you need to prepare for these effects well ahead of time.”
    • “Everything about this game -- from the towers, to the enemies, to even the basic game mechanics -- is irredeemably dull and tedious, and the glacially slow pace of each stage only exacerbates the monotony.”
    • “After playing for about 10 minutes, I realized that there was no reason to continue... boring, played-out mechanics, a clunky interface (you use a character to walk around and service towers, rather than just clicking on them), and just nothing enjoyable about it whatsoever.”
  • graphics90 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, cartoonish art style that many players find appealing, despite some noting that it resembles older flash games or has a simplistic quality. While the visuals are often described as cute and vibrant, opinions vary, with some reviewers criticizing them as basic or outdated. Overall, the aesthetic is generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's relaxing atmosphere and engaging gameplay.

    • “It performs flawlessly, is an extremely beautiful game to look at (despite coming out in 2007!) thanks to its timeless art style, and is easy to pick up and put down.”
    • “The music and visuals are simply amazing, and there is plenty of challenging content you can work toward beating.”
    • “The art style is charming and the whole game combined with the music and atmosphere has a relaxing quality to it.”
    • “The graphics are really poor; however, they are colorful.”
    • “The controls are imprecise, the graphics are plain, the sprite animation is static, the music is tinkly, and the gameplay is boring.”
    • “The graphics and art style are terrible; the attackers don't follow a fixed path, and I found it to be overly hard, very quickly, but without obvious strategy, and a complete absence of fun.”
  • music87 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and atmospheric qualities, often described as relaxing and beautifully composed, particularly by otograph. Many players find that the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making the gameplay enjoyable and immersive, while some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of great music and charming visuals contributes significantly to the game's appeal, creating a pleasant and engaging atmosphere.

    • “The music in the game is relaxing and atmospheric, originally composed by Otograph.”
    • “The sound effects and music are gorgeous together and fit the pace and style of the game entirely.”
    • “Such a beautiful game with an amazing atmosphere and fitting soundtrack that I still listen to all the time.”
    • “The controls are imprecise, the graphics are plain, the sprite animation is static, the music is tinkly, and the gameplay is boring.”
    • “Extremely basic gameplay and a terrible art style combined with an infuriating soundtrack that seems impossible to turn off makes this a thumbs down from me.”
    • “The music is okay, but kind of forgettable.”
  • story23 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its minimal presence, with many players noting a lack of narrative depth and character development. While there are numerous missions and challenges, the overarching plot is either non-existent or underwhelming, leading to a gameplay experience that feels disconnected from a traditional story-driven format. Some players appreciate the basic premise of defending against monsters, but overall, the storytelling aspect is deemed unsatisfactory and lacking in engagement.

    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “A very unique tower defense you won't find anywhere else, a good soundtrack and online multiplayer where you can choose to play through the 'story' with or without a friend without losing any progress.”
    • “The basic plot is that you are an island native that has to defend your babies from monsters that will eat them.”
    • “From the 20 minutes I played, there was not a single mention of anything resembling a story.”
    • “No story whatsoever.”
    • “Although there isn't much for story in this game, the ending could be expanded upon to make completion of the game more rewarding.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability, driven by its challenging mechanics, perfect run requirements, and various modes such as co-op and higher difficulty levels. Players appreciate the potential for extended playtime, with many reporting over 20 hours of enjoyment, though some desire more diverse maps and content. Overall, it offers a solid replay value that keeps players engaged.

    • “Great tower defense with a lot of challenge and replay value.”
    • “Simply flawless in its mechanics and replayability.”
    • “Would like to see more playable maps/DLCs.”
    • “Monsters has high potential for replay value thanks to Tum Tum Island, but out of the dozen or so words I've tried, I ended up with the same stages too often, most of them very easy.”
    • “Replayability is decent, with challenges, Steam achievements, higher difficulties, co-op mode, and a fourth island that includes randomly generated maps.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing it as painfully slow and filled with irritating mechanics. While some appreciate the challenge it adds, many feel that the required grinding detracts from the enjoyment, making gameplay feel monotonous and unsatisfying. Balancing issues and the necessity for cooperative play further exacerbate the grinding experience, leading to a mixed reception.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It can be tedious, as your character will get hurt and lose money if he touches enemies, so you need to wait until it's clear.”
    • “Everything about this game -- from the towers, to the enemies, to even the basic game mechanics -- is irredeemably dull and tedious, and the glacially slow pace of each stage only exacerbates the monotony.”
    • “Painfully slow and tedious, with a plethora of small but really irritating problems (no way to see monsters' paths which leads to trial-and-error gameplay, the tower area indicators are useless, etc.).”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by an original soundtrack that players find both beautiful and nostalgic. The combination of charming art style, addictive music, and a mix of calm and tense moments creates a captivating experience, making it appealing to fans of tower defense games and those seeking a chill gaming session. Additionally, some players note that the atmosphere can shift to a more eerie tone, adding depth to the overall experience.

    • “Such a beautiful game with an amazing atmosphere and fitting soundtrack that I still listen to all the time.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is great, with addictive music accompanying a theme of a tiki man running around constructing towers on trees.”
    • “The art style is charming and the whole game combined with the music and atmosphere has a relaxing quality to it.”
    • “It's a great tower defense game with a solid mix of relaxation (overall atmosphere, music, etc.) and tense moments (when you suddenly realize monsters can come from an unnoticed direction).”
    • “+ The calm atmosphere helps me chill out while playing this game.”
    • “The art style is charming, and the whole game combined with the music and atmosphere has a relaxing quality to it.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players express frustration with the emotional impact of gameplay mechanics that penalize them for interacting with enemies, leading to feelings of helplessness and confusion. The loss of resources upon contact with monsters creates a sense of anxiety and discouragement, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its balance of challenge and comedic elements, particularly in multiplayer mode. While some feel the cutesy graphics may mislead players about the game's depth, many find it to be a funny and addictive tower defense experience. Overall, the humor complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall enjoyment.

    • “Well balanced, challenging, and a good sense of humor.”
    • “Pixeljunk Monsters can be hilarious yet still challenging (double the laughter in 2 player mode).”
    • “Funny classic tower defense, simply addictive.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and screen freezes that often require a computer restart. Overall, players describe it as a buggy experience that detracts from enjoyment.

    • “Butt ugly and occasionally freezes up on launch, forcing a computer restart.”
    • “A buggy mess, no fun.”
    • “The game crashes and the screen freezes.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for lacking essential quality-of-life features, such as spawn point indicators, performance stats for towers, and a speed-up function, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, players have reported significant performance issues, with the game running slowly even on high-end PCs.

    • “The game offers a comprehensive system info and performance report, which is essential for optimizing gameplay.”
    • “The lack of quality of life additions makes it challenging to optimize strategies in the tower defense genre.”
    • “The game is so poorly optimized that it runs at a snail's pace even on high-end PCs.”
    • “The performance issues are frustrating, making it nearly unplayable on systems that should handle it with ease.”
    • “I expected better optimization; the frequent stuttering and frame drops ruin the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

88hMedian play time
90hAverage play time
50-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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