PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,660 reviews

gameplay56 positive mentions

story8 negative mentions

Charming graphics and relaxing music create an enjoyable atmosphere.
Engaging gameplay that combines tower defense with character movement and tower upgrades.
Great co-op experience, allowing for strategic teamwork and fun with friends.

Lack of a speed-up function makes gameplay feel slow and tedious.
Unpredictable enemy paths can lead to frustrating trial-and-error gameplay.
Controls can feel clunky and imprecise, especially when trying to build or upgrade towers.

gameplay
200 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
58%
14%
The gameplay of this tower defense game is characterized by its blend of simple mechanics and deeper strategic elements, making it accessible yet engaging for players of all skill levels. While many appreciate the charming art style and addictive nature, some criticize the controls as imprecise and the pacing as slow, leading to moments of tedium. Overall, the game offers a unique twist with its character-driven mechanics, though it may require patience to fully enjoy its challenges and nuances.
- “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.”
- “Great tower defense game with great mechanics and lots of maps to play and master.”
- “I've sunk around 60 hours in already (though technically, most of that was spent replaying levels over and over again trying to get perfect clears), but still, the fact that I put that much time into it speaks to how good the core gameplay is.”
- “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.”
graphics
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
50%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and cute, with a cartoonish art style that appeals to many players, despite some noting that they may appear simplistic or reminiscent of older flash games. While the visuals are often praised for their vibrant colors and unique character designs, some reviews mention that the graphics can be plain or glitchy, leading to mixed feelings about their overall quality. Overall, the aesthetic is considered a strong point, contributing to the game's enjoyable atmosphere, even if it lacks the depth of more modern titles.
- “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.”
music
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and atmospheric qualities, often described as relaxing and fitting perfectly with the game's visuals and gameplay. Composed by otograph, the soundtrack is noted for its chill vibe, enhancing the overall experience and even remaining memorable long after playing. While some reviews mention repetitiveness, the majority agree that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal, making it a standout feature.
- “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.”
story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
76%
17%
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that it feels non-existent or minimal, despite a basic premise of defending island natives' babies from monsters. While there are numerous missions and challenges, the narrative elements are sparse, leading to a perception that the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over storytelling. Overall, players express a desire for a more developed narrative to enhance the gaming experience.
- “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.”
- “Also, although there isn't much for story in this game, the ending could be expanded upon to make completion of the game more rewarding.”
replayability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The game boasts high replayability, driven by its challenging mechanics, perfect run requirements, and various modes including co-op and higher difficulty levels. Players appreciate the potential for extended playtime, with many reporting over 20 hours of enjoyment, though some express a desire for more diverse maps and content. Overall, it is recognized as a fun tower defense experience with significant replay value.
- “Great tower defense with a lot of challenge and replay value.”
- “Simply flawless in its mechanics and replayability.”
- “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.”
- “Would like to see more playable maps/DLCs.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
4%
92%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and slow-paced, often leading to frustration. While some appreciate the challenge it adds, others criticize the lack of satisfying mechanics and the necessity of grinding for optimal performance, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, impacting the game's balance and pacing.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “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.).”
- “Yet it's quite unsatisfying to play, no way to speed up waves, grinding trees for extra money just seems too tedious but seems to be required for perfect level scores.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
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 and engaging music creates a calming yet occasionally tense experience, making it appealing to fans of tower defense games. Additionally, some players note a contrasting atmosphere in more horror-themed segments, showcasing the game's versatility in evoking different emotional responses.
- “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.”
- “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).”
- “+ 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.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration over the emotional impact of gameplay mechanics that penalize them for interacting with enemies, leading to feelings of helplessness and confusion. The loss of gold upon contact with monsters creates a sense of anxiety and urgency, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game. This design choice raises questions about fairness and player agency, contributing to a negative emotional experience.
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as charming and effective, with players noting that it adds to the overall enjoyment, especially in multiplayer mode. While the cutesy graphics may initially mislead players into underestimating the game's depth, the humor complements its challenging gameplay, making it both addictive and entertaining. Overall, the game successfully balances difficulty with a lighthearted sense of fun.
- “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.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and screen freezes reported by users, often requiring a computer restart. Overall, players describe it as a "buggy mess" that detracts from the gaming experience.
- “Butt ugly and occasionally freezes up on launch, forcing a computer restart.”
- “A buggy mess, no fun.”
- “The game crashes, the screen freezes.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's optimization has been criticized for lacking essential quality-of-life features, such as spawn point visibility, performance stats for towers, and a speed-up function, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, players report significant performance issues, with the game running slowly even on high-end PCs.
- “The game is so poorly optimized that it runs at a snail's pace even on high-end PCs.”
- “The performance report shows significant issues with optimization.”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, even on powerful hardware.”

Buy PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate

88h Median play time

90h Average play time

50-200h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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