- Godzilla fans will wet their
pants
- Great graphics and sound
- Good for those new to the genre
- Homage to the classic Rampage
- Pick-up and play control
- Godzilla fans will wet their
pants, but who will clean it up?
- Fighter purists might be put-off by the accessible controls
- Four-player battles lose sense of scale
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Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee
Score: 8.9 / 10
Here we go! This is the kind of porting I
like to see. Most times a game will just port to another platform
without any additions or addressing complaints that may have cropped up
on the other platform. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee for GameCube
appeared late last year and Pipeworks did a bang-up job of addresses
some of the issues raised with that iteration. The textures all received
an update, more flexible modes and another playable character. This
doesn't change the underlying gameplay of the original on GameCube, but
at least Pipeworks is attempting to play to the strengths of the
different platforms...
Fight fans will argue with me till they’re blue in the face. The may say
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (DAMM) lacks depth and isn’t as
good-looking as other fighting games such as Dead or Alive 3 or Capcom
vs. SNK EO. Blue in the face, I
tell you, because I haven’t had this much
fun with a fighting game since… well, it’s been a long, long time. (Okay
it was DAMM on GameCube!)
I have to admit an affinity for Godzilla and practically every movie he
has ever appeared in – except the awful Godzilla (set in New York) that
came out a few years ago – so actually getting to strap on the most
famous
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rubber suit ever, is like a dream finally
made real.
There are six modes to choose from: Versus (1 or 2 players), Adventure,
Survival (1 player), Melee (1 to 4 players), Destruction (1 to 4
players) and Team Battle (1 to 4 players). Destruction is probably my
favorite as it recalls the classic Rampage – where city destruction is
more important than taking on the opposition.
But you’ll be playing Adventure mode the most since it’s the only way to
unlock the full roster of monsters for use in the other play modes.
The list of monsters includes King Ghidorah, Destroyah, Rodan and
Mechagodzilla. In total there are 12 monsters (not including Mothra and
Hedorah who only make cameos), so even though it might seem a cheap way
to extend replay value (making you plough through the Adventure mode
multiple times) it’s worth every effort. Fortunately, the AI isn’t
over-punishing without being a push over – basically, it’s a challenge
but not overly so.
Adventure mode offers a “story” highlighted with a group of over-the-top
alien invaders that have taken control of the monsters as part of their
master plan of world domination. It’s flawlessly delivered and also
leaves a sequel all but guaranteed.
The fighting aspect should appeal more to the button-mashing amateur as
the controls and combos are much simpler than most fighters, but more
experienced and nuance-loving players will also find something to love.
(There’s the basic assortment of throws, kicks, punches, tail whips, and
blocks accented with special moves and combos.) Each monster has a
different set of attributes that can provide an advantage and
disadvantage during combat. Rodan may be able to fly but a quick shot of
Atomic Breath will bring him back to Earth. Mechagodzilla may be a
thundering terror but he’s also slower than most characters. Another
variable is the roaming UFO that drops random power-ups that can restore
health, give you Rage power (and access to your special move), energy
and the Mothra Airstrike. If that weren’t enough, small buildings can be
leveraged and heaved at your opponents. Nothing is quite as satisfying
as clocking someone with an apartment block as they charge up their
“beam” attack, except maybe picking them up and hurling them into an
office tower or the Space Needle then putting the “boots” to them.
Each environment is fully (and gloriously) destructible and more "alive"
than ever. The graphics are fantastic! Equally so for the animations. At
times the movements are entirely man-in-a-rubber-suit like and the small
touches like the human military effort to stop the monsters are
impeccably done. And because no Godzilla experience would be complete
without massive roars and electrical chaos, Pipeworks has nailed them.
DAMM is one great looking and sounding game.
Does Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee have enough to offer you and
your friends? You should probably know by now. Although it might be
termed an “entry level” fighter by purists, DAMM has too much to offer
to ignore.
