Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered Review Summary

A well-made, great-running remaster that's fun with multiplayer and co-op, though it loses some original charm and lacks key rebinding.

Well-done remaster praised: Reviewers consistently praise the remaster as well-executed, preserving the original's charm while improving visuals. Many call it a fantastic remaster or a gold standard.

Overall game is fun: Many reviewers simply describe the game as fantastic, really fun, great, or surprisingly good. General enjoyment is high.

Multiplayer and co-op praised: Couch co-op, online play, and local multiplayer are highlighted as fun features. Playing with friends enhances the experience.

Graphics and monsters impress: The graphics are called awesome and top-notch, and the monster models are specifically praised as amazing and well-modeled. Visual quality is a highlight.

Faithful to original: Reviewers emphasize that the game plays just like the original and is almost exactly as remembered from the GameCube version. Faithfulness is highly valued.

Remake loses original charm: Reviewers feel the remake lost the soul of the original, with a cartoonish comic-book style that clashes with the serious tone. Menu changes and redesigns are seen as downgrades.

No key rebinding support: Multiple reviewers note that keys cannot be remapped, and controls are awkwardly mapped to unusual keys like M and comma. This makes the PC version frustrating to play for many users.

Serious AI behavior problems: Enemy AI is described as flawed: it focuses almost exclusively on the player, predicts attacks unfairly, interrupts its own animations, and spawns enemies directly on top of the player. This makes encounters feel artificial.

Hitboxes and attack targeting off: Monster hitbox detection is flawed, enemy attacks have huge hitboxes while player attacks get stopped, and tracking can be lost in close fights. Attack range feels nerfed and unreliable.

Visual and audio design nitpicks: Reviewers point out goofy monster models such as Godzilla 2000's face, incorrect breath colors for Rodan and Megalon, out-of-place sound effects, and an unremovable black and white filter.

Kaiju fighting game: The core gameplay is a fighting game featuring Godzilla and giant monsters. Players can unlock various Kaiju characters.

Online multiplayer limited to 1v1: Online mode exists but currently only supports 1v1 matches. This is noted as a limitation.

Couch co-op support: Players highlight local co-op multiplayer with friends as a key feature. The game supports single-player, co-op, and PvP against friends.

Adventure mode with leveling: An adventure mode is present, including a leveling system. This mode is a classic feature of the game.

City destruction combat: Combat involves fighting Kaiju and destroying the surrounding city. Players can launch and blast opponents.

Excellent Performance: The game runs very well and is well-optimized overall. Multiple players report smooth, stable performance.

Strong Steam Deck Performance: The game runs very well on Steam Deck and Steam Machine. Portable performance is solid.

High Frame Rates Achieved: Players report reaching 180 fps and full 144fps at 1440p. Performance remains stable even on high-end hardware.

Runs Well on Weak Hardware: The game performs well even on lower-end systems. Optimization is effective across a range of hardware.

Minor Stuttering Noted: Some players experience slight stuttering. However, most feedback indicates smooth performance overall.

Strongly recommended for Godzilla fans: Many reviewers recommend the game specifically to Godzilla fans, including longtime franchise followers and those nostalgic for the Pipeworks trilogy. It is described as a must-have for hardcore fans and those seeking nostalgia.

Worth the price: Reviewers frequently state the game is worth the money, especially at its price point. Some call it a fair price for a remake and a solid buy for $30.

Recommended for arena fighter fans: The game is recommended to fans of arena brawlers and fighting games, with one reviewer calling it a must-have for any fan of the genre. It is also suggested for those into arena fighter games.

Great with friends: Reviewers highlight multiplayer and co-op as a major strength, recommending playing with a buddy or a couple of friends. It is also described as better as a couch co-op game.

Support for more Godzilla content: Some reviewers urge buying the game to show support so developers can make more Godzilla games, including a remaster of Save the Earth. This is a recurring call to action among fans.

Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00.

Game completion: 1.6h.

Story completion: 0.3h.

Session length: 6.6h.

Players describe the core Kaiju combat and multiplayer as fun, but single-player campaigns and a small roster become repetitive quickly; unlock grinding and missing tutorial support add early friction.

Friction: Monsters locked behind a grind; No real tutorial for mechanics; Practice limited to single-player; Slow progression; Non-rebindable keys.

Unlock drivers: Fair progression pace; Playing multiplayer with friends; Local co-op.

Nostalgic Pipeworks Veteran: Plays classic directional and button-combo arena battles while comparing the remaster against the original trilogy. Motivation: Reliving and validating a faithful remaster of the Pipeworks Godzilla arena fighters they grew up with. Stance: buy.

Couch-and-Online Kaiju Socialite: Organizes couch co-op or online matches with friends and values an immediately usable monster roster. Motivation: Sharing quick kaiju brawls with friends locally or online. Stance: buy.

Curious Godzilla Newcomer: Casual single-player and friend sessions, learning the roster and modes without prior series knowledge. Motivation: Entering the Godzilla kaiju fighting series through an accessible remaster. Stance: buy.

The game performs well across the provided Windows VRAM cohorts, with smooth results on weaker hardware and high-end systems; one mid-range report cites frame-rate problems.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. The cohort reports the game runs great even on weaker hardware, with no performance issues in the included evidence.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Reports mostly show solid performance, including smooth Steam Deck play and 180 fps, though one user cites frame-rate stalling.

Windows 16GB+ VRAM: positive. The cohort reports no performance issues and describes the remaster as visually perfect.

Faithful remaster of original game: Many reviewers note that this is a remaster of the original game, preserving its core experience with graphical improvements. It is not a full remake but rather an updated re-release of the classic title.

GameCube and Xbox origins: The game is frequently described as a remaster of the original that appeared on GameCube and Xbox, with many recalling playing it on those platforms. This establishes the game's history and target audience.

Nostalgia for childhood game: A significant number of players have strong nostalgic memories of playing the original game, especially on GameCube, and this remaster brings back those childhood experiences. This emotional connection is a major reason for their interest.

Requests for Save the Earth and Unleashed remasters: Many reviewers hope that this remaster leads to remasters of other Godzilla games, particularly Godzilla: Save the Earth and Godzilla: Unleashed, to complete the trilogy. Some also suggest adding content from those games as DLC.

Comparison to other games: Reviewers compare this game to various titles: Tekken (noting it's not a serious fighter), Smash Bros (as a party brawler), GigaBash (which some say filled the void), and others. These comparisons highlight the game's genre and how it stands relative to similar games.