Dawn of the Monsters Reviews

Dawn of the Monsters is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10
Mar 18, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters stumbles into some of the more common pitfalls of belt-scrolling fighters, but it has enough flair, polish and excitement to be a more than worthy offering, particularly played in couch co-op with a friend. We wish there were a few more playable creatures, but the ones on offer here are all very distinct and enormous fun to get to grips with. It's a richly rewarding game, with higher ranks unlocking new skins and upgrades from the in-game shop (don't worry, no microtransactions here) which offer an incentive to keep playing - though the real reason you'll stick with Dawn of the Monsters is that it is, quite simply, very good indeed. While it has a few problems, they're nothing that will stop you having a blast with this Brobdingnagian beat-'em-up.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2022

Yes, there is a roar button. It is never not fun. What do you want from a kaiju game? Wholesale destruction, and the feeling that you are in control of something huge and powerfu.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2022

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

Read full review

Mar 14, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is the Kaiju beat 'em up we’ve been waiting for with the developers doing a grand job to create a unique experience whilst celebrating the genre. I would love to see some new characters and levels in the form of DLC or even some online PVP worked in there to ensure its longevity.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 7, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters should be on your list if you're looking for a great co-op kaiju beat 'em up. The beautiful artwork and range of different characters and abilities will have you changing up who you pick until you find the one that fits your play style. Boss battles are tough but manageable, but they will require you to customize your character with the different augments best suited to the fight. I've been playing solo and with my kids, who absolutely love playing as a giant beast, smashing through the landscape, and taking out the monsters. And frankly, who wouldn't love that?

Read full review

Evan Norris
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Mar 25, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is immediately one of the better kaiju games out there. In part, that's due to the fact that, historically, there haven't been many great games in the genre. More importantly, though, that's due to the simple fact that it's a fun game with four playable heroes, lots of layered fighting mechanics, a good amount of content, and some excellent monster designs.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 17, 2022

If you’re a fan of kaiju or side-scrolling beat ’em ups, consider Dawn of the Monsters absolutely essential. You won’t find another game like it. Though even if you’re not typically a fan of those genres, you should still give it a go if you simply like to have fun; even more so the local co-op variety. Doing battle with giant beasts has never been as deep or enjoyable as this, especially with its DNA augment system that allows for a surprising amount of build variety. If this is the Dawn of the Monsters, we’re ready for the Day of the Monsters.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2023

A solid DLC with more content for a great beat 'em up

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 19, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is a very good beat-'em-up made just a bit better because you finally get to be a towering creature that dishes out pain. The combat system is flashy yet deep, and the card upgrade system keeps things fresh as you try to find the perfect build for all four heroes. The campaign runs at a good length, with some reason to keep coming back for higher rankings. The game is fun even if you're going solo instead of co-op. Minor gripes with the game aside, beat-'em-up fans are going to enjoy having this title in their libraries.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 15, 2022

But that's a relatively minor complaint since each stage is so short. I'm also willing to forgive because 13AM Games has built a charming kaiju brawler that, while paying homage to the giants (ha!) of the genre, feels wholly unique. There's a lot of game here, and there are a lot of places they can take this franchise. DOTM is a fun time, and one I've greatly enjoyed.

Read full review

Mar 16, 2022

When it comes to monstrous arcade action, few games are as fun as Dawn of the Monsters with its varied gameplay and tight controls.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jun 12, 2023

Dawn of the Monsters is a really fun time, both in solo and especially in co-op, being a pretty good brawler that’s both a serviceable tribute to the Toku days and one with a decent amount of depth, with lots of great combos and augments to mess around with, and a fun combat system to keep stages interesting as you work towards those S+ Ranks.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
Mar 15, 2022

Well damn, who knew that within a two week span I’d play two very different titles on Switch that have the beat-em-up genre deep within their DNA but are so completely different and are also both fantastic for their own reasons...

Read full review

Apr 5, 2022

"Better than American Godzilla from 1998."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

Apr 24, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is a beat-em-up title that features massive beasts and robotic mechs taking out other ferocious monsters. As I piloted these behemoths, I explored various landscapes and worked to save human civilization. Did these immense creatures make the game massively fun? Or did it end up being a big flop? Find out in this Rapid Review.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
May 5, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is an absolute delight for anyone who enjoys kaiju or tokusatsu content.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters offers excellent combat and a deep and interesting story. Do yourselves a favor and give this hidden gem a chance.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

6.8 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters successfully manages to reproduce the feeling of kaijus and big robot fights, but it doesn't add anything new to the genre's tropes, falling in a bit uninspired and repetitive gameplay.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Mar 17, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is an excellent Brawler that any kaiju fan can sink their teeth into.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Mar 25, 2022

Dawn of the Monsters is undeniably fun, even if it is a bit repetitive. The charm of the “Japanese comics” in motion is irresistible, overlapping the gameplay rhythm, which drags on at certain moments. And it's always nice to control a giant and powerful creature to beat up other monsters, creating our own movie in imagination.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review