Kaiju are cool again. Not that they ever weren’t, but as the Ultraman franchise stays strong with a new movie out this year and the recent release of Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher, these all show strong indications that the genre is back with fresh takes.
There’s something phenomenal about seeing larger-than-life characters stand at skyscraper height, duking it out for a position at the top of the food chain. GigaBash is a new video game that brings that very experience to your own hands. And this December, GigaBash cements its dominance in the supersized monster scene with a Toho collaboration to bring you the OG kaiju himself, Godzilla.
What is GigaBash?
We last saw GigaBash and its studio, Passion Republic Games, at Tokyo Game Show 2022. This multiplayer arena brawler-style game allows players to choose from a unique roster of monsters inspired by film-era kaiju to battle it out through earth-shattering special attacks within a fully destructible environment.
Who will your champion of choice be? Select from titans such as Gorogong or Pipijuras, who come with built-in hidden cannons to aid with medium to long-range assaults. A dark-horse choice might be someone like Kongkrete, whose name seemingly bears semblance to King Kong but takes on the form of a Japanese office building — yes, really — complete with unagi-ya and kissaten signage. One can’t help but truly commend the character designs that are very well fleshed out and despite zany appearances, really blend well with each other.
When selecting your character, players can dive into each kaiju’s stats revealing their strengths and weaknesses. For example, the adorable yeti Woolley is extremely agile but severely lacks in dominance. Rohanna has high intellect and dominance but low strength.
With five base stats that vary, it’s clear that there is no one truly powerful monster and it’s up to the skills of the one wielding them to determine victory. For seasoned gamers, it’s reminiscent of classics such as Power Stone and Super Smash Bros Ultimate with high speed, high action and a whole lot of fun.
Enter: Godzilla
The Godzilla 4 Kaiju DLC brings the world-famous kaiju to the roster of playable monsters in the game. Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, Gigan and Destoroyah are now up for grabs in your quest for world dominance.
Gamers can reenact iconic scenes from the Toho series such as the final battle of Godzilla versus Destoroyah or select one of the classics to go head-to-head with the GigaBash characters. Each character comes with their own unique abilities that are based on iconic attacks, such as Godzilla’s heat ray. This and more Easter eggs hidden throughout the game will invoke a sense of nostalgia in fans of the franchise.
Gameplay
Having played the original game at Tokyo Game Show, the DLC proves much of the same fun smashing and bashing just with the added perk of doing it as Godzilla and friends. As a multiplayer game, it’s perfect for parties and gatherings and is easy to pick up even for individuals who don’t normally play games. Movements feel smooth and each round doesn’t take too long allowing you to swap in new people and take turns creating chaos.
Playing solo might require a little more grind and more concentration as mastering characters will be key to getting over the final boss. For days when your friends are busy and you really want to play with someone, there are online modes that can match you up with other players.
The free Patch 1.1 update provided on the same day as the DLC also offers new fun ways to play such as Onslaught Mode where one battles waves and waves of enemies with the aid of strategic buffs. The highest scorers will receive a place on the global leaderboard. Skins have also been introduced to the game allowing players to dress up their favorite kaiju in a new look.
What was already a very cool game with a sleek design has become more so with the arrival of Godzilla. It’s both a surreal and warm feeling to see old-meets-new pairings such as Mechagodzilla teaming up with Rohanna, a flower-themed kaiju that pays homage to Passion Republic Games’ Malaysian roots. If GigaBash stands for anything it’s that games come and go but kaiju is forever.
