Review: Gigabash

Kaiju-brawler, Gigabash, was finally released this month on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One/Series X, so it feels appropriate to revisit this title and give it a proper review this time around! Of course, it was released nearly a year ago on PS4/5, however, for reasons I’ll address in a moment I had refrained from purchasing it up until this point. Additionally, I took my time digesting it, so I could provide an accurate description of my experiences, free of the knee-jerk reactions that can sometimes sway a review one way or the other. First, I’d like to begin with why I had chosen not to play this game on PS4 upon release and, believe me, I was tempted. The simple truth of the matter is, I’m an old-school gamer and a collector, especially when it comes to kaiju. At the time, I was certain that should the game gain a decent amount of traction, that a physical copy was not far behind. Dawn of the Monsters, a Kaiju-themed classic beat ‘em up, received a Limited Run release after all, and I felt comfortable assuming that we might see something similar for Gigabash. When it received the Godzilla DLC, and announced release dates for Xbox/Switch, I was even more confident we would soon get word of physical copies on the horizon. Unfortunately, my prediction did not come to pass and the game remains digital-only. This is severely disappointing to me, as it has also been revealed, through various channels, that the Godzilla themed DLC is on a limited-time deal and once that expires, it will no longer be available for purchase. This type of thing has been one of my biggest gripes about DLC for years and it’s something I still feel compelled to speak out against. Clearly, the convenience of digital games is difficult to combat, however, physical releases still provide the best hope for preserving and enjoying these games in the following decades, especially obscure indie games that could potentially disappear down the line. As someone who appreciates the history of gaming, it is sad to see so many experiences lost already, sometimes within mere months of a game’s release.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s move on to the experience of Gigabash itself. Right away it has an engaging menu screen and its design aesthetic gives me Super Smash Bros. vibes, which is not a bad thing. It provides a very comfortable and pleasing visual to navigate, and the menus are arranged logically. This might seem like a minor detail, but only when it’s done right. Confusing and/or ugly menus and options can easily detract from the overall experience. Years ago, when I was in my teens, I was working as a cook in a steakhouse and someone told me “The eye eats first,” meaning, food that was presented well people would say tasted better. The same logic applies here, and Gigabash presents itself very well.

Moving on to the gameplay itself, Gigabash features a variety of modes that you would expect, including couch co-op options that are a VERY welcome sight for those of us who have had the pleasure(?) of playing Godzilla on PS4, as Gigabash has multiple options for both online and local co-op. While it doesn’t break any new ground, per se, it is a credit to the game itself that it can be enjoyed in a variety of contexts, whether enjoying a solo game, having a friendly game on the couch, or terrorizing the denizens of the internet.

The kaiju of Gigabash are delightfully campy, and their cartoonish, at times even satirical, charm grows on you quickly. From Gorogong’s uncanny look and derpy, pug-like eyes, to the Baltan-inspired Pipijuras, it is easy to find a character that fits your personality, despite the rather limited roster. Fans of Voltron or Gundam will love the giant mech Thundatross, while Ultraman aficionados will likely be drawn to the aging hero, Gigaman. Can’t afford the Godzilla DLC? They got you covered with Rawa, the dragon king. Or get revenge on behalf of all buildings that have ever been stomped, using the hilarious Kongcrete. Each monster, save for the Toho characters, has 9 skins that are mostly just palette swaps, with few exceptions. Only a couple of monsters have skin that changes them in any meaningful way, which is fine, but a little underwhelming. Kongcrete, however, has a different look in each of his skins, making him one of the more interesting to customize. While not awful, it is a bit disappointing that there was so little effort put into this. Even a few unique skins would add some depth to the small roster, something War of the Monsters did 20 years ago on PS2. Making matters worse, to unlock skins 5-9 for each kaiju you must play each monster individually and level them up. This is the only feature that must be unlocked that you cannot complete in the first couple of hours and, frankly, the payoff just doesn’t seem worth it unless you’re a completionist. For most players, I don’t see this driving replay ability.

The battles themselves are fun and frantic and Gigabash shines when played with friends. It has a fun arcade-like feel to the battles, like the old Pipeworks Godzilla games. Each monster has its own move set and unique abilities, however, the button combinations to perform actions remain the same, making it easy to transition between characters. This pick-up-and-play quality makes Gigabash a real treat for folks like me with friends, or children that still like to hunker down on the ol’ couch and swat each other around for a bit. Those looking for a more competitive online experience, however, might be disappointed with its poor balancing. Due to this, Gigabash is likely best enjoyed in a more casual context. Still, it possesses an “easy to learn, difficult to master” quality that makes it the perfect option for an entertaining night with friends (some food wouldn’t hurt either!). The single player experience, however, is a bit lackluster. Only 4 characters, Gorogong, Wooley, Pipijuras, and Thundatross, have a story mode. Each battle is framed by still frames of the characters and text boxes and no voice acting is present, which is forgivable for a low-budget, indie game. The stories are entertaining enough for what they are, but not terribly deep, making it even more confusing why they didn’t give one to each character. It makes the game feel somewhat incomplete, almost like a demo rather than a finished product, at least in this regard.

 The bots in-game could be another issue. On the casual setting, it is a mindless slog that even children should have little difficulty plowing through. However, for those seeking more of a challenge, the difficulty spikes significantly, making the enemies more cheap than clever. Some games feel satisfying, even when you lose, because you lost fairly and it drives you to practice overcoming that challenge. This isn’t one of those games. There is nothing more frustrating than getting trashed by AI that appears to know your every move and apply a perfect counter, or simply juggle you until you die. I’ve seen other matches where they will be on the verge of death and suddenly delete your health bar like they were simply toying with you the whole time. It’s not the most difficult game by any means but, like the arcade games of old age, it simply doesn’t appear to play by the same rules the player does. Finally, Gigabash contains a nice variety of stages, although many need to be unlocked at the start of the game. Luckily, depending on your perspective, the stages can be unlocked simply by playing a single match on another stage.

The areas themselves are quite beautifully designed and feature stage-specific hazards that require players to be aware of their surroundings. On the Research Lab stage, a mechanized version of Pipijuras will attack all players indiscriminately, adding a layer of fun and strategy by avoiding its attacks and luring it into your opponent’s path. Overall, Gigabash presents a fun experience for kaiju fans, but I feel it’s unlikely to attract a wider audience who would often gravitate toward a deeper experience. Despite this, as a niche genre that has been starved of quality games, and the appearance of Godzilla after a several-year hiatus from console gaming, it’s hard not to appreciate the effort. Still, when compared to games of the past, it feels like it falls short. In the end, Gigabash is a solid game that left me wanting just a little bit more. Hopefully its success will lead to the production of a deeper sequel.