If you’re a fan of giant monsters and side-scrolling beat ’em ups, chances are you’ve spent some time with Dawn of the Monsters. If not, what are you doing? Check out our review, then rush to pick it up, pronto. You’ll probably love it. The good news is that it’s just got a little bit better, too. Well, as long as you’re prepared to fork out for some DLC.
The Arcade Edition DLC Pack for Dawn of the Monsters adds considerable longevity to the game in two different ways: not only does it introduce a new arcade mode, but also an additional character. Throw in 50 new character skins and some extra Gallery and Archive files, and you get a lot for its modest price. In fact, the only way you might be disappointed is if you were hoping that the additional character would be another monster.
The fifth character added here is another gargantuan robot. Or actually, multiple robots all joined together. Obviously inspired by the likes of the Power Rangers’ Megazord, Meteor Temujin is a giant mech with a team of pilots, all working as one to thwart evildoers. Not that you have to worry about that when playing; in your hands, Meteor Temujin as just as coordinated as the other mechs in the game.
As you’d expect, Meteor Temujin has its own unique moveset; one that’s focused around using numerous oversized weapons to attack. It’s another character to master, then, learning how to get the best out of each of the special attacks available to them and create eye-popping combos. Use Meteor Temujin in campaign mode, and you’ll also be able to modify their abilities via the DNA augment system.
You don’t need to jump into the game’s campaign to enjoy Dawn of the Monsters’ latest character, though: the new Arcade mode offered alongside it brings a whole new way to play. Arcade mode does away with story scenes and other distractions, instead allowing you to simply get on with whacking your adversaries. There are 11 stages to play through, and the question is how many of them can you complete with the limited number of lives that you have.
You can even add a roguelike twist if you want. At the end of each stage, you can choose an upgrade to give you a bit of an advantage for the fights ahead. These can be fixed if you want a predictable, steady journey, or randomised if you want to be kept on your toes and have an element of luck affecting your endeavours. Multiple difficulties are available, too.
Needless to say, those who love Dawn of the Monsters will get a lot of out this Arcade Edition DLC. And even those who don’t buy it will still benefit from it. Launching alongside the DLC is a free update for Dawn of the Monsters adding some new gameplay trials, additional New Game+ modes for increased difficulty, and Japanese voice and text options. There’s never been a better time to jump into Dawn of the Monsters, then, and the Arcade Edition DLC offers yet more fun with the game without breaking the bank.
Dawn of the Monsters is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC.
