Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered Review (Xbox)

There are some games that instantly transport you back to a specific moment in your life, and for me, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is one of them. I have incredibly fond memories of sitting in front of a PS2 with friends, spending entire evenings smashing cities to pieces, arguing over who got to play as King Ghidorah, and launching each other through skyscrapers. That nostalgia alone made this remaster an exciting prospect, but thankfully it's more than just a trip down memory lane.

Originally released in 2002, the cult-favourite kaiju fighter returns with enhanced visuals, quality-of-life improvements, and, perhaps most importantly, online multiplayer. While it may not have the depth of modern fighting games, it remains a wonderfully chaotic celebration of giant monster battles.

At its heart, Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is all about one thing: giant monsters beating the living daylights out of each other. The game features 12 playable kaiju, each with their own unique attacks, special abilities, and fighting styles. Whether you prefer the balanced power of Godzilla, the aerial mobility of Rodan, or the brute force of Destoroyah, every monster feels distinct enough to encourage experimentation.

Combat is deliberately simple compared to modern fighters, making it easy for newcomers to pick up and play. Punches, kicks, grabs, beam attacks, and devastating Rage Mode abilities combine to create satisfyingly destructive encounters. The real fun comes from the arenas themselves. Cities aren't just backdrops; they're weapons. You can throw opponents into buildings, pick up debris, hurl skyscrapers, and reduce entire districts to rubble during a match.

The remaster includes eight locations, ranging from real-world cities to Monster Island and the Alien Mothership, with day and night variations adding some visual variety. While the gameplay formula is fairly straightforward, the environmental destruction still feels as entertaining today as it did two decades ago.

Adventure Mode remains the main attraction for solo players, challenging you to fight through a series of monster encounters while unlocking content. Additional modes such as Survival and Destruction offer some extra longevity, although they can become repetitive after extended play sessions.

One welcome improvement is the revamped unlock system. Rather than forcing players to repeatedly complete specific objectives with certain monsters, unlockables can now be earned more freely, making progression feel less frustrating and more rewarding.

Let's be honest: multiplayer is where Destroy All Monsters Melee truly shines.

Back on my PS2, the best moments came from crowded multiplayer sessions where alliances lasted all of ten seconds before someone launched a radioactive beam across the map. That same magic is still here. Local multiplayer remains an absolute blast, generating the kind of laughter and friendly trash talk that few games manage nowadays.

The addition of online multiplayer is arguably the biggest improvement in the remaster. Being able to jump online and challenge other kaiju fans helps keep the game feeling relevant in 2026, and it finally gives the series a feature many fans have wanted for years.

The remastered graphics do a solid job of modernising the experience without losing the charm of the original. Character models are sharper, environments are more detailed, and the destruction looks appropriately cinematic. While it won't compete visually with the biggest AAA releases, it successfully preserves the spirit of the original game while making it easier on modern eyes. The soundtrack and monster sound effects remain highlights, capturing the feeling of classic Godzilla films. Hearing those iconic roars while levelling half a city still feels fantastic.

As much as I enjoy revisiting this classic, not everything has aged gracefully.

The combat, while fun, lacks the complexity and balance found in modern fighting games. Some matches can feel repetitive, particularly during lengthy solo sessions, and the camera occasionally struggles to keep up with the action when monsters get too close to structures. Players expecting a deep competitive fighter may find the mechanics somewhat limited. This is very much an arcade-style party brawler first and a serious fighting game second.

Pros

• Faithful remake of a beloved Godzilla classic

• Fantastic local multiplayer

• New online multiplayer support

• Satisfying city destruction

• Distinct roster of 12 kaiju

• Improved unlock system

• Strong nostalgia factor

Cons

• Combat can become repetitive

• Limited depth compared to modern fighters

• Some camera frustrations

• Single-player modes wear thin over time

Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered succeeds because it understands exactly what made the original so memorable. It's not trying to reinvent the formula or compete with modern esports fighters. Instead, it delivers exactly what fans want: giant monsters, collapsing cities, ridiculous battles, and countless opportunities to settle long-running arguments over who the strongest kaiju really is.

For me, revisiting this game brought back memories of playing on the PS2 with friends, passing controllers around and cheering whenever someone sent a monster crashing through half the city. Thanks to its visual upgrades and online functionality, those moments feel just as enjoyable today.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)

Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is available now!