7 /10 1 Votes
Series Monsters vs. Aliens Publisher Activision Adapted from Monsters vs. Aliens | 69% Metacritic Initial release date 24 March 2009 Genre Action-adventure game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mode(s) Single-player
Co-operative multiplayer Platforms PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows Developers Beenox, Amaze Entertainment Similar Beenox games, Action-adventure games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 video game based on the film with the same name. The game was released on March 24, 2009 on PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 And Wii.
Contents
The game, developed by Beenox on all platforms except the Nintendo DS which was developed by Amaze Entertainment, allows users to play through scenes from the movie as Ginormica, B.O.B., and The Missing Link, and features drop-in/out co-op.
A significant feature has Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, and Rainn Wilson reprising their roles from the movie, however Hugh Laurie & Kiefer Sutherland do not, they are replaced by James Horan & Fred Tatasciore respectively.
Gameplay
Players take control of B.O.B., Missing Link, Dr. Cockroach P.H.D. and Ginormica/Susan Murphy in all platforms, as well as Insectosaurus on the Nintendo DS version of the game. Each level is divided into multiple stages in which the player takes control of each monster's unique abilities to fight off enemies. The Missing Link can stick to the sides of large robotic bosses, take control of missile turrets, and outwit his opponents with superior acrobatic skills. B.O.B. has to solve complex one step at a time 3-D mazes, can turn floating plasma generators into personal Turrets, slide through grates and use enemies as living Key cards/ammunition. Ginormica can use cars, Jeeps and hover platforms as roller skates to dash, kick, jump, and duck through enemies and fight all bosses to devastate enemies. If the player chooses co-op mode, Dr. Cockroach can either appear as a secondary player with B.O.B. or deploy his "Multiplayer Drone", which can shoot obstacles, enemies, and other items. Dr. Cockroach also has a "DNA Lab", where he uses Monster DNA collected throughout the game to purchase upgrades, extra content (3D Models, Concept Art, etc.), and extra levels. The music was composed by Jim Dooley, with live brass recorded at the Warner Brothers Eastwood Scoring Stage.
Plot
The player starts out trapped in a monster containment facility under the command of General Monger, with Insectosaurus, Susan AKA Ginormica, B.O.B., The Missing Link, and Dr. Cockroach. . Susan breaks a wall and the monsters escape and disable a giant anti-monster robot known as the US Avenger, but are recaptured by Monger, who is accompanied by a force of soldiers, tanks, and helicopters. Meanwhile, a giant crater appears, around which the military puts blockades and the President of the US tries to negotiate with an alleged extraterrestrial being. The crater explodes, and a giant alien robot probe the size of Insectosaurus emerges and begins destroying everything. Monger makes a deal with the monsters, promising freedom in return for the monsters' help in stopping the robot.
Reception
The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The PlayStation 2 version of the game received a 64/100 from Metacritic, and the Xbox 360 received 63/100. All platforms scored 5/10 at IGN, with an exception for the Nintendo DS version, which scored a 3/10.