Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia

Game Informer Magazine (7.5 out of 10) (75%)

In putting a smile on faces of nostalgic gamers, Monster Madness also gives them a black eye with it's maddening stretches of gameplay. Games like this are definitely needed, but the quality really has to be there to match the historic theme. It's well worth a look, but go into it knowing that it offers some problems that you thought that developers destroyed years ago.

Jun 2007 · Xbox 360

Game Informer Magazine (7.25 out of 10) (72%)

The gameplay can be quite sloppy and frustrating at times, a problem not helped by the poor checkpoint system. Still, this has "sleeper hit" written all over it.

Jun 2007 · Xbox 360

PC Action (Germany) (61 out of 100) (61%)

(...) Grafisch bietet der Titel durchschnittliche Kost, zeigt bei großem Monsteraufkommen aber Leistungseinbrüche. Mehr Spaß bereitet der Mehrspielermodus. Achtung: Um einen Patch kommt man nicht herum – ohne diesen startet das Gemetzel erst gar nicht.

Feb 2008 · Windows

Pro-G (6 out of 10) (60%)

Despite all this, there is something about Battle for Suburbia that will keep you coming back for more, even if you are not too sure why. It has a delightful old school feel about it that is reminiscent of The Chaos Engine or the aforementioned LucasArts gem, Zombies Ate My Neighbours, but if you're interested in gameplay over middling next-gen visuals, you'd be better off browsing eBay than dipping your toe in the very American world of Monster Madness.

Jun 26th, 2007 · Windows · read review

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (5.9 out of 10) (59%)

It's sad that there are no great Gauntlet-style hack-and-slash multiplayer games anymore. Despite its flaws, this is the best that an old workhorse of a genre has to offer so, if you must play it, play it with friends. Don't expect too much though.

Jun 21st, 2007 · Windows · read review

Xbox Front (58 out of 100) (58%)

Monster Madness hat ein riesiges Problem – Seine Steuerung. Diese ist leider so ungenau und schwammig, dass dadurch der gesamte Spielspaß leidet und der Kampf gegen die Monster einfach keinen Spaß macht. Insgesamt hat jeder Bereich so seine Schwächen. Die Monster sind blöd, das Missionsdesign ist teils langweilig, der Sound eine Zumutung und die Grafik ist nur gehobener Durchschnitt. Einzig der Multiplayer mit seinen vielen Modi und dem Koop-Modus verdient sich ein Lob. Abschließend ist zu sagen, dass man Monster Madness getrost ignorieren kann und sich lieber den kommenden und schon erschienen Hits zuwenden sollte.

Nov 20th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

GameStar (Germany) (56 out of 100) (56%)

Mit einem von vier Charakteren metzeln Sie sich im abgedrehten Actionspiel Monster Madness durch Horden von Zombies, Monsterclowns und ähnlichem Höllengesocks. Wegen den häufigen Rucklern und der schlechten Kameraführung verlieren Sie in den Kämpfen aber schnell die Übersicht.

Nov 2007 · Windows

Wham! gaming (5.5 out of 10) (55%)

And this awkward gameplay makes the repetitive nature of the game even more annoying. I mean, I'm all for killing the legions of the undead, but at least you could change it up a little. Because even with all the different monsters and weapons, the game was putting me to sleep.

Jul 9th, 2007 · Windows · read review

YouGamers (55 out of 100) (55%)

Monster Madness has all the right ingredients for a great slash-fest, but the concept was over-though by the development team and the recipe is just a bit off. Weapons are unbalanced, multiplayer is lacking and the save system is broken. Any innovation is trounced by poor gameplay, and the end result is far from fun.

Jul 16th, 2007 · Windows · read review

Jeuxvideo.com (11 out of 20) (55%)

Monster Madness : Battle For Surburbia est un titre sans prétention qui parviendra peut-être à séduire les joueurs en manque d'action et qui n'ont pas envie de se compliquer la vie. Au fond, son principal défaut est de ne pas offrir aux gamers la possibilité de parcourir la campagne ensemble sur le net. Pour le moment, il ne mérite sans doute pas son prix et on conseillera donc aux futurs acquéreurs d'attendre de le trouver en occasion.

Jul 16th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

GameSpot (5.1 out of 10) (51%)

All told, Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia feels like a wasted opportunity. The premise is cool, and the combat seems like it has potential. However, the controls and lousy co-op camera muck the whole thing up so that nearly all the fun is sucked out of it, regardless of how many people play. Plus, as mildly amusing as the online multiplayer can be, it's absolutely criminal that this game doesn't include some form of online campaign mode. Though considering how unwieldy and awkward everything else in the game is, maybe that wouldn't have helped all that much.

Jun 13th, 2007 · Windows · read review

GameSpot (5 out of 10) (50%)

All told, Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia feels like a wasted opportunity. The premise is cool, and the combat seems like it has potential. However, the controls and lousy co-op camera muck the whole thing up so that nearly all the fun is sucked out of it, regardless of how many people play. Plus, as mildly amusing as the online multiplayer can be, it's absolutely criminal that this game doesn't include some form of online campaign mode. Though considering how unwieldy and awkward everything else in the game is, maybe that wouldn't have helped all that much.

Jun 13th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

Games TM (5 out of 10) (50%)

Microsoft's Xbox 360 console has long been deficient in games with a focus on fun that can sustain short bursts of play. While this is clearly the gap in the market that Monster Madness is attempting to fill, Battle For Suburbia still lacks the longevity that the best of such games possess in spades. Only through a scarcity of decent alternatives could we ever truly recommend this, and that's just about as backhanded as compliments get.

Apr 2007 · Xbox 360

Eurogamer.net (UK) (5 out of 10) (50%)

Nevertheless this is nineties videogame cliché; an unrelenting gangbang of tired mechanics presented in mostly derivative clothing. The script, dialogue and voice acting grasp for irony but only manage weak cliché. That the game doesn't offer an online campaign mode is disastrous, an oversight the 'king-of-the-hill', 'capture the flag' etc other stock online modes fail to compensate for. In what appears to be an effort to stave off criticism that the game is unimaginative, the designers have sought to add diverse extra ideas to freshen the classic mechanics. But that these fail to work elegantly only serves to bring attention to the core game's mediocrity rather than shroud it.

Jun 25th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

GameZone (5 out of 10) (50%)

You’d think that you couldn’t miss when you take a solid, hip formula and add even more spice in the way of furry monsters, vampires, boats and hovercrafts. Not in this case, unfortunately. It wasn’t executed with much focus, and more attention seemed to be given to look and style rather than gameplay and a plot. Why the heck are the evil creatures upset with the ‘Burbs, anyway? Why does the camera have a mind of its own, and why do I have to suffer for it? These questions and more will keep you on the edge of your gaming seat!

Aug 13th, 2007 · Windows · read review

Super Play (Sweden) (5 out of 10) (50%)

Monotont och hyperaktivt men inte helt utan förtjänster. Vinner mycket på att spelas tillsammans med flera vänner. Ensam tröttnar man lätt.

Jul 2007 · Xbox 360

Totally Gaming Network (5 out of 10) (50%)

After playing the game I feel like the concept of Monster Madness was a sound one. However the majority of most of the things were implemented so poorly that it ceases to live up to any of its potential. If you use this as a party game and only play it when friends come over then you could have a lot of fun with it. Otherwise you are going to get frustrated quickly. The fact that this game is priced at $60 doesn’t help matters either. If this game was priced around the $30 it would be easier to recommend to; however in its current state I really can’t do it. My advice to people is to download the demo off of Xbox Live. If you like the demo then rent the game first to see if you like the final product. If you like it then by all means go out and buy it. However don’t just go out and blindly purchase this game or you could find out that you wasted $60 as well as your time if you are one of those players that didn’t enjoy the experience.

Jul 20th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

Game Captain (41 out of 100) (41%)

Monster Madness wäre mit Sicherheit ein lustiges Monstermetzelspiel, vor allem im Kooperativmodus, wenn denn nicht so viele technische Mängel bestünden. Was lustige Ideen und die gefällige Aufmachung aufbauen, wird durch eine miserable Steuerung, katastrophale Lokalisierung, schlampige Portierung und übertrieben hektisches Gameplay erbarmungslos niedergerissen. Ich glaube sogar, dass das Spiel ansonsten sogar Award-Qualitäten gehabt hätte. So muss ich diesem vielversprechenden Titel jedoch eine mangelhafte Umsetzung attestieren, die schlicht und ergreifend kaum Raum für Zugeständnisse lässt.

Nov 26th, 2007 · Windows · read review

4Players.de (39 out of 100) (39%)

Eigentlich hätte Monster Madness eine Mordsgaudi werden können. In geselliger Runde mit abgefahrenen Vehikeln und Tötungswerkzeugen auf Zombie-Jagd zu gehen, als Werwolf, Dämon oder Vampir eine Spur der Verwüstung zu ziehen und sich um heiß begehrte Beutestücke zu streiten, klang verlockend. Bei der Umsetzung ihrer Ideen sind die Entwickler allerdings so kläglich gescheitert wie Bill Clinton mit seiner Definition von "Geschlechtsverkehr". Miese Steuerung, miese Kamera, miese Technik, miese Spielbalance, miese KI - selbst der Humor ist mies. Die Krönung ist allerdings die geradezu haarsträubende Lokalisierung, an der man scheinbar monatelang gefeilt hat, um solche Stilblüten wie "Bringen Sie den Treiber in ihnen und Knall durch das Entweichen heraus!" zu erschaffen...

Nov 12th, 2007 · Windows · read review

4Players.de (37 out of 100) (37%)

Eigentlich hätte Monster Madness eine Mordsgaudi werden können. In geselliger Runde mit abgefahrenen Vehikeln und Tötungswerkzeugen auf Zombie-Jagd zu gehen, als Werwolf, Dämon oder Vampir eine Spur der Verwüstung zu ziehen und sich um heiß begehrte Beutestücke zu streiten, klang verlockend. Bei der Umsetzung ihrer Ideen sind die Entwickler allerdings so kläglich gescheitert wie Bill Clinton mit seiner Definition von "Geschlechtsverkehr". Miese Steuerung, miese Kamera, miese Technik, miese Spielbalance, miese KI - selbst der Humor ist mies. Die Krönung ist allerdings die geradezu haarsträubende Lokalisierung, an der man scheinbar monatelang gefeilt hat, um solche Stilblüten wie "Bringen Sie den Treiber in ihnen und Knall durch das Entweichen heraus!" zu erschaffen...

Nov 12th, 2007 · Xbox 360 · read review

Video Game Critic, The (F)

I can appreciate its irreverent take on the horror genre, but Monster Madness lacks entertainment value. Apparently zombies ate the fun too!

Nov 9th, 2010 · Xbox 360 · read review