*Sources of screenshots are listed in their respective file-names.
Kaiju-a-GoGo* fulfills the promise of classic games such as Rampage or War of the Monsters by giving you control of a customizable monster (or “Kaiju”), and an entire world to conquer.
I had the chance to speak with the Lead Designer of the game, Martin Cirulis. In the video above, you’ll learn about his history in the video game industry, the founding of Kerberos Productions, and how Kaiju-a-GoGo became the unique title it is today.
Destroying Sydney…
Gameplay in Kaiju-a-GoGo consists of tearing apart buildings and historical monuments, stomping on civilians, and fighting the Kaiju Defense Force (KDF) in locations around the globe. Resources gained from battle/surrendered cities are used to upgrade your secret island base and Kaiju. Each Kaiju has 90+ unique abilities, so playthroughs can be wildly different depending on the player.
All actions are performed with mouse clicks, simplifying the controls for less experienced gamers. Early on, destroying cities, taking over territory, and etc. can feel difficult as your underpowered monster tackles a far-more advanced military presence. This and the strategy required to conquer the planet without being found/destroyed by the KDF raises the recommended skill level higher than the graphics and control scheme would suggest.
Eventually though, through smart fighting, upgrading and construction, your mad scientist can rule the world!
The World Map contains locations both iconic (London) and slightly more esoteric (Albuquerque, New Mexico).
Two additional downloadable monsters (Shrubby and Armagordon) are coming to the game in the near future. As these monsters are added, the price of Kaiju-a-GoGo will go up by $1 per Kaiju until it hits its final price point.
Potential Concerns:
In Kaiju-a-GoGo, YOU are the “bad guy” trying to take over the world. You do this by attacking (or threatening to attack) a city and its inhabitants until they surrender. Graphic violence or destruction is not depicted.
I spoke with one of the developers after the interview above to see whether further concerns exist. She gave me an insight into how far the team went to be inclusive:
“We actually decided to represent fewer Buildings-of-Faith than are present in real life, in almost every city in the game, to avoid causing unnecessary distress to people who would be offended by the destruction of Mosques, Cathedrals, Buddhist Temples, monasteries, etc…Overall we tried to favor secular buildings instead.
The Mad Scientist angle and the occasional references to evolution or other scientific theories reflect the views of the developers…Since this is a silly fictional world which includes giant robot dinosaurs and a mystery element called “purpletonium”, we’re hoping that the light humor will be inclusive to all.” (Arinn Dembo, Lead Writer of Kerberos Productions)
From what I’ve seen, even significant regional religious sites (for Christianity and otherwise) are for the most part spared…
Buy Now! (Steam)
Buy Now! (Direct from Developer)
Video Games and the Bible 