Monster Madness: Grave Danger review

It’s a monster mash, but will it be a graveyard smash?

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Mostly excellent monster designs

  • +

    You get to go to hell

  • +

    Chopping zombies with a lawnmower

Cons

  • -

    Multiplayer is too frantic

  • -

    Yet not worth playing alone

  • -

    Looks

  • -

    plays like a budget game

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

A heftyprice tag for Monster Madness might just as well be a toe-tag in a morgue, because this top-down shooter is too basic by far. This certainly isn’t a title you’ll be showing off to your mates. Despite some fun and imaginative creature designs, the graphics would look more at home on a PSP than a 47-inch widescreen. Because of the top down viewpoint, it’s hard to see the detail in this zombie-infested suburbia, and much of the devs' efforts were wasted. We certainly can’t fault its attention to detail, because aside from the seemingly endless hordes of monsters swarming around you, there are also literally thousands of environmental objects that can be picked up and used as weapons.

Who knew that footballs, lamp stands and frozen legs of lamb could be so good at bludgeoning zombies’ faces in? There’s no shortage of conventional weapons either, and the customization options at the end of each mission are versatile. The biggest restriction is what you can afford to do, as arguably, the weapon mods are way too expensive. On the subject of being restricted, four-player co-op on one screen is a bit of a mess. It suffers from ‘Gauntlet’ syndrome where some players can’t progress if anyone is dragging their feet on the other side of the screen. The camera zooms out to compensate, but it can still be frustrating. A more practical option is to try out the new online co-op, which is exclusive to PS3. With a little more freedom of movement, you’ll have a lot more success taking down the screen-swamping end of level bosses.

Monster Madness is the kind of game you must play with other people to have any enjoyment. With four players, the game has a frantic silliness about it, especially when you come to the co-op vehicle sections. Playing alone is definitely not recommended. How come? Because it’s just plain boring. If Southpeak had released this on PlayStation Store we might have recommended it, but someone caught a little of what’s in the title when they decided they could compete with other near-full-price PS3 games.

Aug 12, 2008

More info

GenreAction
DescriptionIt doesn't get better than some zombie chopping lawnmower action. This game may or may not be worth it. This is good fun with your friends but it looks and plays like a budget game.
Platform"PS3"
US censor rating"Teen"
UK censor rating""
Alternative names"Monster Madness: EX "
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More
CATEGORIES
Latest in Action
Tomb Raider
5 years after Avengers, 2 years after its last layoffs, and who knows how long before Perfect Dark and Tomb Raider return, Crystal Dynamics announces another round of layoffs
Naoe looks over at a dense, lush, green forest in Assassin's Creed Shadows from a viewpoint
Getting Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 and Xbox Series X was all about adding "dynamism" to the open world, but the devs seem most proud about the trees
Naoe and Yasuke walk in the sunset in a screenshot from Assassin's Creed Shadows
Following Assassin's Creed Shadows controversy, Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director says "every big AAA game could be better," but players shouldn't be mad "just because some dude told you to"
Assassin's Creed Shadows Wanted Status
How to remove Wanted status in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Naoe kills a target with a black and white filter over the camera highlighting the red of blood spray in Assassin's Creed Shadows, with an On The Radar orange frame
Assassin's Creed Shadows "has a little bit of Tarantino flavor", but its real secret ingredient is intrigue: "It's almost like you're watching an episode of Shogun"
God of War
20 years later, God of War's original monster art has been revealed: behold this army of stick figures slapped on a whiteboard, no clue Kratos is coming for them
Latest in Reviews
Image of the Corsair Virtuoso Max wireless headset sitting on top of a gaming PC case taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe.
Corsair Virtuoso Max Wireless review - a PC headset tour de force
Zombicide box featuring stylized art of survivors fighting zombies
Zombicide 2nd Edition review: "Like a zombie flick brought to tabletop"
Razer Handheld Dock with Steam Deck sitting on cradle, pink and yellow RGB lighting on, and Alienware monitor in background with Tomb Raider Trilogy gameplay on screen.
Razer Handheld Dock review: “Your Steam Deck will ride shiny and Chroma"
Photographs of the Agricola board game in play
Agricola review: "Accurate representation of the highly competitive and often unstable world of agriculture"
Photos taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe of the Shure MV7i microphone, within a pink and white themed room.
Shure MV7i review - convenience and excellence rolled into one superb sounding package
Key art for Atomfall showing a character in the English countryside looking at a nuclear plant some distance away
Atomfall review: "This isn't British Fallout – it's something much better than that"