OTHER KAIJU
Movies/Media

Published on
Picture
Kaiju Battle is proud to present a preview of the kaiju Ganira from the game Dawn Of The Monsters, check out game info, character details, and more below, and look for the game to arrive soon.

Dawn of the Monsters is a kaiju-themed beat-'em-up from developer 13AM Games and publisher WayForward that lets you (and a friend, in co-op mode) smash through 35 stages against enormous monsters known as Nephilim while controlling four unique titanic warriors. These playable characters include "The Living Inferno" Megadon, giant superhero Aegis Prime, massive mecha Tempest Galahad, and the kaiju we're featuring right here: the "Terror of the Seas," Ganira, the colossal crustacean! The game arrives on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC, and Stadia in March, but for now, check out these first exclusive details on this aquatic kaiju!

Profile:
Deemed the “Terror of the Seas,” Ganira destroyed countless cargo ships, oil platforms and warships that dared to enter her territory. She also destroyed many other Nephilim in the turf wars during the First Wave. She was finally captured by DAWN (Defense Alliance Worldwide Network) by luring her out of her lair using a captured minion as bait. Now tamed, she fights for DAWN, protecting the seas against the Nephilim. 

Abilities:
Ganira excels at making her opponents fight at her pace, and comes with one of the most unique abilities ever seen in a beat-em-up! An excellent choice for players who like hard-hitting characters with great defensive tools. Ganira’s attacks are slow but hard hitting. What she lacks in speed and range she makes up for in defense and unique abilities.

One unique ability that separates her from the rest of the cast is that she can summon a crab minion. The crab minion follows Ganira and can attack enemies all on its own. The crab can also mimic some of Ganira’s abilities! More info on that below

Ganira’s heavy and dash attacks don’t only hit hard but they also allow her to take damage without being interrupted. Her heavy 2 attack knocks opponents up into the air and can be followed up with her dash attack, Hammerclaw Slam.

Ganira’s Rage Attacks are as follows:
Steam Burst (Cost: 1 Rage):  Ganira unleashes a burst of steam from within herself. It has a large area of effect around Ganira that knocks back anyone near her. Due to her unique physiology, the steam produced by the attack causes the Drench ailment. Opponents that are affected by the Drench ailment have reduced movement and attack speed. Great for crowd control.

Exoskeleton (Cost: 2 Rage): Ganira ‘s body hardens to the point that it manifests a shield around herself. The shield can negate one attack from an opponent. When the shield “pops” from an attack, it explodes in a burst of steam that damages anyone near Ganira. Ganira's best tool for avoiding damage.

Summon Minion (Cost: 2  Rage): Ganira calls upon her trusted companion from the deep. The summoned crab minion bursts forth in front of her, causing huge amounts of damage. The crab minion acts as an ally, attacking anyone threatening Ganira. The crab has a series of attacks that can stun and even launch opponents. It can be targeted by other enemies and can even die if its health reaches 0.  Additionally, the crab mimics two of Ganira’s Rage Attacks (Steam Burst and Exoskeleton) without any additional Rage cost. Another unique property is that the crab minion shares all of Ganira’s augment upgrades, including perks! Keeping the minion active at all times vastly increases Ganira’s effectiveness in the battlefield. 

Ganira’s Cataclysm Attack is “Abyssal Tsunami.” She calls forth a gigantic tidal wave engulfing enemies in its path. It damages opponents and bolsters Ganira and ally defenses (including other players if you are playing co-op!). The cataclysm attack covers the arena so it hits every opponent. Very useful for dealing vast amounts of damage and giving yourself and allies a significant defense boost.

Ganira is a solid choice if you are looking for a defensive powerhouse. Due to her high survivability and being able to summon a minion, she is very beginner-friendly and is a great character to use in multiplayer.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Building Smashing

Picture

Cataclysm

Picture

Summon

Published on
Picture
Dawn of the Monsters New Details and Collaborations Revealed

Kaiju beat-'em-up launches in March, featuring Yuji Kaida, Shinji Nishikawa, and other all-star artists.

Valencia, Calif. - February 2, 2022 - The kaiju invasion is coming! Independent game studio WayForward, in conjunction with developer 13AM Games, is proud to unveil new details for the upcoming giant-monster beat-'em-up Dawn of the Monsters. Beyond its awe-inspiring playable behemoths, two-player local co-op action, and more than 35 missions, Dawn of the Monsters will also provide players with a gripping story and compelling characters when the game launches digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and PC in March 2022.

The Dawn of the Monsters saga begins in 2036 when enormous creatures known as the Nephilim invade Earth, leaving calamity in their wake. To counter the threat, a global task force known as DAWN (Defense Alliance Worldwide Network) is established, but it isn't until three decades later that humanity can properly strike back. With four gargantuan guardians at its command — Megadon, the living volcano; Ganira, the colossal crustacean; Aegis Prime, a superhuman warrior; and Tempest Galahad, a massive mech — DAWN prepares to reclaim the planet. A new trailer highlighting the game's story can be seen at https://youtu.be/A576C0R-U5w.

For the developers at 13AM Games, Dawn of the Monsters is a passion project that stems from their love of all things kaiju. But in addition to the internal creative crew, an incredible team of collaborative artists is lending their talents to bring Dawn of the Monsters to life, both in-game and for promotional purposes. The list includes:

  • Shinji Nishikawa - This world-renowned kaiju designer who worked on the Godzilla film series and SSSS.Gridman designed the flame Nephilim, Agnitor.
  • Matt Frank - A comic book artist known for his work on IDW's Godzilla comics, Arrow Films' Gamera: The Complete Collection box set, and the Redman comic series, Matt Frank designed the Bakudon and Inazudon Nephilim. He also created a piece of key art and illustrations for the game's physical collector's edition.
  • Yuji Kaida - One of the most well-known kaiju artists living today, Yuji Kaida has created illustrations for Neon Genesis Evangelion, Godzilla, Gamera, and Ultraman, as well as video games such as Monster Hunter and more. He created the painting that will adorn the game's physical collector's edition.
  • Zander Cannon - An Eisner Award-winning comic book artist famous for his ongoing comic series Kaijumax from Oni Press, Zander Cannon created one of the game's promotional illustrations.
  • EJ Su - Known for his work on Marvel’s Rise of Ultraman and IDW’s Godzilla Rivals and Transformers comic books, EJ Su produced numerous pieces of art for the game, including key art, character illustrations, and promotional comic illustrations.
  • Kim Jacinto - With work seen in numerous Marvel comics, including Rise of Ultraman and Shang Chi, Kim Jacinto provided the game's alternative cover art.
  • DJ Crumrine - This animator and storyboard artist at Titmouse who worked on Animaniacs and Critical Role is also a huge kaiju fan. He created one of the game's promotional illustrations.
  • Zedd - An incredibly talented illustrator and animator known for his kaiju and Monster Hunter art, Zedd worked on the cutscenes for Dawn of the Monsters.
  • Robo7 (Jon Belotti Jr.) - An artist who loves illustrating giant monsters, Robo7 has done work for G-Fan, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and Alien. He provided header card art for Seismic Toys' Megadon and Ganira figures.
  • Caroline "Luka" Bromley - A concept artist and merchandise designer for the RWBY series who also loves kaiju and helped spearhead "Kaiju Monster March" on social media. She created chibi illustrations of the Dawn of the Monsters cast.
  • Ninsai Kato - A kaiju artist from Japan, Ninsai Kato lent her talents with a promotional Megadon brush-ink illustration.
  • Powerhouse Animation - Known for animated series such as Castlevania, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and the upcoming Skull Island, Powerhouse Animation created the phenomenal opening animation for Dawn of the Monsters.

"It was personally important to me that Dawn of the Monsters not be viewed as a kaiju parody or a 'b-movie monster spoof' or anything like that," says 13AM Games CEO Alex Rushdy. "I really wanted to reflect the spirit and intent of the best craftsmen and storytellers in the kaiju and tokusatsu genre. To realize this we decided we needed to involve people who have worked on some of the most important and impactful kaiju media out there. It was a dream come true for me. I never thought I'd one day be working with Mr. Nishikawa and Mr. Kaida — two people responsible for some of the most striking images from my childhood!"

Supplementing the digital version of Dawn of the Monsters, physical editions by Limited Run Games will be offered for select platforms, allowing fans to obtain many of the aforementioned promotional images provided by the collaborating artists. For the latest Dawn of the Monsters news, as well as information on other titles, please visit www.wayforward.com and www.13amgames.com, and follow @WayForward and @13amgames on Twitter.
Picture
About WayForward
Based in Valencia, California, WayForward was founded in 1990 and has remained an independent game developer for more than 30 years. It is home to many talented individuals including programmers, environment artists, animators, modelers, illustrators, audio wizards, designers, and team leaders. With new avenues for distributing games directly to fans, they are finally able to make the games they have always wanted to.
Picture
About 13AM Games
13AM Games is an independent game studio based out of Toronto that crafts bold, stylish 2D games that challenge convention in order to surprise and delight. They started in 2014 and released their first game, Runbow, in 2015. Stay up to date by visiting www.13amgames.com and following them on Twitter and Discord.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

DJ Crumrine

Picture

Matt Frank

Picture

Ninsai Kato

Picture

Shinji Nishikawa

Picture

Yuji Kaida

Picture

Zander Cannon

Picture

Zedd

Picture

Zedd