Movie based games have always had a curse on them. From Catwoman to Batman, the list is actually endless. However, there comes a time when the developers are smart and they put their minds together to create a unique and immersive game for the gamers. However, most of the movie-based games haven't had this...until now. I give you King Kong! This game, King Kong is the answer to all the disappointed gamers out there that was disappointed by all the cursed movie-based games. This is your remedy to all the years of painful and frustrating game plays of pretty bad movie based games. Like Catwoman said, Hear Me Roar!. However, instead of hearing her roar, you should hear King Kong roar!
King Kong is a game that is both first and third person perspectives. The first person mode is the main core of the game and you are Jack Driscoll, a guy who is trapped on an island with 4 other members who are filming a movie. However, the island is occupied by dinosaurs, winged creatures, creep crawlers and finally the King of the jungle--King Kong. The story has it's plot holes for sure--how did those creatures get there? But I believe, you must see the movie to get the answer. This is an action/adventure game and this is used in the third person with mainly you and your crew running around and surviving the jungle with weapons and your surroundings. Your weapons include Pistol, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, Machine Gun and finally a Spear(These are found almost everywhere in the game). Same goes for the weapons and ammo. Although you have weapons like pistol and shotgun by your side, there are times when you must use spears to defeat and most of the time to move forward. It may sound like a little cocky but it works well. For an example, if you have a brush pile blocking you to move forward in a level, you can grab a spear and spot some fire nearby and light the brush pile on fire. If you are at a gate that requires a lever or levers that are missing on it, you must go find it. Usually, they aren't far from where you are and they are marked with a big post so you can spot them easily. Also, using spears also have more advantages--you can spear your enemies(mostly winged creates and creepy crawlers) but it won't take down a big dinosaur with only one throw. It may take several so that calls for weapons like a shotgun.
A couple more uses of the spear is that you can aim and poke the spear at an enemy to keep it at bay(not the dinosaurs though), you can also bait and set a trap for your enemy. Baiting is pretty simple--you have 3 types of bait that are everywhere in the game including the dragonfly, larva and swamp crawler. Poke one of these things, the bait will stick to the spear and you can throw your spear at a desired place and your enemy or enemies will go after it. Also, in one more intense situation, if a huge dinosaur is coming your way or going to one your crew members, usually a winged creature would be flying near by. Spear it and your huge dinosaur will become distracted by it and go to it and eat it.(It sounds like it doesn't like to work for food). Now for the enemies, you have A Venatosaurus(much like a Veloraptor--can't spell), a Megapede(like a centipede but much bigger), a Giant Crab and finally a V-Rex(the most powerful of your enemies). Venatosaurus usually hunt in packs and are very fast and brutal. Megapedes are creepy crawlers that are huge in size and they can wrap itself around you and suffocate you. A giant crab lives near water(a lot of water in this game) and they are very very big--6 to 30 feet wide. Finally, a V-Rex is a T-Rex but I guess they wanted to change the name. This however, you can't kill--only Kong can kill it. It may seem straight forward but it's not. It almost has an open-ended view on killing your foes. You can spear them or shoot them. Although, that isn't much either and some may find it repetitive however, this is changed by Kong.
Now for the third person mode, you are Kong and they are short. At the most, they last at least 5 minutes or so. However, they are enjoyable and pretty fun. Kong has it's different things to do. Mainly, you are usually rescuing Anne or protecting her. Kong can wall climb, swing, climb on certain obstacles, unblock a pathway, pick up/put down Anne, hit, dodge, knock out, catch/throw, fury mode and he has two finishers--Jaw break and Throw finish. Even though these sequences are short, they break away the slight repetition of the Jack Discroll game-play. However, when you get back to it, it's like you've been gone away from it for a long time. These Kong sequences are usually like a God Of War type with you mainly hitting and throwing dinosaurs and winged creatures around to finish your goal(save or protect Anne). At times though, you will have another goal-to get Anne to a desired point in a level where she can be useful to set things on fire which are blocking Kong's way. Now back to the fighting, the finishers which Kong can do, do add a bit more to the fighting because you can finish off your enemy with a cool finisher. This Kong sequence may sound a bit stupid or pretty boring but when you see Kong swinging and mountain climbing, the sequences are pretty awesome and it looks really cool. If that doesn't hit the excitement meter, then you are rewarded with great camera angles of all YOUR action with Kong.
Back to the third-person mode, the level variety and goals are quiet varied. At times, you will have to cover someone or get a lever to open a gate and they may sound a bit repulsive but by the variety of the levels are extremely enjoyable and you are on the edge of your seat during each level. One level that I just can't get out of my head and the level is pretty WOW is where you must get fire to burn a brush pile down to escape. However, the wow part is that thousands of Brachiosaurs are traveling down the path that you must take to get the fire. They sometimes run when danger is near(a Venatosaurus is headed your way). You must make your way down this long and foggy wide path with several Long Necks running/walking hoping you don't get trampled over AND surviving and fighting your way when those damn Venatosaurus are coming your way. There also many other wow moments in the game. One level, you and a couple of your crew members are on a raft traveling down a river and this V-Rex is hot on your trail. You must keep the Rex at by by spearing him or shooting him. Also, during this level, you will encounter rapids which your raft will shift right, left, up and down making it pretty intense. There are lots of wow moments in the game and these are only a few out of 33 levels. Speaking of 33 levels, it sounds long and at times it is but there are a couple of levels that are too short; so short that it could have been added to the previous level. One level has you falling off of a huge log by Kong shaking it and falling into multiple tree limbs and finally landed in a river. You travel the river and meet with your lost crew members which only takes a 2-3 minutes to complete. Then, the next level appears. Sounds pretty stupid when they could have added to the previous level. The levels' look are different and you will be in the jungle 98% of the time. The other two percent is when you are in the Big Apple as Kong. But don't let that scare you off because each level is completely different and the goal to that level is different. Once again, the level variety is off the charts and the wow moments are plenty. Prepare for the best time and the best game-playing experience you will ever play in a movie-based game.
Controls in the game is pretty smart with easy and simple controls to master. Controlling Jack is the easiest of the two modes. Each action has a conveinent place on the controller and when times get tense, I seemed I never lost the place where a critical action is. Kong, on the other hand is easy and simple as well. It's so simple, I believe a 5 year old can complete those sequences. The X, Y, A and B buttons are used here and that's it. They are easy to do and the actions they do is at a conveinent place but at times, I found myself struggling to get Kong going in the right direction. This is due to the fact of some of those rewarding camera angles. However, don't let it shy you away from the game because the struggling I had were few and far part.
Since this is on the 360, the visuals can only be one word--stunning, beautiful, astonishing, breathtaking. Okay, maybe 4 words and the hype of the graphics surrounding this game is correct. The surroundings are stunning; the lush green and gray looks of the jungle, the lighting effects as light breaking through the jungle or obstacles are beautiful. The surrounding's grass/trees etc. move with ease and realism. Even the two city levels have a great touch of realism added. The lighting effects look real and the weather is simply built on realism. The raining effect is awesome. When you travel in the jungle, you see rain/mud puddles from the rain and wow, it IS beautiful! The character models look really good especially Kong. The faces look so real; I swear Jack Black was in the game. Wait, he is in the game! The hair and clothing is simply well put together and Kong's entire body is stunning in detail; scratch or scar marks on his back, backfeet have a colorful gray texture to them and his face looks frightfully real. The textures of everyone and everything in the game has a great colorful texture to them and the dinosaurs look and move smooth with the speed of the console. Believe me when I say that this is game is beautiful and breathtaking by how real this game looks because it is! If you want to experience the game at the fullest, buy the 360 version because you have to appreciate the power the console has. The sound doesn't have a different story either. The sound is loud by the thunder, dinosaurs screaming, characters talking, Kong is growling/roaring(really loud and earth shattering) and basically everything that makes sound simply makes the loudest and the most realism sound you'll ever in the vast jungle. If you want to use the most of the sound, plug in the headphones and dive into a real, living and breathing experience.
Peter Jackson's King Kong is one of THE games to get for the Xbox 360. Why? To experience the power of the console with it making the graphics look lush, breathtaking and every sense of the word realism and to get the most out of the graphics of the 3 versions. To get the most out of the sound. To get the stunning and once-in-a-lifetime experience that the game holds inside. Point blank, that should make you get out the $60 to buy this game. Make the most out of your new Xbox 360. There aren't many 360 games out there and the next game coming out isn't soon so make this your next purchase.
King Kong Information:
Genre: Action/adventure, movie-based
Rated: T for Blood and Violence
Difficulty: Easy
# of players: 1-2
Lasting Appeal: 6-10 hours
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