Nothing can
follow The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Peter Jackson will continue to make
great movies, but for many of us, The Lord of The Rings will always be King.
This
Christmas he will release his first film since the Rings conclusion – King
Kong. Early clips and teaser trailers sent our anticipation meter through the
roof. We could only dream about the intense battles that await Kong and his
most lethal adversary, T-Rex. Or will his most lethal adversary turn out to be
man?
With the
whole world stoked the return of King Kong, we knew it wouldn’t be long before
a video game was announced. Then Ubisoft made it official – Peter Jackson’s
King Kong: The Official Game of The Movie was born.
Whereas most
games cast you as a powerful hero, King Kong casts you as the quiet
screenwriter Jack Driscoll. Jack doesn’t say much, partially because he isn’t
given the chance since director Carl Denham won’t shut up. Carl is the
island-obsessed filmmaker who brings everyone there in the first place. No
doubt you’ll notice how much he looks like the actor who plays him in the
film, Jack Black. Every time something happens he pulls out his camera and
starts rolling. Life? Death? Who cares about those things when you could be
filming a real-life phenomenon. At least that’s how he looks at it.
Playing as a
screenwriter and not a superhero means sacrificing many of the things we’re
used to having in a game. There’s no jumping, running leaves you breathless
(in sound effect only), and the magical crosshairs that appear in every FPS
are nowhere to be found. This is a game of survival. Ammo is not unlimited,
and you can forget what a health bar looks like because it’s not a part of the
experience either. The game defaults to a widescreen view designed for the 4/3
aspect ratio TVs, reinforcing the idea that you’re interacting with a movie.
(The picture may be changed to 16/9 got widescreen TVs or normal 4/3 for
viewing on a standard TV without the black bars.)
The controls
are a bit dull at first. Movement is typical for an FPS with two exceptions:
the gameplay is really slow and you have to hold down the L2 button to draw
your weapon. It’s not like Resident Evil; you can move when it’s drawn. But
there was never a point in the game where this seemed necessary. Granted, it
didn’t harm the experience, I just don’t think it was necessary to fool with a
standard feature.
The slow
character movement, although annoying at times, separates this from other
first-person shooters. King Kong is primarily an adventure game with an
easy-to-follow path and puzzles that anyone can figure out. Combat ensues
everywhere, with giant bugs (crabs, spiders, millipedes, etc.) and prehistoric
creatures (raptors, brontosaurus, etc., in addition to our favorite, T-Rex)
interfere every chance they get. Winning isn’t always easy. Unannounced
checkpoints are everywhere, softening the blow of unexpected deaths.
T-Rex loves
a good midday snack. When he decides to bite into Jack, his teeth cut into the
screen as the color fades to red. Defending yourself against such a beast
means clever avoidance. Utilize the confusion of pillars by running in between
them. Take advantage of caves and any structures with a roof. Attack a few
seconds before he strikes; if you wait until his mouth is wide open (as you
would in most games), chances are it’s too late.
Ammo is
limited but re-fills can usually be found when it is most needed. Since there
isn’t an on-screen icon to tell you how much ammo you have left, you have to
check it by pressing the circle button. Jack will then tell announce how much
is left (the number of magazines or bullets), and will assure you that you
have plenty if your ammo is full.
Bones play a
big role in solving the game’s puzzles. They’re as effective as spears but may
be lit to burn bushes and dinosaurs that won’t go away. These bushes are thick
and cannot be crossed by foot unless you’re King Kong. That’s how the game
regulates where you go and when, and how it prevents you from going past the
end of an area where nothing exists.
I lost
track, but on at least six occasions a lever or two needed to be found in
order to open a door. These levers were to be jammed into two pillars; turning
them pulls the door up high enough for you to go through it.
These
puzzles are repeated several times and do not pose a threat for hardcore
players. Casual gamers shouldn’t be deterred by them either. After all, that’s
who they were designed for.
Every now
and then (which isn’t nearly long enough) you’ll get the chance to play as the
character everyone’s dying to control: Kong. Kong is an enormous, beautifully
designed beast, though it’s hard to tell at times with the camera being pulled
back so far. This was done to make the action visible from multiple angles.
Dinosaurs, including multiple T-Rexes, attack from all sides. This isn’t like
the beat-’em-ups of yesterday; nobody waits their turn. All dinos have the
option to attack simultaneously. Whether or not they do depends on how quick
you are at taking care of the problem.
My first
viewing of the King Kong movie trailer gave me high hopes for dino-throwing
and dino-baseball. I still have no clue as to whether or not they’ve given
Kong that much power in the movie, but I can now confirm that he has that much
power and more in the game. Pick up a dino and carry it around for a little
torture or throw it at the others for a painful, potentially deadly hit.
Kong’s
controls are simple but big and bold. Three buttons (X, square and circle)
control pretty much everything you need. The square button is all your
all-access pass to swinging, jumping, and climbing on walls. Jumping is
limited to ledges and other areas where a jump seems necessary. Attack with
the X button, and grab your enemies (and Ann, Kong’s true love) with the
circle button.
This style
keeps the game moving forward, which is clearly the intent. Kong’s missions
are shorter, faster, and more intense. Tapping the triangle button repeatedly
makes Kong beat his chest. If he’s allowed to do that for a long enough period
of time (that is, if no one attacks), he’ll go into a rage mode that makes him
move faster and hit even harder. Once again this causes a color change, this
time to a golden hue that brightens the whites and highlights the screen with
beautiful lighting.
King Kong
does a lot of cool things with color use, a technique that up until recently
has been reserved for movies. Keen-eyed gamers will notice the extensive use
of green, blue and gray, in addition to the aforementioned colors, red and
gold. These colors are enhanced by amazing lighting effects, and in the case
of the brontosaurus, some of the most realistic textures I’ve ever seen. I say
this based on my vision of dinosaurs from Jurassic Park. Isn’t that how
everyone bases their opinion of what a realistic dinosaur should look like?
The smaller
dinos don’t look so good, which is pretty surprising when you consider all the
time and effort put into the game as a whole. There isn’t much of an
explanation for why Ann’s polygon model doesn’t look like Naomi Watts either.
I also must point out that while the lighting and color use are spectacular,
and King Kong himself is very detailed, the overall look of the backgrounds is
disappointing. The flames from burning bushes appear to be a flat, digitized
image that’s been cloned multiple times (as opposed to a true 3D effect that
and/or one that moves in real-time).
Players will
notice the visual flaws within the first 15 minutes. By the 30th minute
they’ll wonder where the game is going and if it’s ever going to pick up the
pace. King Kong might be an action flick, but this certainly isn’t an action
game. It’s a slower-paced adventure that was made for every man and woman
interested in the film. It’s got a lot going for it and a lot that, while I
wouldn’t say it’s necessarily bad, doesn’t work perfectly in this kind of
game. Michel Ancel, one of the designers behind the project, is known for
experimenting with unique concepts. His previous creations include the Rayman
series and the unforgettable Beyond Good & Evil. In many ways King Kong is a
derivative of those games. Expect to be engrossed; don’t expect to be blown
away.
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Gameplay: 7.9
No icons, life
bars, cursors or crosshairs, King Kong was built to be a game that played like
a movie. The movie’s mid-December release prevents gamers from knowing just
how closely the two mediums match, but the idea is effective. Players will be
taken on a journey through Skull Island, battling every creature seen in the
King Kong movie trailers and then some. It’s a slower adventure and may not
seem to exciting when compared to other shooter adventures. Give it time and
Kong himself will pull you in faster than you can shout, “Ann!!!”
Graphics: 8.0
King Kong’s dark
side ain’t pretty, but it’s the combination of several elements that will get
your eyes’ attention. I can’t praise the lighting effects enough, especially
when the black and white filter is turned on. It enhances the lighting effects
in every scenario, making the game brighter and more artistic. (Note: The B&W
filter is one of many secrets that can be unlocked.)
It’s true,
some of the dinosaurs are flawed visually. Their animations could’ve been
improved, and don’t get me started on their skin texture! The dinosaurs that
aren’t flawed, however, are absolutely amazing. In particular the brontosaurus
look unbelievably realistic.
Sound: 7.0
Not at all what I
expected. I imagined a deep, meaningful score with high-quality,
non-repetitive voice acting. King Kong didn’t quite meet those expectations.
On the bright side the music is good until you get attacked. Then it goes into
this weird, drawn out sound that loses its impact on the player after it’s
played the 50th time. Interesting music ideas, but they’d work much better in
a movie where you’d only have to hear each song once or twice.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Linear
exploration and straightforward missions make King Kong accessible to
everyone. As a result, hardcore gamers will plow through the quest in a day or
two.
Concept: 8.5
Rather than
slapping together another first-person shooter, King Kong ventures down a
different path, playing more like an adventure game with FPS elements. That’s
the main theme. The other portion revolves around a Kong and his love, and the
interesting ways in which he must fight to save her.
Overall: 7.9
Control man or
beast in this adventure first-person shooter that follows the film’s
storyline. The gameplay mechanics as Jack will bring to mind happy thoughts of
Metroid Prime and Resident Evil, while Kong’s adventurous levels are
reminiscent of War of the Monsters.
As
remarkable as those things are, there’s no denying that King Kong is not the
perfect movie game everyone was hoping for. It’s a slower journey than you’ll
at first expect, leading many to question just how much of an action flick the
movie is going to be. The puzzles left a lot to be desired, a move that makes
the game more accessible to casual gamers but leaves us hardcore gamers
wanting more.
That said,
few movie games are original. King Kong take chances and delivers a unique
experience that will excite anyone who loved the original movie and anyone
who’s excited for the remake. On the whole this is a worthwhile game. Not
necessarily a must-buy, but for Kong fans it is definitely a must-play.
