- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Release Date: Nov 21, 2005
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 2
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One of the most intense experiences I've had with game in a while.
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The production values are amazing with top-notch graphics and sound found nearly everywhere. Though the game runs a little short – we played a little over six hours – you’ll have a blast every step of the way.
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This game is like having a good burger. It might not be quite a meal in and of itself, but done well, it is truly one of the best things you could have.
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Playing through Kong is one of the freshest gaming experiences we've had all year. [Holiday 2005, p.34]
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It's a fun romp though and definitely a welcome companion to the upcoming movie. There are countless tense moments playing as Jack and my only complaint is not playing as the featured star more than we were given the opportunity.
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Jungle sounds were all so realistic, it was wild! The sounds you would expect while traipsing through a jungle are all present as well. Wildlife and human noises, both from up close or far in the distance have credibility to them.
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By far the best movie-licensed game to ever be made. Not only does it outshine all other movie-inspired titles, it even surpasses the movie that inspired it. It’s a totally immersive experience with the no-HUD interface, amazing sounds, inspiring music, and a visionary artistic style that is totally unique to the genre.
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One of the most classy, authentic, atmospheric, faithful and exciting games of a movie ever to be released.
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One of the most enjoyable if short-lived gameplay experiences. The game is practically a work of art, but that may not be enough for everyone.
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The most impressive element of the game, though, is Skull Island itself. Grand and gorgeous, the environments never repeat, and the adventure never slackens.
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What makes King Kong so good is the polish that the game brings. It takes a classic storyline and a classic gaming genre and delivers it to the gamer in a new and refreshing manner.
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It's a great example of a movie tie-in that is easy to play, it's a successful combination of a first-person adventure and a third-person beat-'em-up, and at times it even feels like a dungeon crawler. But at its core, it's an extremely good (and extremely simple) survival horror game.
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The voice acting is spectacular.
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King Kong himself may be billed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", but his video game exploits, while certainly a stunning visual wonder, is far too short and too shallow to be touted as anything but simple entertainment.
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Graphically, it's a masterpiece. [Jan 2006, p.136]
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The sounds that move all around you are also wonderfully implemented. [Jan 2006, p.42]
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It is a shining example that sometimes games based on movies can be just as good as the movie but still be able to show us a different and interesting take on a story we’re already familiar with in the first place.
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Just downright fun and a blast to play.
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A terrifying and deeply cinematic experience from start to finish. However, it is short, running around 8 hours, and offers little in way of replayability, aside from unlockable concept art and trailers.
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On its own merits it’s a fantastic cinematic achievement and exceptional precedent for license-based games.
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The main story only lasts about 10 hours, but it is 10 hours you will not soon forget.
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The expository sections of Kong really do feel like a playable movie, and there are scenes in King Kong that will make you stop in your tracks and stare at the utter beauty the developers have crafted.
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One of the most grandiose, atmospheric, movie-like experiences in a video game ever. This is a standout on all the home consoles, but it hits even bigger heights if you snag it on the Xbox 360 along with a high-definition television.
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King Kong offers solid gameplay and production values that will appeal to almost every gamer.
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By movie-to-game standards, King Kong is an instant classic. Just don't hold it to any greater standard.
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A great, if not short, game that anyone who liked the movie and who owns a 360, or any other console for that matter, will certainly enjoy.
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It won't take you long to blow through King Kong, but its sometimes thrilling, often tense, and always entertaining adventure is absolutely worth checking out.
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If the environments were more open, if there was more variety to the puzzles, if the game lasted longer, if ..., then you could have had the best game of the year here.
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Each step he takes causes a vicious rumble and together with his war cry, you know you're just one mistep away from certain death.
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It's the perfect rental game, and the really dedicated fans will surely enjoy the purchase.
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The game is too short but for how much you put into it, you'll get a lot out of the experience.
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Flawed though it may be, the chance to fight as a giant ape is something gamers have dreamed of since the 2D days of "Rampage."
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Beautiful, fun, and very easy for anyone to pick up and play.
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But while laudable in many senses, ultimately King Kong is as Carl Denham - fascinatingly single-minded and full of wonder, but ultimately shallow, and too caught up in its initial achievement to really think the rest of it through.
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A wondrous game. There is little to be upset about except its short length and no extra content, but the rest of the game is fantastic.
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The sound in King Kong is fantastic. From the music to the ambient background to the massively intimidating roar of Kong, there is nothing bad here. If immersion is what you are looking for, look no further.
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An atmospheric first-person adventure that is plagued by its length and sometimes rigid flow.
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In spite of the odd struggle with the controls, this is a good adventure through and through, and that’s what makes the game worth playing.
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This is adventure done right.
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By tying the graphics in so closely with the gameplay, King Kong actually makes strong visuals an integral part of the cinematic experience, and naturally the Xbox 360 port gets the edge over the other platforms.
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A definite thrill ride from beginning to end that relies heavily on its Hollywood-style presentation more than true gameplay. Hindered ever so slightly by repetitive enemies and puzzles.
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A highly entertaining action/adventure that gets better as you progress.
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Let's say this again: Tedious gameplay kills the coolness of the "wow" moments and brings it all down to an average level.
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A riveting if flawed run through Skull Island, one that immerses you smack in the middle of a horrific world teeming with life and, of course, love.
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The gameplay is solid enough, the audio is fantastic, and the visuals occasionally show off a bit of the next gen, but anyone even remotely interested in the movie needs to give the game a rental at the very least.
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A decent effort. And if you're a gamer who likes movies, this one's got all the cinematic feel and production value of a big-budget film.
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When compared to other movie inspired video games, King Kong comes out on top. However, when comparing it to other first person shooter titles (which the majority of the gameplay falls under), it’s merely average at best.
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There isn’t much replay value in King Kong. With the lack of any sort of Live/Co-Op play, you won’t find yourself going back to the game once you have beaten it.
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During its best moments, it's certainly one of the most exciting and engrossing games I've played in a long time. It's just unfortunate that the apparent cut corners take the wind out of its sails sometimes.
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The biggest knock against this game is it'll cost you $59.99 and it only offers up seven to nine hours of play.
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Fifty quid is a lot of money to ask for a title that any competent gamer can pound through in six or so hours. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]
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While not a flat-out classic, there's so much to admire. [Issue #2]
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Being story-driven, the game was also broken up into short chapters, sometimes exceedingly short. With a load required between each one it could mean playing for possibly a few minutes before needing to load the next level.
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Beautiful but muddy environments, frustrating puzzles, repetitious opponents and clunky Kong controls.
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King Kong is perhaps a redefinition of the cinematic videogame – entirely based on peaks and troughs of excitement, and devoid of any sense of choice. Just like a movie, but interactive. [Christmas 2005, p.98]
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King Kong is short... really short. The average player will finish the game in about six hours, and for $60, that’s not exactly a great value.
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Imagine a free-roaming King Kong game, with a main plot line that you can ignore as you run through the jungle, beating the piss out of dinosaurs with tree trunks and rocks. That would have been awesome. Instead, we were given this six to eight hour snooze fest.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 16 out of 22
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Mixed: 2 out of 22
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Negative: 4 out of 22
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Jul 7, 2011
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SamDec 4, 2005
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Oct 22, 2010