Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is a first person shooter action adventure game based on the 2005 film King Kong. It is a collaboration between the film's director Peter Jackson and famed videogame designer Michel Ancel (Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil).
Plot Summary
In 1933, a troubled filmmaker, Carl Denham acquires a map to a fabled island which he intends to use as a location for his next film. He hires his friend, Jack Driscoll to pen the script, casts movie star Bruce Baxter and out of work vaudeville performer Ann Darrow as the leads. He commissions the SS Venture, captained by Captain Englehorn to travel to the island located by only his map.
Upon reaching the island, the ship is unable to progress any further due to rocks rendering it stuc and the weather being very bad. Carl Denham took it as a great opportunity to explore the island and decided to organise an exploration party to shoot his film in the island. Several sailors are involved including Hayes, Preston, Choy, Lumpy, Ann, Jack and many others in three separated boats. Jack is in the third boat occupied by Hayes, Briggs, Ann and Carl while the other two boats are occupied by Preston, Choy, Lumpy, Jimmy and an unnamed sailor.
The boats set to sail to the island despite Englehorn's protest but due to heavy rainy storm, the first two boats are pulled away due to the rough storms and the last boat, occupied by Jack and his teammates is cushed by falling rocks.
Few hours pass as Jack lost his conciousces and is woken up by Ann who informs him that the boat is crushed and of their sailors, Briggs has been killed instantly while the others survived from the crash. Unable to contact the other two boats, Hayes shoots a flare on the air, hoping to attract the attention of Englehorn and the party moves to explore into the caves. In caves, they are attacked by creatures what resembles to be crabs in big size. The party eliminated them before proceeding in the open where they have to open the door.
Carl Denham decides to film a test with Ann and asks her to scream which she does so. Suddenly, a loud roar is heard from the seas behind them which then multiple crabs emerge from the sea and attack the party. After a brief gunfight, a very large size crab emerges from the sea which attacks the party as well and is eliminated.
The party progresses on and is now aware that Englehorn is aware of the distress signal but is unable to pick them up because he needs a stretch of water land.
Soon after, they meet up with the second boat consisting of Choy, Lumpy and Preston trying to get ashore but despite of their best tries, the rough seas pull them away. Hayes, before they get lost in the fog, told them to land as soon as they can before the party progresses to the catacombs where they are attacked by snakes in large sizes. After a brief gunfight, Hayes and Carl are separated from Jack and Ann.
Unknown to Carl and Hayes, Jack and Ann progresses on and encounter creatures what resembles of Forficula which is stronger than any form of firearms. They are killed swiftly when Jack and Ann kills them with spears. A while after, they meet up with Hayes and Carl again but this time they are unable to move on together as there is a huge gap between them. Hayes hands Jack a rifle Englehorn dropped earlier on and they move on in groups.
Making their way, after many close encounters, Jack and Ann are ambushed and captured by the island's natives. Jack is tied to a pole and left to die while Ann is offered as a sacrifice to appease a massive ape, whom the natives call Kong.
Carl finds Jack and rescues him, and the two head deeper into the jungle to try and regroup with the others and find Kong as well as rescue Ann from the beast. Soon after, they reunite with Hayes who is armed with a Thompson of which he hands to Jack. The trio progress on and suddenly hear gunfires as well as screams along with roars by an unknown creature of which Hayes mistakes it as the ape. They eventually meet up with Preston, Lumpy, Jimmy and Choy who are crossing a tall bridge in distance. After a brief warning by Preston of what is described of some kind of huge monster, they are then attacked by a V-Rex who immediately eats up Choy, destroying the bridge completely. Jimmy and Lumpy fall down as the bridge breaks down but Preston got to the other side of bridge, alive. He then retreats to unknown location as the V-Rex resumes it's attack to Hayes, Carl and Jack. Jack managed to bait the huge monster by luring his attention to bats and even to himself and after the group reaching the dead-end way, the monster lost interest of them after hearing Ann screaming for help in distance.
Jack is separated from Hayes and Carl to find Ann.
-- More to write. --
(More to be added)
Differences From The Movie
The plot loosely follows the film on which it is based, however, it diverges in many ways in order to make it better fit the flow of an action game.
- The Story starts upon the arrival at Skull Island. Leaving the ship.
- The ship does not hit rocks and begin to sink. As a result Carl, Jack, Ann and Preston do not go ashore behind Englehorn's back, in fact they are accompanied by Hayes.
- Fewer Crew member go ashore initially. Englehorn doesn't go ashore at all.
- Englehorn doesn't go ashore at all, however periodically seen in a sea plane and make supply drops.
- The shore party encounters the creatures of the island long before the natives.
- Jack witnesses Ann's abduction by Kong.
- The crew do not return to the ship after their encounter with the natives, only to return after Ann's kidnapping.
- Lumpy looks completely different (ignoring the sailor who was going ashore that looked more like him), he is eaten by the V-Rex instead of being killed by Carnictises, which are in fact absent from the game.
- Choy's death is not witnessed.
- Preston and Baxter die in the game.
- There are no monsters in the chasm after the log.
- After rescuing Ann, Kong initially does not try to stop her leaving with Jack, Carl, and Jimmy.
- Carl departs from the group after the camera breaks and returns to the ship at which point he plans the ambush for Kong.
- Hayes is trampled by a V-Rex instead of being killed by Kong, though he manages to live long enough to tell Jimmy to get back to the ship.
- Ann is taken by Kong a second time, but this time, it's because she called him, so he would defend her and the others from a V-Rex.
- When Jack goes to Kong's lair to rescue Ann, Kong is woke by Ann's screams when she was and Jack were attacked by a Piranhadon, instead of Kong just randomly waking up.
- Kong is not kept in a theatre in the game, and instead just kept on a stage in an alley.
- Jack does not try to lure Kong away with a taxi.
- Kong's final standoff against the Bi-planes happens at night instead of at Dawn.
- There is an alternate ending in which Kong survives the assault by the airplanes, with the help of Jack and Englehorn, and is returned to Skull Island.
Gameplay
In the game, the player assumes the roles of both New York scriptwriter Jack Driscoll and the legendary giant gorilla, Kong as they struggle to survive the threats of Skull Island in 1933.
PS2, Nintendo DS, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PC
Jack Driscoll Levels
Jack's levels take the form of a first person shooter. Jack can can carry one gun and one spear, though he must drop his spear to use his gun. Guns must be readied to shoot, they can be fired from the hip or aimed down sights for better accuracy at the cost of mobility. They can also be used to melee enemies to gain some breathing room. Spears can be used to stab enemies or be thrown to impale them, they can be lit on fire for greater damage. On certain occasions the player will be left defenseless and having no alternative but to run from enemies.
There are also some puzzle solving and exploration elements with certain areas being blocked by bushes which must be burned to proceed. Spiders may be in an area which will attempt to eat Jack if he comes too close, they must be lured away from the area by using small creatures as bait. Handles for door cranks may need to be retrieved in order to proceed.
In the console and pc versions, Jack will be joined by AI companions at most times, who will offer assistance in fights as well as puzzle solving. Weapons can be traded, and they can be talked to.
Kong Levels
The Kong levels take place in a third person view with a beat 'em up gameplay style with platforming. Kong can punch, bite, charge, and grab enemies which will result in them being thrown, slammed or ripped apart. He can also use objects/corpses as weapons.
Kong can also pound his chest to go into fury mode, during which the sky becomes tinted with a golden hue and Kong becomes more powerful and less vulnerable to attack.
On larger enemies, such as the V-Rex or the Queen Terapusmordax Kong can perform b
Many of the Kong sequences fulfill the role of boss fights, as the giant ape is able to effectively battle the gigantic creatures that Jack's weapons cannot harm.
Gameboy Advance
The game takes on the playstyle of a top down adventure RPG.
Levels
The game consists of 40 core missions and one bonus stage that must be unlocked to be seen.
- The Venture
- Skull Island
- Necropolis
- Scorpions
- The Wall
- Sacrifice
- On Kong's Tracks
- Hayes
- V-Rex
- Ann
- Kong
- The Canyon
- Millipedes
- Brontosaurus
- Jimmy
- On The Raft
- Rapids
- Fight
- Swamps
- Chased by V-Rex
- The Log
- The Skull Islanders
- To Save Ann
- The Cave
- Venatosaurus
- In The Mud
- Call Kong
- Kong to the Rescue
- To the Plane
- To the Lair
- Kong's Lair
- Fight in the Lair
- Free!
- Chased by Kong
- Heading Back
- Back to the Village
- Kong's Capture
- Kong Struck Down
- In The Streets of New York
- Empire State Building/Kong's Death
- Alternate Ending*
Note: * indicates that level must be unlocked.
Characters
- Jack Driscoll: A playwright from New York. He is commissioned by Carl Denham to write the script for his movie. During the voyage he falls in love with Ann Darrow, Carl's leading lady. Upon reaching Skull Island, Jack goes ashore with the rest of the crew, only to be attacked by vicious creatures and captured by the natives. He heads further into the island to save Ann from the hands of Kong, who the natives seem to worship as a god.
- Ann Darrow: A down-on-her-luck actress who Carl hired to be the leading lady in his new film. Upon reaching the island, Ann is captured by the natives and offered as a sacrifice to Kong. Ann is a key companion to both Jack and Kong. Ann can climb to reach areas in order to help the player progress, by burning structures using fire and can also heal teammates.
- Carl Denham: A movie producer with who is risking all he has to make his new movie. Carl cares very little for the safety of the crew, and has been shown to be only interested in finishing his fillm. His camera is eventually destroyed in an encounter with Kong over a log bridge, deciding he cannot leave the island empty handed, he plots to catch the great ape himself, in order to profit off him. He cannot use firearms, and relies on spears. While sometimes he can be useful for killing enemies, he usually stands back from the fighting to film the wonders of Skull Island.
- Hayes: Englehorn's first mate. A former infantry man in World War I. Hayes is still carries the mindset of a soldier, his first priority is the safety of those around him, he is constantly aggravated by Denham's recklessness and dismissal of impending danger. He sometimes gives Jack useful weapons and is the only comrade on the island who can kill enemies with firearms as well as Jack Driscoll, making him your most useful ally.
- Kong: A 25 foot gorilla who is the last of his kind. You can play as Kong in the game. He protects Ann and kills different creatures in her defense. He can climb walls, lift stone pillars, swing from branches and even unlock pathways. He is killed when he is shot down and falls from the Empire State Building, although he can be saved and returned to his lair on Skull Island in the alternate ending.
- Captain Englehorn: Captain of the Venture, Englehorn flies around the island in a seaplane, dropping crates of ammunition. He comes to retrieve Jimmy while Jack heads to Kong's lair in To the Plane. He is playable in the alternate ending, as he pilots the plane the player uses to try and save Kong.
- Jimmy: The youngest member of the Venture crew. He came ashore in another boat along with Preston and Lumpy. Like Carl and Ann, he can only use spears and is an easy target for most creatures. Jimmy has a knack for getting into trouble and frequently requests Jack's assistance. Jimmy is later rejoined with the group in the level 'Jimmy', but leaves your group in 'To the Plane' additionally with Hayes' death, you are alone from then on.
- Preston: Carl's assistant who ventures ashore with Lumpy and Jimmy in another boat. He is the only one of his group (Jimmy and Lumpy.) to make it across the ravine. How he died is never explained. When Jack, Carl, and Hayes find Jimmy, Jimmy says that Preston was killed. But that is unlikely since in the V-Rex level when Lumpy and Jimmy's team is on the bridge, he is the only one not to fall down into the ravine.
- Lumpy: The cook on board the Venture, Lumpy went with Preston and Jimmy in another boat. He is eaten by a V-Rex after a failed attempt to defend Jimmy in the level V-Rex. But there is a model in The Venture on the second boat along his other model with a yellow shirt with long sleeves who has Lumpy's face. It is mistaken or meant to be Choy.
- Choy: Lumpy's assistant on the second boat along the others, it is unknown who Choy was, but possibly was supposed to be the one with the hat, because there is a sailor beside him on the second boat with long yellow sleeves that looks more like Lumpy. Choy's model is seen in the V-Rex level, but was meant to be Lumpy.
- Baxter: Is one of the sailors with the rest of the crew, he is seen on the third boat with Jimmy. He and Jimmy are seen again in the V-Rex level and he and Jimmy fall into a chasm which sends them to an unknown location. Baxter's body is seen on The Canyon level and was killed by the Terapusmordax, he is covered in deep wounds, another body can be seen similar to his in To Save Ann it is unknown who the sailor was. His model looks similar to Briggs's because they both look the same.
- Briggs: A sailor who tries to come ashore with the main cast, but is killed when a rock falls on the boat.
- Sailors: Several of the Venture crew go ashore and are killed by the island's vicious inhabitants. Choy and Bruce Baxter are among them. Baxter's body is seen in The Canyon. He is believed to have been killed by the Terapusmordax.
Pictures Of The Characters
Weapons
Firearms
- Pistol (Luger P08)
- Shotgun (Winchester 1897)
- Sniper Rifle (Gewehr 98)
- Machine Gun (Thompson M1928)
Spears
- Native Spears
- Bone shards
Enemies
Island Creatures
Around 13 specific offensive creatures appear in the game, but these can be grouped into generalized categories: V-Rexes, Venatosaurus, Terapusmordax, Skull Island Neopedes, Pirahnadons, Giant Crabs, Swarm Spiders, and the Skull Island Natives.
- Vastatosaurus Rex: The most powerful foe in the game, V-Rexes are larger descendants of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. They are huge predators with a bite that kills, the brute strength to break down stone structures, and armored hides that a shotgun cannot penetrate. As Jack, V-Rexes are invulnerable, which is despised by first-person shooter fans; only Kong can injure or kill one, though Jack shooting a V-Rex can temporarily anger it and slow its progress. Around 15 in total are encountered in the game; 8 (9 if you count the one Kong killed in the cutscene before the level Ann) adults are killed eventually by Kong.Only 1 is killed by Jack in the level Rapids if you counts the glitch in that level. Two varieties exist; the near-invincible adults and the killable (but barely) adolescents. The juveniles can stand about 3 magazines of machine-gun fire; the adults can take anything Jack can give out. The adults perform several attacks when facing Kong; charge, tail-whip, headbutt, and, most devastatingly, tackle in a which a V-Rex tackle will force Kong on his knees and could kill him with one bite to the throat.
- Piranhadon: Snake-like creatures encountered only in the level Fight in the Lair and used as cover for Jack and Ann to escape the giant gorilla. The beasts are very hard to grab as Kong and can slither on walls. They attack Kong by lunging out open-jawed at him and will make a move on ripping out his throat when Kong grabs one successfully. 2 forms are seen; the 50 foot females and the much smaller males.
- Venatosaurus: 2 species of Skull Island dromeosaurs, Venatosaurs are better known by the larger species, V. saevidicus. The larger animal is a pack hunter, using numbers to herd prey into an ambush or operating singly to hunt smaller prey, like Jack. They're typically a greenish shade with a slight blue or silver tint on the back. Despite their formidable hyperextendable claws, they only attack with their jaws. The smaller species, V. impavidus, operates in small groups and is surprisingly weak in terms of endurance. The V. impavidus is a steely gray color with blue-black markings on its back. V. saevidicus can take about 50 machine-gun rounds; with V. impavidus only 2 to 5 shots will do.
- Volucerictis: The flying enemies of the film and game, the flying rodents of the family Volucerattidae were indigenous to the island and characterized by the vicious 4-foot tall Terapusmordax. This species is the only one in the game, with the mountain species aside. The 3 Terapusmordax encountered are either juveniles, adults, or the huge Queens. The juveniles and adults are innumerable foes, while only 5 Queen Terapusmordax are ever seen, 3 killed by Kong to save Ann. The pups are dog-sized, while the adults are man-sized monsters. The Queens are the size and bulk of pickup trucks yet can be slain by man. Pups and adults attack Jack by slashing with their foot claws and cling to and nip at Kong. The Queens swoop down screaming at either Jack or Kong. All but the Queens can take up to 8 machine-gun rounds, whereas the Queens can withstand 2 magazines of machine-gun rounds; due to their circling flight, they are harder to hit.
A second variety of flying predator appears in the mountain ruins near Kong's Lair. By their looks it's possible they are actually Pugbats, but could also be Skin-Birds due to their choice of habitat. In the Xbox 360 version, they look the same as Terapusmordax.
- Neopedes: This family of Skull Island exclusive centipedes is represented in the game by the generic 'Megapede' and the Scorpio-pede. The 'Megapede' is a large basically-built millipede that can climb on walls, swim, leap out at threats, and constrict humans. They make their homes in holes of walls of caves or near water; the best way to avoid an attack is to shoot at any holes until a satisfactory shrill of death is heard from the giant arthropod. 'Megapedes' can handle up to 10 machine-gun shots thanks to their rigid exoskeleton. Another variety of Megapede (possibly one of the canopy species) can be found through the game. These are black in colour, and much slimmer and more agile than regular Megapedes. They will also engage the latter in combat.
- Scorpio-pedes are actually 3 feet long and herbivorous; they were increased in size and made predatory in the game for thematic reasons. The creatures are distinguished from scorpions by the lack of pincers. Commonly found in the native ruins and grassy patches in the networks of canyons, Scorpio-pedes will charge Jack with their tail raised to sting him. They are remarkably durable for invertebrates, withstanding up to 25 machine-gun rounds. Both are highly vulnerable to spears, which will split their primitive arthropod armor.
- 'Udusaurs': Amphibious reptiles that appear in the swamps, resembling giant salamanders. They hide on the bottom, only exposing themselves when surfacing in a splash of water to rush their prey open-jawed. They take up to 15 machine-gun rounds to kill, but are hard to hit as they swim rather quickly. Compared to a crocodile by Carl and Hayes. These are the only enemy who is not featured in the movie continuity.
- Cunaepraedator: One of the many native crabs of Skull Island, they are vastly exaggerated in the game, appearing much larger in size, temper and with an aquatic lifestyle as opposed to the terrestrial nature of the originals. All the crabs live near water, whether on the coast, in flooded caves, or even in water tables in the canyons. They typically rush forth sideways then turn around to snap out at any humans nearby. A really large crab was met on the coast, and was able to tear down native scaffolding in its way. The usual size will succumb from eight or more machine-gun rounds, while the true giant can tolerate 40 similar rounds. Like the Neopedes, the crabs are at huge risk from spear attacks. These could be one of several giant crabs found on Skull Island.
- Moonspiders: These nasty little predators are the only truly invincible enemy in the game, as shooting has no effect and even V-Rexes can be killed by Kong at least. The only way to evade them mentioned in the instruction manual is to bait them away with a captured dragonfly, larva, or baby swampcrawler, but throwing a spear on fire will also disperse them to pass safely. They also kill immediately when they attack, as does falling off a scaffold and walking into a fire. If Kong leaves Ann unattended and begins to wander away in a Kong level, Moonspiders will attack her.
- Skull Islanders: The natives of Skull Island are hostile towards Kong and Jack and his group. They are easily killed especially while being Kong. While Kong, one hit can take out a group (8 or so). Jack cannot directly engage the natives, and must fight them by burning down the structures they are standing on.
Harmless creatures
- Bait Creatures: The island is home to 3 types of harmless animals that can be used as bait to distract predatory species. The 3 are the giant dragonflies, a type of larva, and the aquatic swampcrawler babies. They can be speared and thrown attached to attract aggressive animals and away from Jack or into the open to be killed by Jack. Dragonflies are always found near thorny bushes; the larva are usually in native structures and caves, while swampcrawlers are typically found in pools in caves and occasionally in the jungle. If Jack throws a spear with a bait creature attached at an enemy other enemies will attack it to get at the bait.
- Brontosaurus: A colossal species of Skull Island sauropod, Brontosaurs are found in the canyon migrating to new food resources. They are invincible but can feel Jack's weapons and subsequently stampede. Being kicked by one can be lethal, while being stomped on by one will kill. One is killed out of sight by a V-Rex near the end of the 'raptor relay' of the stage "Brontosaurus".
- Scavenging Birds: Birds can be seen circling in the canyons, around the native ruins, or near any carcasses in the open. If a player is patient, they can be shot and killed.
New York City enemies
The enemies in New York City are no different than the natives found on Skull Island, except that they have more advanced weaponry and are a lot stronger.
- Human Soldiers: These soldiers in New York City use spotlights to find Kong. They will try to shoot him down with their machine guns. They are mostly found on top buildings. Kong can easily kill a Human Soldier with one hit.
- Police Cars: There are many police cars patrolling the streets to hunt down Kong. They are fast and the camera view will change if Kong is being attacked by police cars. Their guns are weaker, but if they shoot Kong enough, they can harm or kill him. Kong can easily speed up with a police car and destroy it with one hit.
- Military Trucks: These trucks are a real threat to Kong. The trucks don't move, but they are very powerful. They can easily kill Kong with two cannon blasts. However, Kong can destroy one by hitting it, throwing cars at it or, as on one occasion, jumping from a building and crushing the enemy with his impact.
- Army Biplanes: The biplanes are the biggest threat Kong will face. They will shoot Kong on the Empire State Building, and fly past him. Though their bullets are very powerful, they are very easy to destroy - Kong can either grab or hit out at them.
Releases
It was released on sixth generation platforms on November 17, 2005, as well as a mobile version also released in Winter 2005, developed by Gameloft[1]. In the United States, the Game Boy Advance version is titled Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World. All film cast members reprise their roles.
The Xbox 360 release featured improved graphics and audio over the sixth generation console releases. The PC download version (known as the "Gamer's Edition", no longer available) also included these improved features.
The "Special Edition" version of the game was available for a limited time. Along with the two standard game discs, included are: A bonus disc, containing concept art and a screensaver; and a making-of disc, containing a featurette with Peter Jackson. There was an error in the printing of the discs and the disc labelled "Making of" was actually the "Bonus" disc and vice-versa. The signature edition also comes with a Topps trading card of King Kong, a code for a downloadable ringtone, and a cover signed by Peter Jackson.
Reception
| [hide] Reception | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| 1UP.com | A-[2] |
| Game Informer | 8.5 out of 10[3] |
| GameSpot | 8.2 out of 10[4]DS: 2.8 out of 10[5]PC: 8.1 out of 10[6] |
| GameSpy | [7] |
| IGN | 8 out of 10[8] |
| Nintendo Power | 9.0 out of 10[citation needed]DS: 3.5 out of 10[citation needed] |
| X-Play | (Xbox 360)[citation needed] |
Upon release, the game received critical acclaim, with critics praising the game's immersive environments, action sequences and ability to switch through two protagonists throughout the game. However, the DS version was panned due to the bugs featured in these versions. And the PSP version received mix reception due to the shorter length and parts cut out from the console and PC versions.
Awards
Spike TV Awards for-
- Best Leading Male Performance- Jack Black as Carl Denham
- Best Action Game
- Best Video Game Based on a Movie
The game was humorously awarded the 'Most Long-Winded Game Title' in the "Dubious Honors" category of GameSpot's 'Best of 2005'. It was included on Game Informer's "Top 50 Games of 2005" list and it was placed #10 on the "Top 10 Heroes of 2005" list.[citation needed]
Technical issues
Symptomatic of early seventh generation console games, the Xbox 360 version was only correctly set up for HDTV, leaving the image on standard-definition TVs very dark and unsatisfactory for gameplay. As a result, Ubisoft recommended fans buy the Xbox version until a fix for the problem was produced.[12] The patch was eventually released.
The Xbox version is not currently backwards compatible with the Xbox 360.
The PC version is also known to utilize the StarForce copy protection system, which may cause unforeseen difficulties for players. Warning: This version of Starforce's copy protection is NOT compatible with Windows 7 and your computer will likely not boot up again.
The Playstation 2 version has a glitch on the level "Kong To The Rescue". When jumping off of the wall and onto the sinking pillar, attempting to jump too late to the other side of the wall will result in Kong completely missing it, flying through, and tumbling outside the game's world, causing death.
Trivia
- While on skull island, Jack never directly fights with the natives. However, It's possible to shoot some of them on the level "On the raft". Using the pistol or machine gun, you can shoot directly at the skull islanders and they will fall off the bridge in a motion appearing they have been shot. This will not stop them from spawning in and they will continue to appear until the bridge is destroyed. It's possible to do this on other levels, but they move to fast in other levels for you to get a clear shot.
- Ann is able to heal team mates and climb in order to clear the way for players. This was probably done to make her seem much more useful, since many gamers have a negative view on escort missions involving unhelpful characters.