Heterogeneous Shed

King Kong (2005, Ubisoft) PS2, XBox, XBox 360, GameCube and PC. (also available on Nintendo DS, Gameboy Advance and PSP).

Peter Jackson knew which creative bods to go to and knew exactly what he wanted when it came to adapting the interactive iteration of his blockbuster movie. Which is why Kong is absolutely spot-on in terms of its presentation, atmosphere and unparalleled visuals. Without any hint of hyperbole, it’s true that graphically Kong blows away most games available on current hardware; they’re really that good. You’ll take great pleasure in admiring your celebrity-faced team’s fully realised AI too. On the whole your teammates are pretty intelligent and resourceful with the exception of Jimmy and Mr. Hayes, the latter squealing for help like a lost child at any given opportunity. It’s unintentionally hilarious at times.
This being a first-person action game devoid of any on-screen furniture, you’re fully immersed in Skull Island’s primitive jungle surroundings. This is further enhanced by the island’s own unique ecosystem that would have David Attenbrough getting hot under the collar. The accompanying soundscape is exceptional too.
Combat mainly involves chucking spears and pointy bones, which are found dotted around frequently. Guns are satisfyingly beefy to handle, but it’s spears that you’ll come to rely upon. You’ll need them to burn away obstructive thorn bushes and impale marauding monsters, which happens to be the game’s central objective. There’s are a lot of undergrowth to be burnt in order to progress and it’s not long before a slight feeling of repetition starts to creep in.
Sections that have you playing Kong are interspersed into the narrative and manage to stave off this repetition slightly. These mainly involve swinging around like a hairy, 25-foot Prince of Persia squishing tiny natives and kicking dino arse along the way. Overall, Kong the game is a satisfying journey, which despite its brevity is still one you’d be bananas not to embark upon.