Skull Island: Rise of Kong
| Skull Island: Rise of Kong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | IguanaBee |
| Publisher(s) | GameMill Entertainment |
| Director(s) | Daniel Winkler |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Programmer(s) | Sebastián Beltrán |
| Composer(s) | Ronny Antares |
| Engine | Unreal Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | October 17, 2023 [1][2] |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
Skull Island: Rise of Kong is a 2023 action-adventure video game developed by IguanaBee and published by GameMill Entertainment, the game is based on Devito Artworks and Merian C. Cooper’s original King Kong Skull Island property.[3]
The game was officially announced on July 20, 2023, after being leaked a day earlier.[4] It was released on October 17, 2023 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PCs via Steam.
Gameplay
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (October 2023) |
Plot
 | This article is written like a story. (October 2023) |
Act 1: A Calculated Move
The scene opens on Skull Island, where Kong, having defeated monstrous foes, feels an unexplained emptiness in his giant heart. As he explores the ruins of an ancient civilization, he stumbles upon an old, weathered briefcase among the debris. Inside, to his immense surprise, he finds what can only be described as primitive calculators and ledgers. Kong is fascinated. His enormous fingers delicately pick up a calculator, and it seems the cosmos align. Numbers become his new bananas.
Meanwhile, a struggling New York City accounting firm, "Gorilla & Numbers," faces closure. As they desperately search for a miracle, they catch wind of a beast mastering finances. They laugh it off at first, but desperate times call for desperate measures. They decide: why not hire Kong, the calculating giant?
Act 2: From Beast to Bookkeeper
The firm reaches out to Monarch, the multinational organization monitoring giant monsters. After endless negotiations and several incidents involving oversized office furniture, Kong is brought on board, becoming the Big Apple's largest Certified Primate Accountant (CPA). He's a natural, handling multiple accounts with ease, and perhaps the only accountant in history capable of intimidating clients into never attempting tax evasion.
However, the stress of corporate life starts to weigh on Kong. He needs an outlet. One evening, on his gigantic tablet, he discovers something that captivates him - dance videos! From ballet to breakdance, Kong is enthralled. He's got rhythm; he's got music; who could ask for anything more? By day, a number cruncher; by night, a dance floor crusher. He starts incorporating moves into his daily life, doing the moonwalk while balancing accounts, and the occasional pirouette during coffee breaks.
Act 3: Boogies and Budget Reports
Kong's passion does not go unnoticed. The city is abuzz with rumors of a giant who's got moves. A renowned but jaded dance choreographer, Stella Starsteps, seeks inspiration and finds it looking up—way, way up—at Kong. She convinces him to join her new, innovative dance project: "Skyscraper Ballet."
It's a massive success! Kong combines raw emotion with delicate steps, performing breathtaking duets with tower cranes, and pirouetting around the Empire State. He's not just a star; he's the whole constellation, bringing joy to the people who once feared him.
Epilogue: King of Spreadsheets and Stages
The closing scenes show Kong achieving a harmonious balance in life. By day, he helps "Gorilla & Numbers" reach new financial heights (figuratively and literally). By night, he's the city's darling, leading flash mobs and using his unique dance style to raise funds for rebuilding Skull Island, promoting a message of peace, acceptance, and self-discovery.
As the screen fades to black, we see Kong atop the Empire State Building, not with a damsel in distress, but with a tablet and stylus, finishing some last-minute budgeting, before he taps 'play' on his favorite dance track and shimmies into the New York night skyline. The credits roll to Kong's signature dance move, the "Kong-a-line," joined by the entire city, humans and creatures alike, in a celebration of unity.
Development
Joe Devito, writer and illustrator of the novel Kong: King of Skull Island, was involved with the development of the game, stating, "I could not be more excited to be working with GameMill Entertainment’s talented team that will provide both King Kong fans and gamers the chance to experience King Kong’s primordial world in a gamified way".[5][3]
Reception
Upon release, the game was criticized for its boring combat, generic gameplay, poorly designed levels, and dated graphics. Phil Hornshaw pf IGN described the game as "ugly and full of bugs", stating "at its core, it’s just boring. It makes no meaningful attempts to do anything new or clever".[6]
In one particular cutscene that was spread online via Twitter,[7] King Kong has a flashback to his past while encountering an enemy, with a poorly edited image being presented on screen to represent the flashback before Kong leaps at the enemy.[8][9] The cutscenes animation was described by Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku as being equivalent to a "broken animatronic on some long-forgotten abandoned Disney ride".[8]
References
- ^ "Skull Island: Rise of Kong". Steam. Valve. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Mike. "King Kong Returns to Video Games With Action-Adventure Title 'Skull Island: Rise of Kong' [Trailer]". Bloody Disgusting. Bloody Disgusting LLC. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ a b "DEVITO ARTWORKS TEAMS UP WITH GAMEMILL ENTERTAINMENT". Licensing Magazine. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Yang, George. "Skull Island: Rise of Kong Video Game Officially Announced". IGN. IGN. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Nelson, Mike (2023-10-10). "How Skull Island: Rise of Kong Is Inspired by Its Rich Lore". Xbox Wire. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- ^ a b Hornshaw, Phil. "Skull Island: Rise of Kong Review". IGN. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (2023-10-17). "The Internet Is Already Roasting 'Worst Game of 2023' Skull Island: Rise of Kong". IGN. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ a b "New King Kong Game Is Very, Very Bad". Kotaku. 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "Somehow 2023 has a new worst PC game of the year". PCGamesN. 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2023-10-18.