Peter Jackson’s King Kong is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft, based on the 2005 film King Kong. The game was created in collaboration between the film’s director Peter Jackson, and game designer Michel Ancel.
The game allows players to play as both Jack Driscoll and King Kong. The King Kong segments are played from a third-person perspective, while human levels are played from a first-person perspective. The game de-emphasizes the role of a heads-up display, with the developers explaining that this conceivably would help players to get further immersed into the game.
It was released on PC and sixth generation platforms and a Nintendo DS version on November 21, 2005, while it was released on November 22, 2005 on the Xbox 360 as a launch title, as well as a Game Boy Advance version titled Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World; also, a PlayStation Portable version was released December 20, 2005. The film’s cast members reprise their roles.
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. The PSP version received a mixed reception due to the shorter length and parts cut out from the console and PC versions.
In the game, the player assumes the roles of both New York scriptwriter Jack Driscoll and the giant gorilla, Kong as they struggle to survive the threats of Skull Island in 1933.
Human levels are controlled from a first person perspective. The game de-emphasizes the role of a heads-up display: it lacks a life bar, aiming reticule, and ammunition readout (the ammo readout and aiming reticule can be turned on and off at the player’s will, but will be disabled by default.), further adding to the challenge and encouraging the player to find alternate weapons and techniques.[2]
Interspersed with human adventure are levels in which the player controls Kong himself, traversing Skull Island’s unique geography, battling various giant monsters while defending Ann. The Kong levels take place in a third person view, as the player directs Kong to punch, grab and use objects/corpses as weapons. He can also bite, climb, charge, hurl enemies and even pound his chest to go into fury mode.[3] When Kong is sent into fury mode, the sky becomes tinted with a golden hue and Kong becomes more powerful and less vulnerable to attack.[4] 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
