Donkey Kong this aint. Mark gets down to a different kind of jungle beat...

Hollywood blockbusters typically have a rough time of it in the silicon valley of videogame land. In fact, while technology advances and the medium grows, most movie licences usually receive a lukewarm critical reaction at best. These games aren't necessarily bad, but just offer very little in the way of new gaming experiences - a sometimes disappointing middle ground for the most exhilarating fresh cinematic IP.

Of course, it's easily argued that big brand games need to do very little to succeed - that familiarity for fans breeds contentment. Peter Jackson disagrees. The Director of the new King Kong wants the videogame adaptation of his latest film to be up there with the best of 'em. And to achieve this, he's personally brought in the designer of one of his favourite games - a title amongst the best and most tragically overlooked this generation.

Beyond Good and Evil was a wonderful, original action adventure game that got lost amongst the sea of titles in the 2003 Christmas rush. A creative masterwork, its unfortunate commercial fate only highlighted the irony of average titles topping the charts. Is originality dead? Are film licenced games consigned to a quality control purgatory? Not if Ubisoft's Michel Ancel has anything to say about it. With Ancel at the helm, videogame King Kong has the cultural clout of a major film licence, the visual flair to wow the games-buying public, and, most importantly, it has the visionary game designer's digital paw print all over it.

So then, Kong. Everyone knows him; the giant 50 foot gorilla, king of the jungle, with a penchant for milk-skinned western blonde chicks. Kong lives on an island inhabited by dinosaurs and a primitive native human tribe who like nothing more than sacrificing long locked virgins to our hairy primate pal. That fine balance gets tipped right on its head when a film crew turn up and the tribe abduct its leading lady, Ann Darrow, for Kong's… erm, pleasure. Luckily, the giant is quite taken with the foxy actress (played in the film by Naomi Watts) and takes it upon himself to protect her from the island's dangers. Thing is, that keeps putting her in harm's way, so film crew member Jack Driscoll - who also carries a torch for dear Ann - sets out to rescue her.

And that's about where the game starts off. So far so expected, you may think; but that's where Ancel's influence kicks in to offer a surprise gaming treat. Where Beyond Good and Evil was famed for its varied play styles and combination of combat, puzzle solving and smart storytelling, King Kong allows players a similar breadth of experience with multiple perspectives on the adventure.

Taking control of Jack Driscoll is a hair-raising experience. Controlled through a first-person perspective, the early code we played had us distracting an enormous hulking Tyrannosaurus Rex while one of Jack's film team tried to open a nearby gate. Fending off a larger than life lizard with little more than a comparative popgun and a few spears is a disconcerting scene, especially when its razor-toothed jaws skulk ominously towards you. In fact, this more often than not led to our death. However, it's also a rewarding section when the realisation dawns that the carnivore is hungry, and shooting down nearby flying dinosaurs will provide the time you need to get to cover. It's this use of the gameworld's organic environment and fast-thinking puzzle solving that adds a classy edge to Driscoll's side of the production.

The real talking point however was always going to be playing as Kong himself. By all rights, his sheer size alone should make controlling the gorilla a slow, ambling stop-start affair. We were expecting unresponsive controls and an avatar with the turning circle of a small town. Like Chertsey. Imagine our surprise at picking up the pad to battle a T-Rex only to find the fight handling like a sort of wrestling-light - the titular ape able to swing his enormous paws to devastating effect, charge with his full weight in an American Football inspired shoulder tackle, and even pick up his foe for an eponymous Gorilla Press Slam. The fight ended with us lying on the dinosaur's back and pulling apart its massive jaws until the game gave a very audible snap sound, and it went limp beneath Kong's monkey hide. Shudder-inducing, but ultimately very satisfying.

Though we found that impressive, nothing prepared us for what came next. Calling the platform sections of King Kong a sort of context-sensitive Prince of Persia wouldn't be going too far. While the danger of mistiming a jump and falling to your death are absent from the movie-inspired game, the two titles share distinct similarities in a sense of scale and aerial acrobatics. Indeed, that the jungle setting and the ape himself are so beautifully realised only adds to the epic feel. Kong swings between branches, crawls along vines and soars through the air with balletic grace, his fur flowing and the game's gorgeous animation rendering the whole process effortless. This is as far from our initial expectations as possible; controlling the mammoth monkey is actually an empowering, and incredibly enjoyable experience.

To say our interest has been piqued by King Kong would really not be going far enough. The film is by a now-legendary director, and with an equally high-profile designer in charge, the game is promising to do the movie justice. We can't see enough of movie adaptations like this, and hopes are high that come final release, Kong will be king for deserved reasons.

Preview by: Mark Scott
Version Tested: PS2
Preview Published: 10.11.05