One of the most criticized releases of 2023 was The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. Daedalic Entertainment had to issue a public apology for the game. However, with the launch of Skull Island: Rise of Kong, players suddenly think that Gollum was not that bad.
Skull Island: Rise of Kong was released on October 17, 2023. The game was developed by IguanaBee and published by GameMill Entertainment. Those who have had a stab at the $40 game are advising others not to waste their money. The price of the game on the PlayStation store was $49.99, although PS Plus members received a 25% discount.
“Skull Island: Rise of Kong is a third-person action-adventure exploration game,” read the synopsis that came with the official launch trailer. “Players will be taken on a quest to avenge the death of King Kong’s brother at the hands of Gaw, the alpha predator. Fight waves of primal beasts and defeat the minions of your arch-nemesis as King Kong himself.”
While the synopsis promised lots of exploration and action, players are calling the game a scam because of its poor visuals. Some players said they couldn’t believe any studio would still make such a game in 2023. Social media is crawling with cutscene clips from the game—and they don’t look good. Some areas felt incomplete.
At the time of writing this post, a 15-second video clip that had been viewed over 19 million times on X social media platform showed a scene where the developer inserted a static clip to stand in for an incomplete animation.
Personally, I think GameMill has been publishing lots of subpar games recently. Avatar the Last Airbender: Quest for Balance was also criticized for its muddled gameplay mechanics. You guessed right! The game was also published by GameMill.
Skull Island: Rise of Kong is a strong contender for the worst game of the year
When gamers hear about “big name” IPs being turned into video games, there is always hype and anticipation for them. You can’t just take a name like The Lord of the Rings and churn out a game that a low-budget indie can outclass. People will come for your throat.
The same logic applies to Skull Island: Rise of Kong. What is even more painful is the fact that the last King Kong game was in 2005. Therefore, there has been a longing for this one. Not as if I expected anything spectacular. The announcement trailer was unappealing.
An X user with the handle @RickDaSquirrel shared the clip with the caption, “Actual cutscene. Do not buy the new King Kong game. It is a complete scam”.
I strongly agree with anyone who thinks Skull Island: Rise of Kong is a scam. When you look at the game’s cover art, it is far more attractive and inviting than the actual game. You will see a polished picture of King Kong fighting a horde of colorful monsters. Well, now I know I should avoid games published by GameMill.
@MJ_Hernandez joked, “Spider-Man 2 and Starfield definitely got competition with this game”.
GameMill website claims they have “a proven track record for leveraging the equity of some of the world’s most beloved brands” as well as working with developers “to nimbly bring to life games that delight die-hard and casual gamers alike.”
Well, I have yet to see anyone who was truly delighted by Skull Island: Rise of Kong. GameMill has previously worked on popular titles like Hotel Transylvania, Frozen, Big Hero 6, GI Joe, and Cobra Kai.
Have you seen or played Skull Island: Rise of Kong? Do you think it is worse than The Lord of the Rings? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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