Kong: Survivor Instinct

In a gaming landscape filled with monster-slaying epics, Kong: Survivor Instinct takes a refreshingly different approach. This 2.5D action-adventure title doesn’t put you in the massive footsteps of the iconic Kong, but rather places you at ground level, experiencing the terrifying reality of being human in a world of titans. As David Martin, players navigate a monster-ravaged cityscape in search ...

Skull Island: Rise of Kong was one of the most maligned titles of 2023, even if I didn’t think it was worth all the “worst game of the year” badges of (dis)honor it received. With that being said, I was pretty sure no one else would be crazy enough to make yet another game based on King Kong that soon. I half expected for people to just wait for a few years before trying again with another concept...

Kong: Survivor Instinct looks rather nice, and its 2.5D action-adventure gameplay is somewhat enjoyable despite being quite basic. It's just a shame that there's so much clunky human-on-human combat, which is not fun in the slightest, and that manipulating its gargantuan monsters is simply a case of gathering collectibles.

A rugged platformer, but a dire Metroidvania, struggling to truly feel like a part of its namesakes legacy.