The label of “metroidvania” carries nearly 40 years of gaming history, and a fair amount of expectation from me. A genre that has dipped in and out of the limelight over the decades, it has seen a number of excellent entries released over 2024. But if I may further bastardise the great Bard’s quote, “Heavy is the head that wears the metroidvania crown,” and Kong: Survivor Instinct wears it well. It may be a bit bent, and a few sizes too small, but it pulls it off.
As a huge fan of metroidvanias, I didn’t really know what to expect from Kong: Survivor Instinct. It wasn’t a combination I had ever considered. When thinking of video game adaptions of the Monsterverse in the past, I can’t say I was filled with much hope. But I have to hand it to the team at 7Levels, they have done a solid job of raising the bar with Kong: Survivor Instinct.
The game is a 2.5D side-scrolling action metroidvania, fully 3D with a fixed camera perspective. You play as David, an oil rig worker who is trying to find his daughter Stacy amidst the chaos. Spread over several districts, David must navigate a city under siege, from decimated suburban streets to partially collapsed skyscrapers. Along the way, David will uncover what had caused this sudden attack, revealing ties to other pieces of Monsterverse media that fans will no doubt enjoy. Kong: Survivor Instinct isn’t just a movie tie-in, but a full-fledged canon part of this universe.
I do feel that calling Kong: Survivor Instinct a metroidvania stretches the term somewhat. Yes, there are checkpoints throughout each area which you can teleport between, and you do return to areas as the game progresses. That said, it never felt natural to revisit a previous area unless the plot took me there. There was never a need to return to a previous zone to unlock a new path or reach an area that was previously inaccessible. The game is far more linear in nature, with you only needing to keep a keen eye on your surroundings as you move through them. As much as this is not the sole characteristic of a metroidvania, it is a core one, and I can see how fans may find this disappointing.
The narrative of the game is rather rote, with predictable plot beats and an ending you could see coming a mile off the coast. However, as a vehicle for a metroidvania it makes perfect sense, and ultimately did the job of creating a through plot for me to follow. It certainly wasn’t what kept me playing, but also wasn’t a massive deterrent. Afterall, the human element of these kaiju stories is never really the interesting part. Fans of the Monsterverse will no doubt get more out of it due to it’s ties to other pieces of media.
Though the areas of the city may not stand in stark contrast from one another, each one is given enough details to help establish where the player is. The rubble strewn wards of St. Joachim’s Hospice are clearly different to the crumbling high-rise rooftop apartments. There is no need for overt world design or saturated colours; Kong: Survivor Instinct is going for a realistic experience, keeping with the serious tone present in most Monsterverse media.
This more grounded feel, minus the giant monsters, is carried through the gameplay as well. David is an athletic individual, but also a regular person without special abilities like double-jumps and air dashes. Running, vaulting, crawling, climbing, and the occasional cable to swing on is how you’ll get about, and that won’t really change through the course of the game (you also get a grappling hook in the last half of the game).
There are no skill trees to level up and no currencies to worry about. Instead, you will search your surroundings for items to use such as keys and gears in order to progress. There are some upgrades and intel logs to collect scattered throughout the game, but other than that David is a man working with what he has.
Despite Kong’s presence, he isn’t actually the biggest obstacle in David’s way. With only a pistol and a lead pipe (later a sledgehammer) to protect himself, he’ll have to contend with the mysterious mercenary group the Hyenas, as well as the spawn of the kaiju themselves. Combat can get tense, especially with multiple assailants, with you having to pay attention to your enemies movements. David’s surroundings can be used to his advantage; hazards that hurt our protagonist, like fire and live electrical cables, will also hurt the goons that attack him.
You’ll notice I referred to kaiju as plural, meaning that the king of the monsters has not come alone. David will encounter and deal with several of these colossal creatures as he progresses through the city.
I think the kaiju are used to great effect throughout Kong: Survivor Instinct. Part of the narrative has David tracking signals left behind by the monsters using a Monarch device he picks up near the beginning of the game. Once all signals are collected they are reorganised to recreate a particular kaiju roar that David can use to lure one of the beasts, leading to them indirectly helping the little human.
The other role they play is as major set pieces, chase sequences where you will have to make it all the way through without being caught by the monster. Thankfully, the game runs quickly and restarting a sequence takes seconds. These moments were exciting and broke up the gameplay the same way boss battles would have, a closeup reminder that these kaiju are not to be taken lightly!
I had a smooth experience playing Kong: Survivor Instinct on my PS5 from start to finish, and I think it looks fantastic. The detailed environments and models look great, and the mocap work used for the humans elevates the overall feel of the game. Bookended by two quite impressive cinematics, the game is a pleasure to look at.
Most of the voice acting in Kong: Survivor Instinct is quite good, except for the game’s protagonist David. To me he sounds more like a gameshow host than a concerned father for most of the game. Sound design is clean and matched up nicely with animations, this really comes through when dealing with some of the Hyenas or a kaiju chasse sequence. The game’s music is serviceable, matching the action on the screen, but is made up of short loops that don’t leave a lasting impression.
Overall, I had a great time playing through Kong: Survivor Instinct, with my first playthrough at just under 6 hours. While it may not be the most ground-breaking metroidvania with a few flaws, it is a fun, well designed experience that I think Monsterverse fans in particular will surely go ape over.
Kong: Survivor Instincts was played on PlayStation 5 for this review.
Kong: Survivor Instincts is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
The post Kong: Survivor Instinct – Review appeared first on Gamer Social Club.