I'm not much of a gamer; besides my PC, my old PS2 is my only gaming console. I recently dusted it off and spent my summer going through my old games, including this one. Upon replay, the greatest aspect of this game for me is the unsettling, anxiety-inducing atmosphere.
As Jack, you have the first-person perspective of someone in this scenario. You know that primal fear instilled by our ancestors of being helpless and hunted in an unfamiliar environment, worrying about encountering a lion, tiger, or saber-toothed cat armed only with spears? This game gave me that same sensation multiplied by a factor of five. I say that because dinosaurs are a lot more intimidating than plain old lions, tigers, and bears. I got very anxious in a level with a lot of Venatosaurus or juvenile V-Rex where I'm low on ammo or don't have a gun at all. Spears aren't very helpful if there's more than one dinosaur. When you're out in the open and you know a big predator is running toward you, your immediate instinct is to run for shelter. It's not just the situation; the game's presentation and stellar atmosphere make it particularly eerie. Many environments are misty/foggy so its hard to see more than 50 yards ahead a lot of the time. The noises they make before their silhouettes appear in the distance are unsettling. There's no health bar, ammo count, or map in the corners of the screen to distract you, allowing you to be more immersed in the situation. Subtle, quiet, and unnerving music cues also help. Some levels that stand out to me are "Hayes", "Brontosaurus", "Venatosaurus", and "To The Lair".
Other than that, here's the rundown of what I liked and didn't like.
Pros:
-Everything mentioned above.
-Very good graphics for a PS2 game.
-The world genuinely feels like an extension of the King Kong (2005) universe.
-Creative liberties with the story are taken, but on its own it works just fine.
-Great music.
Cons:
-Kong's controls are clumsy and consequently his levels aren't very fun.
-Character's mouth movements often don't match what they're saying. Even by 2005 standards that's pretty bad.
-As Jack, the right analog stick doesn't let you look around fast enough for my liking. In an intense, immersive moment, I kept feeling the desire to look quickly, as if it were my own head.
-I like the idea of the burning bushes but they burn way too quickly (then again they could be super flammable Skull Island plants).
-The game is quite short (I beat it in less than six hours on my second playthrough) and unfortunately the lack of upgrades or new levels or other cool things to unlock means there isn't enough replay value to keep me coming back. Besides those four levels I mentioned earlier, there's nothing else I'm dying to experience again. Even that feeling of being prey I mentioned before dwindles once you know how to navigate each level.
This game is worth a playthrough for the atmosphere, but I wouldn't pay a lot for it. I got my copy used and you shouldn't pay anything more than a used price for it. I'd give it a 6.5/10; it's better than a 6 but I'm not sure if I want to round up to a 7, either.
