Despite its high price point of $49.99, the newly released game Skull Island: Rise of Kong has been criticized widely on social media for its disappointing graphics and overall lack of quality. Released for consoles and PCs, the game is available on the PlayStation Store with a 25% discount for PS Plus members.
Within a short time of its release, players took to Twitter and other social media platforms to share their dismay. One clip, liked over 30,000 times, showcased a cut scene where the developers seemed to have inserted a static image as a placeholder for unfinished animation. Another video, posted by a King Kong fan account, described the combat scenes in the game as “low effort shovelware.”
The dissatisfaction among users has reached a point where some call the game “a complete scam.” The sentiment is apparent in tweets and video shares warning potential buyers to stay away from the game.
“DO NOT BUY THE NEW KING KONG GAME. IT IS A COMPLETE SCAM,” warned one Twitter user, who goes by the handle RickDaSquirrel.
https://twitter.com/RickDaSquirrel/status/1714014780346806395
Considering the popularity of the King Kong franchise, the release of Skull Island: Rise of Kong had the potential to be a significant addition to the video game market. However, the initial reception suggests that it has fallen quite short of expectations. One tweet even went as far as to say, “I take back every bad thing I said about Godzilla PS4.”
The development team, identified by some Twitter users as a company that tends to produce “low effort shovelware,” is now under the spotlight for their handling of this much-loved Intellectual Property (IP).
“This costs 40 dollars and is made by people that make low effort shovelware with big IP franchises,” tweeted KongShots, another disappointed fan.
“Gameplay” of Skull Island: Rise of Kong.
This costs 40 dollars and is made by people that make low effort shovelware with big IP franchises.
The modern LJN pic.twitter.com/YjHqOeoosr
— King Kong Perfect Shots (@KongShots) October 16, 2023