Tech News on G4'Kung Fu' game as good as the movieJuly 3, 2008By John Powell - G4 Canada |
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Just as in the film, an overweight Ailuropoda melanoleuca (voiced by Jack Black) becomes the next Bruce Lee, with paws of fury aplenty. Trained by a rodent sensei, Po the panda bear learns all sorts of special moves including the aforementioned butt drop, a rolling tackle, a powerful punch and more. Although there are fisticuffs galore, there is much more to ‘Kung Fu Panda’ then just kicking butt and kicking it hard. There are tricky puzzles which force children to flex their grey cells and many mini-games which utilize members of the movie’s Furious Five. Heck, we were just happy to play as Angelina Jolie’s character Tigress. Angelina Jolie. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. We liiike. We liiike a lot. Ummm, oh yes, back to the game… Combo attacks are key as is some auspicious button mashing. Eventually, you will face off against Po’s nemesis: Tai Lung, the wicked snow leopard who can paralyze a foe with a single touch. Not someone you want to mess with if you can help it but for Po, he has no choice as it has been preordained that he is the “chosen one”, much to everyone’s surprise.
‘Kung Fu Panda’ roundhouse kicks most other movie games. From the moment the first cut-scene plays and you take control of Po, you can see that the developers have put some serious time and effort into the title. The Jack Black voice clone aside, Luxoflux have cut no corners when it comes to graphics, level design or gameplay that is better suited to those 10 and younger. Mercifully, ‘Kung Fu Panda’ was no rush job and ranks as one of the best children’s games released so far this year.
Kung Fu Panda Rating: 8 / 10
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Besides the laughs and crazy martial arts action, including the biggest butt drop known to mankind, ‘Kung Fu Panda’ has been rightfully praised for its wonderful animation. Fans of the movie will be happy to know that the attention to detail and the brilliant colours have made their way to the Activision video game. No fooling but the game really does look as good as the movie itself.
The game fills in the movie’s plotlines effectively as we learn all about what Po was up to before Tai Lung and his evil laugh showed up. Apparently, Po was kicking the holy heck out of boars, apes, crocodiles, hyenas and other extreme fighting animals as a warm up to the main event.
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