Kung Fu Panda - First Impressions

Just got Kung Fu Panda yesterday, and only got to play it for about 15 mins... But here are some first impressions.


$19.99?!
First thing you'll notice is that this game costs only $19.99 (for PC only) as opposed to other games that shoot above $49.99. What does that mean? Short game? Lack of depth? Or does it simply just suck? We'll find out.

Graphics
Graphics is good, environment is pretty. The environment is gloomy, some people like that, some people don't. I'm one of those people who don't like it that much... I'm usually very picky about game graphics, and sometimes I refuse to play a good (in terms of gameplay/story) game simply because it does not have good graphics - so if I say some game has good graphics, it's good.
The system requirements is not that high either. I'm running it on my Vostro (Duo 2 Core 1.8GHz, 8600MGT not OCed, 2GB RAM), and it runs exceptionally smooth. The only downside is that my resolution is 1280x800, and this type of screen ratio is NOT supported by the game (I'm not sure about 1600x1200). My game visual settings are all on max, as shown below.



Sounds
Of course, Jack Black is not voicing Po (the Panda), Dustin Hoffman isn't voicing Shifu, Angelina Jolie isn't voicing Tigress, Ian McShane isn't voicing Tai Lung, Jackie Chan isn't voicing Monkey, Seth Rogen isn't voicing Mantis, Lucy Liu isn't voicing Viper, David Cross isn't voicing Crane, whatever, you get the gist of it. BUT, the characters in the game sound quite similar to those in the movie. Maybe there are minor differences, but it does not affect the playfulness of the monkey or the calmness of Shifu.

Gameplay
At first, one may think that this game is one of those games that don't go in depth and can be play for 30 minutes or so whenever console gamers have time, but that assumption is wrong. This game is nearly a duplicate of Fable: The Lost Chapters without buying/selling items part. Money in this game is used for something else. The fighting style, skill/upgrade system is nearly identical - you can "buy" or upgrade your health, chi (mana equivalent), shield (like in Super Smash Bros), outfit, and other special attacks/combos with coins you collect throughout the game.



The fighting style is like God of War. You have a button for weak attack, another one for strong attack, and you can use different combinations to make different moves. The weapon system is like the Classic Mode in Call of Duty (there are no guns... I know gunpowder was invented in China, but there are no guns nonetheless) - whatever you pick up is what you get; if you don't anything, your fists are your weapons. Healing system is quite similar to most other adventure/action games - you can pick up food that heals health, chi, or both. There are special attacks as well which you will learn throughout the game. Oh yeah, and you get to play as other characters occasionally.








Conclusion
Very fun game. The game IS based on the movie, so you'll know pretty much how the storyline goes if you've seen the movie, although there are slight variations. Nevertheless, it's a great experience for all action and not-too-much-in-depth RPG fans. Just as a side note, cutscenes in the game are just as funny as the movie.







I will write more after I get further into the game.

 

Hmmmm... looks like a pretty good game from both your words and your pics. The fighting style is like God of War? Sweeet.. I've always been skeptical on games based on their movie counterparts, but this one is probably one I'll have to check out sooner or later....

But seriously though, no widescreen (1280x800) support?

 

No 1280x800 support. I hope they release a patch that fixes that

 

To make the game support 1280x800 and other widescreen...
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13856

Credit given to nofxman32

 

Nice job. Short but sweet.

 

Ahhh the most popular reviewer! thank you

 

Saw the movie and it was funny

 

Hmm impressive I always expect these movie games to be horrible. this one could be worth getting.

 

Yeah for 20 bucks, I might give it a spin. Love jack black. Wish he did the voice acting.

 

Is there any replayability in the game?

 

With the story/campaign mode - no. But there are many types of games you can play on multiplayer including brawling, team brawls, and other types of minigames.

 

Thanks for the impressions. Will definitely check out the demo.

The only reasonably decent movie tie-in games I've ever played have been Chronicles of Riddick (great game, actually and can't wait for the remake) and Cars.

 

This game is pretty much a replica of the movie. Even a lot of the quotes and stuff are taken from the movie.

 

I must say I never would have thought a review for a game like this to be up.

my friend also purchased it and said it was worth his $20

 

My little sister might like this game. $20

Can you buy this from steam?

 

The game's been getting decent reviews across all platforms, which is more than you can say of most movie tie-ins. I might get this one when it inevitably hits the Target clearance bin or the local Half Price Books.

 

Does it has Lan Versus mode? Because i'm looking into Versus mode, is it worth getting?

 

Definitely worth getting, it's like Super Smash Brawl with a enhanced storyline but toned down Brawl.

 

I love beat'em ups. But I haven't played any good ones since final fight 3, and the 3d ones for PC are like non existant. So maybe I'll check this out if I see it.
thanks for the review.