Kao the Kangaroo: Mystery of the Volcano (2005 re-release)
- April 27, 2023
- Tate Multimedia
Get on Steam"Kao the Kangaroo: Mystery of the Volcano" is a 3D platformer game where players control Kao, a brave kangaroo on a mission to save his homeland from an erupting volcano. The game boasts a vast game world with diverse gameplay, including various challenges and interactions with in-game characters. It offers players the freedom to revisit locations and replay missions, ensuring a fun and engaging experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game retains a charming visual style reminiscent of earlier titles in the series, appealing to fans of the franchise.
- New gameplay mechanics, such as paragliding and flying a biplane, add fun elements to the platforming experience.
- For those nostalgic for the original games, it offers a brief but enjoyable trip down memory lane, especially for fans of Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2.
- The game suffers from significant technical issues, including lack of modern resolution support, poor controller mapping, and numerous bugs that hinder gameplay.
- It feels incomplete and more like a DLC or expansion rather than a full game, with only a few levels and minimal content.
- The English translation is poorly executed, with numerous grammatical errors and the absence of voice acting, detracting from the overall experience.
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for being outdated and lacking polish, even for its release period in 2005. Reviewers noted the absence of resolution options and graphical tweaks, resulting in a console-like experience with numerous glitches and poor lighting effects. Overall, the visuals are described as mediocre, failing to meet the expectations of modern players.
“The graphics, even for 2005, are somewhat average; the lighting during nighttime is particularly lacking.”
“While this is on PC, it exhibits many characteristics and shortcomings typical of a console game, including a clunky control scheme and graphics that are not cutting-edge.”
“There are no updates from the original game, including graphical changes, and the overall visual experience feels outdated.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“While this is on PC, it has all the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunkier than needed control scheme to the less than cutting edge graphics.”
“Graphics even for 2005 are kind of mid; the lighting at night-time is bad.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as a mix of enjoyable and mediocre elements; while some players appreciate the new mechanics and relaxing atmosphere, others criticize the controls and overall execution. The game offers a chill experience with easy gameplay, but it lacks depth and engagement compared to previous versions.
“The new gameplay mechanics were fun.”
“As far as gameplay goes, this is a very relaxing game with a chill atmosphere, relaxing music, and easy gameplay for the most part. This game is an enjoyable journey.”
“The game opens up with no dialogue whatsoever aside from Kao's gameplay grunts, contrasting with the fully voice-acted retail release from 2005.”
“A mediocre game with bad humor, mediocre graphics, bad story, bad controls, and mediocre gameplay.”
“The game opens up with no dialogue whatsoever aside from Kao's gameplay grunts, as opposed to the retail release from 2005 where it was fully voice acted in Polish.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as mystical and relaxing, contributing to a chill atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. However, some users note a lack of variety in the soundtrack, with only a few tracks present, and the absence of voice acting. Overall, while the music complements the gameplay, it could benefit from more diversity.
“The creatures you fight, the locations you visit, and the music is all very mystical!”
“Anyway, as far as gameplay goes, this is a very relaxing game, pretty chill atmosphere, relaxing music, pretty easy gameplay for the most part, this game is an enjoyable journey.”
“The respective soundtrack has almost no variety.”
“The music and sound effects work just fine, but there are no voices!?”
“The soundtracks, even though there are only a few, are kind of alright.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it unintentionally funny due to poor writing, misspellings, and absurd plot points, such as a character with wings falling into a volcano. While some appreciate the comedic elements stemming from the game's flaws, others criticize the overall quality of the humor as mediocre and lacking depth.
“The plot has never been Kao's strong spot, but the fact that the bird dude fell into the volcano and that's the whole plot is really funny to me. Dude, you have wings! Fly out! You flew in Kao 2, man! Oh my god, dude, are you for real? You're being a drama queen, my goodness.”
“It didn't bother me as a kid, but the story is so dumb it's funny - remember kids, fasten your seatbelts, otherwise you're going to awaken an entire hellspawn.”
“While the abundance of misspellings and grammar errors in the game's text is really bad, it's funny at times (for the wrong reasons).”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story is generally viewed as weak and simplistic, with some reviewers finding humor in its absurdity, such as a character with wings falling into a volcano. While the plot lacks depth and direction, it elicits a mix of amusement and frustration among players, highlighting its mediocrity. Overall, the narrative fails to impress, often being described as "dumb" yet occasionally funny.
“The story is simple but has a few unexpected directions that keep it interesting.”
“The plot may not be the strongest aspect, but the humor in the bird character falling into the volcano is genuinely funny.”
“While the story might seem silly, it has a charm that makes it entertaining, reminding players to buckle up for the wild ride ahead.”
“A mediocre game with bad humor, mediocre graphics, bad story, bad controls, and mediocre gameplay.”
“Simple story but few directions.”
“The plot has never been Kao's strong spot, but the fact that the bird character fell into the volcano and that's the whole plot is really funny to me. Dude, you have wings! Fly out! You flew in Kao 2, man! Oh my god, are you serious? You're being a drama queen, my goodness.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players reporting no major glitches or bugs. However, some users have experienced isolated issues, such as NPC dialogue getting stuck during specific sections, necessitating a game restart. Occasional graphical glitches have also been noted.
“If it glitches, then the game just needs a reboot.”
“During the game, I did not encounter any major glitches or bugs with one exception - when I had to do the plane training section, the NPC dialogue got stuck, and I couldn't proceed nor could I get out of the dialogue, so I had to restart the game.”
“Graphical glitches.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Kao 3: Mystery of the Volcano" is characterized by a relaxing and chill vibe, enhanced by soothing music and easy gameplay, making it an enjoyable and immersive experience for players.
“Kao 3: Mystery of the Volcano is a short, sweet Kao platformer that actually has a lot of atmosphere to it!”
“This is a very relaxing game with a pretty chill atmosphere, relaxing music, and easy gameplay for the most part. It's an enjoyable journey.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on abandoned titles for profit.
“This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
“I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it ruins the overall enjoyment.”
