Kung Fu Panda

Title
Developer
Publisher
Genre
ESRB Rating
Demo Release Date
Full Release Date
Platforms

Official Website
Demo Download Size
Review Date

Kung Fu Panda
Beenox
Activision
Action Adventure
E10+
18th April 2008
27th May 2008 Buy Now
PC (Reviewed), Nintendo DS*, PS2*, PS3*, Wii*, Xbox 360*
http://www.kungfupandagame.com
528MB
3rd June 2008

What did I think before playing?
This game is licensed from a new kids animated movie that I know nothing about. Traditionally, games based on licensed IP are pretty terrible but sell based on that license. I am expecting a mediocre platformer.

What is included?
Opens with a trailer, then you play the first level.

What did I think afterwards?
This game is obviously focused on a young audience, and it seems Beenox have taken that to heart when it comes to front end presentation. The trailer that starts you off is very much like a movie, including a high quality voice over. It is revealed that there are 17 levels, good guys, bad guys and multiplayer mini games. After that you get the option to start the demo or quit. No options menu or anything else to potentially complicate... just play or stop.
So I start playing and see there are some characters that look like they want me to come over and talk to them. I run over to the first guy with the WASD keys, shifting the camera and throwing a few punches with my mouse, when a [5] appears above the NPC's head. So I try the 5 key. Nothing. I try again and nothing. I try moving to get directly in front of the character and nothing. I start hitting all the keys and I'm getting nowhere. At this point I start to doubt this guy wants to talk to me and that maybe [5] means I need to go and get 5 coins or something. I try that and still no joy. Eventually I find the middle mouse button starts the conversation. How the hell do you confuse the 5 key with middle mouse? Anyway, I get given some tips from both the NPCs and some scrolls that are floating around, before walking into a fight. I'm clicking away and doing just fine when another tip pops up saying that I can do quick attacks with [4] and strong with [6]. At this point I realize I am supposed to be playing with both hands on the keyboard, using the numpad, but the mouse works as a secondary input method. That really isn't explained anywhere and goes against my years of game playing experience.
So now I have full control it is just a matter of running through the level and killing all the bad guys with the occasional cut scene. Pretty much what I expected. The graphics are good though and seem to match up with the movie's style well. It sounds like the actors in the movie have lent their voices here too, (I assume the titular Panda is played by Jack Black in the movie because it sure sounds like him in the game,) so the whole thing has been put together well as a package. Even the kung-fu moves aren't bad, including the ability to pick up weapons.
When the game is over you get the typical "Thanks for Playing" splash screen, but this one also included a "secret code" to be used when playing the full game.

Would I buy the full game?
No, but this isn't a game aimed at me. Even if this we not a kid's license though, I wouldn't be interested since the continual fighting against wave after wave of warthogs would get very old very quickly. If I had a kid that wanted this game though, I wouldn't have a problem with it since this isn't the awful mess you might expect.

Demo Pros
Graphics and sound seem to compliment the movie well. Simplicity for the user with no options to tweak. Good length of playtime at around 15mins.

Demo Cons
Would get repetitive. Obviously not made for "gamers" who would want to tweak settings, for example.

Demo Rating 8 / 10

Thoughts after playing the full game?
If I play the full game I will put comments here about whether I feel the demo was representative of the final product and if I am happy with the purchase.

Sales Figures
If I can find sales information about a game after it has been released I'll add that here. It may be useful to track demos to sales performance.