Info about Kao the Kangaroo: Official game description: ANNIVERSARY EDITION ------------------- **A year after the world premiere of the newest adventures of Kao the Kangaroo Anniversary Edition is now Available!** It only happens once a year and it is worth celebrating! Kao the Kangaroo: Anniversary Edition is now available and includes: * Kao the Kangaroo - full game - embark on a journey with the cutest Kangaroo and face the Eternal Warrior * Bend the Roo'les - the newest DLC with the new campaign and 5 additional levels - defeat the Crab King! * Oh! Well DLC - 5 playable Eternal cells to conquer and 5 spooky skins to unlock * Exclusive Art Book - with the most beautiful locations, most interesting characters and elements you can find in the game * Epic Soundtrack - immersive music to the game composed by talented Partyk Scelina Enjoy the ultimate platforming experience! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ABOUT GAME ---------- 🥊 THE GAME 🥊 -------------- Kao The Kangaroo is a 3D platformer from veterans of the genre Tate Multimedia, featuring a plucky, cheeky but a cutie, Kao The Kangaroo (Hey, just like in the title!) on a quest to uncover the truth around the disappearance of his father. 🥊 THE JOURNEY 🥊 ----------------- During his journey, Kao will explore a wide variety of beautifully detailed environments, each harboring secrets to uncover. At every turn, Kao faces new challenges. He’ll have to use all his skills while learning some new ones...not all of them being natural to the world he lives in! As they say, it’s the journey that makes us, not the destination. 🥊 THE CONTENT 🥊 ----------------- Being inspired by the heyday of 3D platformers, as well as building on Kao’s 21-year legacy, Kao The Kangaroo is packed with plenty of jumping, thumping, puzzle-solving, and collecting. A whole new amazing adventure with all the charm you’d expect from not just the genre, but Kao himself! 🥊 THE CAST 🥊 -------------- Kao’s beautiful and bright world is filled with a host of colorful characters just waiting for you to meet them... in some cases (try to) defeat them! From wise mentors and inquisitive inventors to big old bullies, the cast of Kao The Kangaroo is as memorable as it is expansive! 🥊 THE FIGHT 🥊 --------------- While on his journey Kao will have to overcome many foes. Quick and nimble strikers, slow and lumbering brutes, and everything in between. Kao will have to use all the lessons he’s learned to defeat those who stand before him… 🥊 THE GLOVES 🥊 ---------------- The mysterious, mesmerizing, long-buried, gloves Kao has on his paws are oozing with power yet to be fully unleashed. They’ll be a key tool in Kao’s journey, helping to ward off foes and traverse the world. Will the secrets of their power ever be fully understood? Kao looks to find out. 🥊 THE WORLD 🥊 --------------- Explore a diverse range of Unique and beautiful interactive worlds filled with fresh challenges, enemies, puzzles, and secrets! Jump, climb, dive and ride your way through highly detailed environments as Kao progresses on his journey! 🥊 THE MISTERY 🥊 ----------------- Lurking behind Kao’s plane of existence lays a whole other world filled with mystery, uncontrollable power, and chaos...the Eternal World. A link between the two worlds exists, melding together. Its secrets are in Kao’s hands, giving him new powers...but at what cost? 🥊 KAO IS BACK 🥊 ----------------- Release date: May 27, 2022 Categories: 3D Platformer, Collectathon, Mascot Platformer, Action-adventure, Single-player, Puzzle Solving, Hub World Exploration Feature scans: - MTX: score 55; verdict: Aggressive DLC Practices; summary: User reviews indicate the game sells a paid DLC that is considered essential for story completion and achievements, with a very short playtime, leading to a perception of a cash grab. The base game itself is otherwise praised, but the DLC practice raises the monetization score above the fair threshold. - Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Minor Tweaks Required; summary: The game runs well on Linux via Proton, with most evidence coming from Steam Deck users who report full playability after minor in-game tweaks (medium settings, disabling anti-aliasing). One isolated report of stutter on desktop Linux exists, but it does not reflect a widespread issue. Overall, the game requires only minor adjustments to achieve good compatibility. - Steam Deck: score 45; verdict: Playable with Issues; summary: The game suffers from frequent glitches (soft locks, missing audio, item spawn failures) and occasional stuttering on Steam Deck, though it remains playable to completion. Performance can be improved by lowering graphics settings, and some users face control responsiveness issues. Overall, the experience requires tolerance for bugs and graphical tweaks. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $14.99 - $29.99 - Reasoning: Multiple reviews indicate the current $29.99 price is acceptable ('fair' and 'worth your time'), but many more emphasize waiting for a sale, often mentioning ~$10-15 as fair value. The range $14.99-$29.99 captures both the perceived fair full price and the sale price the community widely recommends, reflecting mixed sentiment about the base cost. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 10.5h - Story completion: 6.5h - Session length: 4.0h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: Multiple reviews report 100% completion time: '100% in less than 10 hours' (10 hours), 'around 11 hours for 100% completion' (11 hours), and 'base game + DLC less than 20 hours' (implying base ~10 hours). These average to ~10.5 hours for full completion. Story completion is indicated by 'main story 6-7 hours' and '6.5 hours', supporting 6.5 hours. Session length is inferred from 'handheld sessions' and 'evening sessions context, estimated at 4 hours as a relaxing play session. No reliable evidence for endgame (post-story content). - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Most players find Kao the Kangaroo boring and unpolished from the beginning, with no moment where fun engages; though some younger children may enjoy it. - Stance: Never clicks - Anchor: N/A - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: boring level design; unpolished mechanics (janky animations, broken hook swing, softlocks, progression bugs); terrible voice acting; tedious collectible clutter; bland gameplay and lack of soul - Unlock drivers: N/A - Conditions: player is a child aged 8-12; seeking a mindless or relaxing experience - Player Archetypes: - Casual-Chill Platformer (buy) - Motivation: Relaxation and casual enjoyment of platforming without difficulty or complexity. - Playstyle: Plays levels at a relaxed pace, enjoys colorful visuals and simple exploration without stress. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: casual player; relaxed gamer; family player - Reference games: N/A - Completionist Achievement Hunter (sale) - Motivation: The satisfaction of full completion and earned achievements. - Playstyle: Methodically collects all items (runes, letters, crystals) and unlocks all achievements/100% completion. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: achievement hunter; completionist; perfectionist - Reference games: N/A - Old-School Platforming Purist (deep sale) - Motivation: Nostalgia for old-school platformers and a desire for competent genre entries. - Playstyle: Compares the game to classic 3D platformers (Crash, Spyro, Mario, Rayman), evaluates gameplay mechanics and level design critically. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: deep sale - Labels: old-school player; platformer veteran; genre fan - Reference games: Crash Bandicoot; Spyro the Dragon; Super Mario Galaxy; Rayman 2; Psychonauts Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Enjoyable and smooth platforming (weight 0.97): Players consistently praise the platforming as fun, smooth, and enjoyable, with many calling it the best in the Kao series and one of the best 3D platformers on Steam. The gameplay is often described as fluid, responsive, and reminiscent of classic platformers like Crash Bandicoot. - Pleasant and colorful graphics (weight 0.77): The graphics are widely praised as pleasant, colorful, cute, and stylish, with several reviews comparing the art style favorably to AAA titles like Spyro and Crash 4. The visual presentation is described as high quality and charming. - Solid and varied level design (weight 0.5): Level design is considered solid, well-made, and interesting, with diverse environments that are large, colorful, and open. Many reviewers note that levels are replayable and reminiscent of Spyro and Crash. - Satisfying combat and boss fights (weight 0.46): Combat is considered fine, simple, and effective, while boss fights are a standout feature, described as interesting, well-made, and multi-phased. Some note the DLC bosses offer more challenge than the base game ones. - Fun and accessible gameplay (weight 0.46): Gameplay is frequently described as fun, simple, pleasant, and fluid, making it accessible and relaxing for players. The core experience is consistently found engaging. - Responsive and intuitive controls (weight 0.39): Controls are praised as intuitive, responsive, and simple, suitable for players of all ages. The smooth movement and tight controls enhance the overall platforming experience. - Appropriate short game length (weight 0.34): The game is consistently described as short but fun, with a length of about 9-11 hours for 100% completion, which players find appropriate for the genre. It is seen as a relaxed and enjoyable experience. - Relaxing and family-friendly tone (weight 0.33): Many describe the game as pleasant, light, and relaxing, making it a great break from more demanding titles. The difficulty is easy to moderate, and the family-friendly nature is appreciated. - Nostalgic classic platformer feel (weight 0.3): Multiple reviews note the game's inspiration from classic 3D platformers like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Rayman, successfully capturing the spirit of that era. This nostalgia is a key appeal for many players. - Charming character and art design (weight 0.25): The character and art designs are considered charming, cute, and clever, adding to the game's overall pleasant aesthetic. Many reviews highlight the delightful visual style. - Good soundtrack and audio (weight 0.21): The soundtrack and audio are praised as good, with music that energizes the action and fits the game well. Some consider the music a highlight of the experience. - Engaging exploration and collectibles (weight 0.16): Exploration is praised as engaging, with well-placed collectibles that encourage discovery. The environments are large enough to make exploration feel rewarding. - Challenging DLC content (weight 0.16): The DLC content is noted for offering additional challenge and two difficulty levels, with some bosses being more interesting than those in the base game. This adds depth and replayability. Common complaints: - Voice acting quality is poor (weight 0.64): Multiple clusters highlight bad voice acting, including non-fluent English, unnatural delivery, and grating performances, especially for the main character. - Story is unremarkable (weight 0.49): Reviews describe the story as dull, forgettable, simple, and lacking interest, with no revolutionary elements to engage players. - Gameplay is repetitive (weight 0.32): Mechanics become monotonous quickly, and the gameplay feels basic, easy, and unpolished, lacking depth or challenge. - Various technical bugs (weight 0.31): Players encounter numerous bugs, including inconsistent ledge grabbing, camera issues, and general instability, affecting overall polish. - Cutscene animations are stiff (weight 0.18): Cutscene animations lack synchronization with dialogue, appear wooden, and feel rough, detracting from the narrative experience. - Collectibles lack purpose (weight 0.13): Collectible items feel useless beyond achievements, with unclear reasons for their inclusion in the game. Gameplay feedback: - Core 3D platformer gameplay (weight 0.47): The game is consistently described as a 3D platformer with exploration, jumping, ledge climbing, rolling, and combat. Players have a moveset including double jump, punch, roll, tail whip, and air attack, with simple combat and light puzzle mechanics. - Extensive collectible system (weight 0.39): Reviewers note a wide variety of collectibles such as coins, diamonds, scrolls, runes, letters spelling KAO, heart pieces, and eternal wells. Collecting is a core loop and items are found in every nook and cranny. - Strong Crash Bandicoot influence (weight 0.3): Players frequently compare the game to Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, calling it a mascot platformer revival with an old-school style remodeled for modern times. It draws inspiration from early 2000s greats. - Simple and forgiving difficulty (weight 0.27): The platforming is described as simple, forgiving, straightforward, and low difficulty, suitable for beginners. The game is also short, with a length of about 6-7 hours. - Elemental glove combat system (weight 0.23): Combat uses boxing gloves that can be attuned to fire, ice, and wind elements. These elemental upgrades are used for puzzles and specific sections, adding variety. - Boss fights with difficulty spikes (weight 0.17): Boss fights are present and require more than just hitting and dodging. Some players mention difficulty spikes related to bosses, while DLC wells are slightly harder than the base game. - Health and lives system (weight 0.17): Health is managed with a heart system. Players can increase max health by collecting heart pieces or purchasing them with coins. Coins are also used to buy extra lives and health fragments. - Hub world structure (weight 0.14): The game features multiple hub worlds that feel like actual hubs, with four locations per world. Players explore first world, second world, etc. - Intuitive and accessible controls (weight 0.1): Controls are intuitive, fluid, and accessible, making the game easy to pick up and play. - Forgiving lives system (weight 0.09): The game has a lives system that is described as very forgiving, reducing frustration. - Good graphics and art direction (weight 0.09): Graphics are praised for being good with colorful environments and strong art direction. - Good level design (weight 0.09): Level design is considered good and not frustrating, with interesting layouts that keep players engaged. - Short game length (weight 0.09): The game is short, with a length of about 6-7 hours, making it a quick experience. - Simple combo combat system (weight 0.09): Combat includes a simple three-hit combo system with a charge meter for special attacks, easy to learn but still engaging. - Endless pit challenges (weight 0.09): Optional challenges called endless pits are available, adding extra content for completionists. - DLC with harder wells (weight 0.08): DLC introduces wells that are slightly harder than the base game but lack narrative, providing extra challenge without story. - Early 2000s inspiration (weight 0.08): The game is inspired by early 2000s greats like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, offering a quick, simple platformer experience. Performance notes: - Good performance on low specs (weight 0.17): Multiple players report good performance on low-spec hardware, work laptops, and generally fine optimization with good graphics. - FPS above 60 causes bugs (weight 0.14): Bugs appear at framerates over 60, requiring a frame cap to 60 for proper function, which also stops camera stuttering and fixes hook swing issues. - Multiple severe technical issues (weight 0.13): Technical issues include low performance, very buggy experiences like music stopping, falling through floor, wall walking, weird hitboxes, glitching numbers, and general bugs. - Crash between levels (weight 0.1): The game crashes after completing a level or between levels, indicating a specific stability issue in progression. - Mouse sensitivity bug (weight 0.06): A mouse sensitivity bug persists until the level is restarted, requiring a workaround. - Linux stuttering problem (weight 0.06): Stuttering occurs specifically on Linux, indicating a platform-specific issue. - Tutorial wall stuck bug (weight 0.06): A character gets stuck in a wall during the tutorial, which can block early progress. - Audio loops and imbalance (weight 0.06): Audio issues include unbalanced sounds and a music track stuck in a loop. - Graphical glitches reported (weight 0.05): Players encounter graphical bugs, though specific details are not provided. - Stuttering issues (weight 0.05): General stuttering is reported without specific platform details. Recommendations: - Recommended for platformer fans (weight 0.75): Many reviews recommend the game to fans of platformers, especially 3D platformers, classic platformers, and those who grew up playing them. - Not worth full price (weight 0.72): A significant number of reviews state that the game is not worth buying at full price, suggesting waiting for a sale or deep discount. - Good for casual relaxation (weight 0.32): Reviews describe the game as fun for short sessions, relaxing, and not too difficult, appealing to casual or younger players. - Recommended for younger audience (weight 0.25): Some reviews specifically recommend the game for children, such as those aged 8-12, or for family play with kids. - Better alternatives exist (weight 0.21): Some reviewers suggest playing other platformers like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, or the original Kao games instead, as they are better or cheaper. - Technical and voice issues (weight 0.18): A few reviews mention glitches, monotone voice acting, and bad writing, advising to turn off dialogue or avoid the game if bothered by such issues. - DLC recommended for fans (weight 0.07): One review recommends the free cosmetic DLCs, and another suggests the DLC for players wanting more content after finishing the main game. - Nostalgia may be spoiled (weight 0.05): One review warns that fans of the original Kao games might be disappointed, as the new game can spoil nostalgic memories. - Great for handheld sessions (weight 0.04): One review highlights the game as great for handheld play, suggesting it suits shorter, portable gaming sessions. Other player notes: - DLC achievement lock issue (weight 0.05): Half of the game's achievements require the DLC, and saves are not transferrable, causing frustration. The game starts with only three hearts. - User purchased DLC Bend the Rooles (weight 0.05): One user reported purchasing the DLC called Bend the Rooles. - Player thanks friend for gift (weight 0.04): A user gave special thanks to their brother for gifting them the game. Emotions: - Disappointment (weight 0.24): The most common cause is poor voice acting, which is described as horrible, amateur, monotone, and degrading. Additionally, the game is criticized for being average, underdeveloped, lacking the spirit of the classic, and having stilted cutscene animations, awkward dialogue, and numerous bugs. - Frustration (weight 0.16): The primary frustrations stem from bugs, such as the kangaroo getting stuck in levels, requiring restarts, as well as control problems like sliding off edges and failing to catch platforms. Other issues include invisible walls, falling through terrain, camera problems, and unfair hook mechanics, making the game feel unplayable and unfinished. - Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game for its cute and charming presentation, simple but fun gameplay, and snappy movement. The level design is praised for being fun and colorful, and despite some flaws, the game is considered worthwhile for 3D platformer fans. - Nostalgia (weight 0.07): The game evokes nostalgia from playing previous Kao games as a child, with players appreciating the modernization of a childhood classic. It reminds them of the early 2000s and Xbox 360 era, and is seen as a national treasure for Polish gamers, similar to Spyro and Crash. - Annoyance (weight 0.06): Annoyances include technical issues like having to cap frames to 60 for proper function, clipping through walls or floors, and physics glitches such as being bombed while smashing crates. A visual glitch involving Kao's neck stretching during hanging segments is also cited. - Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the level designs and nature elements, as well as the solid gameplay, level design, and camera work. The movement and combat mechanics are also highlighted as great aspects of the game. - Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction comes from encountering no bugs, enjoying simple and silly gameplay, and finding levels well-laid-out and fun. The game is described as a polished platformer experience with good graphics and decent gameplay, satisfying nostalgic desires. - Boredom (weight 0.04): Players feel bored due to overly long levels that feel like a slog, especially the first hub world. The game is described as extremely boring, involving just running around collecting things without engaging exploration. - Disgust (weight 0.03): Disgust is caused by cringe humor that forces memes and voice acting that is degrading to the ears, making the experience unpleasant. - Anger (weight 0.03): Anger arises from embarrassingly bad voice acting and cutscene direction, as well as cringy pop culture references, including TikTok, which detract from the game. - Joy (weight 0.03): Joy is found in weird design choices like NPC collision and breakable objects, colorful levels, simple controls, and entertaining gameplay. The hilarious neck stretching mechanic for collecting coins also brings joy. - Mixed (weight 0.03): Players feel mixed because the story is meh and lacks polish, but the game is still pretty fun overall. Some wanted to like the series more but prefer other entries like 'Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2'. - Positive (weight 0.03): Positive sentiment comes from liking the health system using hearts instead of a meter, which reminds players of Zelda, and the more reliable roll compared to previous games. - Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise is expressed because the game's silly jank and dorkiness made it charming despite flaws, and it was better than expected compared to other indie 3D platformers. The DLC 'Bend the Rooles' was a positive surprise, reminiscent of Crash 4 style. - Acceptance (weight 0.01): Acceptance stems from recognizing that fights are easy, but the game is intended for a younger audience, which makes it acceptable. - Delight (weight 0.01): Delight comes from the charming and delightful continuation of the series, with clever main character design and level design that is great for children. - Indifference (weight 0.01): Indifference is due to the overall mediocre experience, where players could take it or leave it. Uninteresting and forgettable bosses contribute to this lack of engagement. - Pleasant (weight 0.01): The game provides a very pleasant overall experience, suggesting it is enjoyable and satisfying without major issues. - Letdown (weight 0.01): Letdown occurs because previous Kao games were great, but this one is a misunderstanding due to poor controls and lack of a save feature, failing to meet expectations. - Impressed (weight 0.01): Impression is due to the DLC final boss being much more interesting than the base game bosses, showing a higher quality in the additional content.}