Video games can instill a range of emotions in us. Some entertain and comfort us – others scare us senselessly.
Two of the latest games show this quite clearly – from the gory survival horror that is The Quarry, to the return of one of gaming's long-forgotten mascots, Kao the Kangaroo.
THE QUARRY
The litmus test for any horror game is how often you play behind your hands. Suffice to say, The Quarry has many of these moments. It's an interactive narrative game with horror, scare, and gut-wrenching decisions to make.
The prologue is scant in details and will fuel anyone’s paranoia sky-high. Two counselors, Laura and Max, are on their way to Chris Hackett’s summer camp. Unfortunately, they decide to arrive one night early and it’s clear that neither is going to make it to camp this year.
Flash forward 2 months, and the real game begins. You’re introduced to the merry band of heroes you will take charge of. From the jock, the popular 'Instagram girl’, to the loner, the artistic wallflower, and the class clown – several archetypes of horror victims are covered in the opening minutes alone.
Their mission? Have one final party by the lake.
Your mission? Keep them alive.
186 unique endings - you’ve got choices
The core gameplay of The Quarry is choice. The choices you make dictate how your story unfolds.
Some appear simple – choosing what to say to a friend, or deciding to take or leave an item. But as you play through the game, and the real dangers emerge around camp, you’ll realize earlier decisions have a dramatic impact on what you can do, and how the game will end.
There are up to 186 unique endings to this game. Suffice to say there is immense replay value here, where you’ll jump back to an earlier chapter, try things differently and see if there’s a chain reaction to the plot.
The game strikes a great balance between action and pause. Quick-time events are sprinkled throughout and keep your adrenaline on high. They pop up at tense moments of the game, usually when you’re running for dear life.
Hit buttons at the right time to keep your character going; miss one and it could be curtains. Other scenes will have you hold your breath and hide from danger-only releasing when you think it’s gone. Other times you’ll mash buttons to defend yourself, hold on to something or push a blockade on a door.
Your heart won’t know what to do with itself, as some scenes draw on a mixture of these interactive mechanics. Combat also comes in the form of a shotgun - whether you shoot, hit, or miss your targets all impacts who lives and dies in direct and indirect ways.
As you travel around the camp, you’ll uncover a sleuth of evidence that tries to piece together what’s happening. Tarot cards can be traded with the mysterious Eliza between chapters, giving you small glimpses of potential events. These breadcrumbs can be just enough to guide you on the right path.
An iconic ensemble cast of Hollywood stars shines bright
One of the strongest resources The Quarry has is its characters. They are all surprisingly very likable. Sadly, this makes their deaths all that more painful.
From Scream’s David Arquette to Modern Family’s Ariel Winter, you’ll grow to like and love these characters over the game’s 8+ hours of gameplay.
For me, Kaitlyn (played by Brenda Song), and Dylan (played by Miles Robbins) are the stand-out stars, whose comedic powers put a delightful spin on the scenes you’re no doubt screaming at.
Ultimately though, I don’t recommend you to play to your favourites. Despite your best efforts, the game is always in control and will churn out surprises right until the curtain call. The game is always in control.
Different ways to watch & play
The Quarry can be played in a variety of ways. Singe-player is straightforward where you play the game as it comes at you.
Movie mode turns the game into a horror flick, where you can watch the cinematics of when everyone survives or dies. The Director’s Chair lets you customize characters in specific ways, and the game will auto-play based on your recommendations.
Couch co-op allows two players to take charge of specific characters during play, and a soon-to-be-released multiplayer mode will see several players vote on in-game decisions.
The final verdict
As the spiritual successor of Until Dawn, the pressure was mounting for The Quarry to deliver. Ultimately, the game has spooks and scares in spades, and whether you’re playing on your own or with friends – it’s sure to delight.
Chris Hackett’s summer camp is a treasure-trove of secrets you’ll dread exploring. A likable cast of characters paired with clever but divisive choices makes every single playthrough a bloodied, adrenaline-fueled horror film in itself. Who lives and who dies is ultimately your choice.
The Quarry is available to play on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, and PC
KAO THE KANGAROO
While not as recognizable as some of gaming’s other mascots, Kao the Kangaroo is a familiar face for any platform gamer of the 2000s.
In that time, he's gotten a modern rework and rebrand, and his latest game is a simple, fun but safe adventure.
Firstly, the storyline is incredibly simple. Kao must find his sister Kala and discover the secrets of his long-lost father, Koby. To do this, Kao must battle the 'fighting masters’ who’ve become corrupted by a dark power, using a pair of magical boxing gloves.
Controlling Kao is fun and fluid. He can jump, double jump, spin and slam down – staples of many, if not all platformers. He can also rail-grind, throw boomerangs, and grapple as any good game Mascot should.
For combat, a three-hit combo will become your bread-and-butter. Despite the repetitive movements, something is satisfying about how Kao continues to cripple huge swathes of enemies in this way. And when the going gets tough, filling Kao’s power bar allows for flashier, slow-motion finishers.
The good, the bad, and the ugly
The level designs are beautiful and bursting with colour. Environments are detailed and include everything from jungles and icy mountains to molten caves and more. Puzzles are scattered throughout, and while they are interesting to solve, are never too taxing.
Despite the world of Kao looking great, it’s never truly brought to life. The game is void of memorable characters. And if I’m being brutal, the voice-acting is at times unforgivable. I’ve never questioned what an anthropomorphic kangaroo should sound like – but I know it’s not what Kao is offering.
A short-term game for long-time fans
Kao is a simple platformer with up to 8 hours of jumping, spinning, collecting, and more. It’s hard not to compare him to other platform goliaths like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Ratchet and Clank. There are lots of similarities, and altogether Kao brings nothing new to the table.
If you’re a big fan of the genre and want something straightforward, you’ll enjoy Kao - but with a simple plot and low difficulty, perhaps this kangaroo’s audience isn’t his original fanbase of the 2000s, but a younger generation of new gamers.
Kao the Kangaroo is available to play on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S & X, PC, and Switch
