DLC Review - Kao The Kangaroo: Bend The Roo’les

Rob reviews Bend The Roo’les DLC pack for Kao The Kangaroo on Xbox Series X…

Back in June 2022, our very own Ellie reviewed the remake of 2000’s Sega Dreamcast anthropomorphic platformer Kao The Kangaroo - and judging by her 8.5/10 scoring - she had a blast with the platformer. 

Fast forward to now, and it’s my turn to check out Bend The Roo’les, a standalone expansion pack that sees Kao take on a terror from the deep. With the game already experiencing multiple cosmetic packs, and last years Halloween themed content, it’s clear that developers Tate Multimedia still have a lot up their sleeves when it comes to furthering Kao’s adventures. So with a new set of levels, plenty of new moves, and an even bigger bad guy to beat, let’s get to it. 

Taking place after the main games conclusion, Kao finds himself at peace with the world. Well that is until King Crab rises from the deep. With no choice but to save the world again, Kao dons his signature boxing gloves and sets off on another adventure. 

What’s interesting about Bend The Roo’les is that it doesn’t require you to progress - or even finish - the main game to start. Taking place as a separate entity on the games menu, the story here can be experienced without any prior knowledge of past events. Quite why you would buy a content pack for a game that you’ve not previously played is anyone’s guess, however for accessibility, it is an option. Anyway, while the battle against King Crab can be started straight away, you technically do need to play the base game - or at least have an understanding of its fundamentals. The reason behind this is that this content does not offer any kind of tutorial. It assumes that you have played before, and by in large, you probably have. 

So, while the gameplay premise of collecting keys, runes, K A O letters, diamonds, and coins remains largely the same there are a few differences. The main thing is that the world has a slightly new ascetic. Due to King Crabs influence the locations you visit are all draped with a sort of corruption that takes the form of a purple sludge, and purple tinted rock formations. As such the bright and vibrant atmosphere of the base game is replaced with something a little more darker. The world hub is the main focus of this corruption, and from exploring its trashed infrastructure, it’s clear to see how much of a shit King Crab claims to be. 

Moving on to levels and Bend The Roo’les is made up of five stages that each comes with its own set of challenges. The bulk of these are extremely challenging time trials that’ll test the patience of all but the most seasoned platform players. One mistake will see you sent back to the start to try again. And due to Kao’s use of lives, running out of them will see you restart the stage from the beginning. While I get that this punishment for failure fits in with the gaming tropes of the 00’s, its unnecessary in 2023. And considering that the base game was held in such high regards, this seems like a step backwards. 

Overall and Kao The Kangaroo: Bend The Roo’les, is not a DLC that I would recommend to the average gamer. Don’t get me wrong, while it serves to expand the narrative set within the base game, it’s level design tries its hardest to stop you from seeing its conclusion. The colourful ascetic does a grand job in hiding this dark secret, and coming in to this content unprepared is a real eye opener. However, if you’re a platforming maestro who yearns for the excruciating pain of time trial, all set within the world of Kao The Kangaroo, then this is for you. Just be prepared to buy a new control pad…

Rating: 4/10

A code for the DLC was kindly provided for this review.

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow us on Twitter/Facebook @GeekCultureRev, and TikTok/YouTube @Geekculturereviews.