Don’t be tempted by the £0.89 Kung Fu Arcade and Room Escape games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
If you’ve scoured the ‘New Games’ section of the Xbox Store, you might have spotted two unusual additions: Kung Fu Arcade and Room Escape. They’re both listed as £32.49, reduced immediately down to £1.69 and £0.89 respectively. That set off our spidey senses, as it’s quite the price reduction and an unusual approach to launching a new game on the Store, so we slapped down some pennies and gave them a go.
Having given them a fair trial, we can safely say that the two games should be avoided at all costs. Not because they’re bad, but because they’re completely unplayable.
Kung Fu Arcade, while it looks like IK+ and other old-school beat-’em ups from your childhood, is lacking a right-button, making it impossible to progress. Although it has audio options, there is also no audio present. User reviews on Metacritic are offering similar experiences, with some claiming that they will be asking for a refund.
Room Escape hits similar issues. It’s clearly ported from the PC, as it uses a mouse cursor. Since the cursor moves slowly, it’s impossible to press the directional buttons in time to grab keys, jump on platforms or avoid enemies. This makes completing even level 1 a no-go.
Something’s gone wrong with Microsoft’s categorisation of games, as these have no achievements and have clearly not passed certification. In all likelihood, these are Creator Collection games that took a left-turn at Alberquerque and ended up on the Store.
It doesn’t stop them being purchase-bait for unwitting achievement hunters or people in search of a bargain, so just be aware that they do not have achievements and are not remotely functional. Instead, save your cash on these and put it towards plenty of other cheap – and working – games that are available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. There are a host to consider and many of those deliver cheap and easy Gamerscore and achievements.
