Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2, the off-brand Jak & Daxter, is free on Steam
It's actually pretty good, and a new one is coming too.
Last year, Wes actually described Kao the Kangaroo as an off-off-brand Jak and Daxter (the off-brand J&D is apparently Ty the Tasmanian Tiger), developed by Polish studio X-Ray Interactive and originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000. The admittedly not-really-our-thing game came up because a sequel, Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2, had recently been released, and it actually looked pretty decent.
Steam users seem to agree—it's got a "very positive" rating across more than 4,500 user reviews—and now you can find out for yourself, for free. Until June 14, Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2 is free for the taking—and keeping—on Steam. Just click the "add to account" button, and that's what will happen. Free game for you!
There's not a direct connection (at least as far as I can see) but the timing leads me to suspect that the giveaway is intended to draw attention to the fact that a new Kao the Kangaroo game is now in development.
"This time Kao will take on a completely new journey. New story, challenges, enemies, visuals, and a whole lot more!" developer Tate Multimedia said. "We will keep you posted and soon you will be able to see a first glance of the game—so stay tuned!"
To keep up with Kao the Kangaroo's newest shenanigans, you can sign up for a newsletter kaokangaroo.com. If you're just here for the free games, you can find our ongoing list of giveaways right here.
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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.