Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure

SPOILER WARNING

This section may contain major plot and/or ending details. Proceed at your own discretion.

Kong: Skull Island Cinematic AdventureMV
General Information
Developed by	Evil Genius Games
Published by	Legendary Pictures
Production Information
Platform(s)	Tabletop
Release date(s)	June 1, 2023
Genre(s)	Simulation
Player count	1-10
Website	https://evilgeniusgames.com/game-detail/kong-skull-island/
Age(s)	10+

Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure is a 2023 sourcebook and campaign for the tabletop role-playing game Everyday Heroes by Evil Genius Games, as part of their cinematic adventure paths series. It was developed by Evil Genius Productions and Legendary Pictures.

Based on the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island, the game is set in the MonsterVerse and features material from the Skull Island setting; the first campaign, Sliver of the Skull, takes place in 2015, and the Isle of the Damned expansion is a few years after the events of the film.

The game comes with an official bestiary book, the Creature Codex, on all the Skull Island fauna from the MonsterVerse canon.

Description

Welcome to Skull Island, the domain of the mighty Kong and a land of unparalleled danger, adventure, and discovery. You are among the first to step foot on its shores, to explore its untamed wilds, to face the monstrous beasts more dangerous than anything previously known to mankind. Will you unravel one of its great mysteries, or will you end up as a snack for a slavering monster?

Kong: Skull Island gives you a wealth of new options for creating heroes in the Everyday Heroes game system. Prepare for the many perils that await with two new classes, new backgrounds, professions, feats, and equipment. Here too, are creatures able to test the mettle of even the most talented heroes. New combat rules for massive destruction and mayhem, as well as titanic scale rules, simulate creatures as tall as skyscrapers.

The new adventure "Sliver of the Skull" provides the perfect introduction to Skull Island adventures. Players must unravel a plot that poses a serious threat to the Skull Island ecosystem and save the island from ecological disaster with the help of mighty Kong.

― Sliver of the Skull synopsis

Get ready for an epic adventure to Skull Island! Set a few years after the events of Kong: Skull Island, this new journey sees Mason Weaver and James Conrad teaming up with your heroes to investigate government cover-ups and bring the truth to light. With Monarch's covert support, the team sets out to document their findings, but they soon discover that danger lurks around every corner.

General Ward has his own agenda for Skull Island, seeking revenge against Kong for the lies that have been told about his Sky Devils squadron. He preps his own group of mercenaries for an attack. To fulfill their mission, your heroes are forced to navigate an increasingly treacherous island filled with danger and mystery.

As the heroes explore the island, they will discover clues and meet a tribe of bat-worshiping humans who have lived beneath Skull Island for untold centuries. Within the withering darkness below the island, the heroes discover a prophecy of doom if Kong ever falls. He must be protected at all costs!

With heart-pumping action and breathtaking scenery, Kong: Skull Island – Isle of the Damned delivers an unforgettable adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Join Weaver, Conrad, and their team as they fight to save Kong and uncover the truth about Skull Island.

― Isle of the Damned synopsis

Development

The game was first announced by Evil Genius Productions in May 2022, as the company announced Kong: Skull Island to be one of many campaigns adapted popular film franchises for cinematic adventure paths. The game would be developed in partnership with Legendary Pictures in a series of cinematic adventure-path games for 2023. On May 23, 2022, the crowdfunding campaign for the game was launched on Kickstarter with the first three goals subsequently completed within the day of release.

A synopsis and preview for the Skull Island gameplay was released on June 8, 2022.

On November 16, 2022, development of the rules for the game was completed. On December 10, 2022, artwork for the Death Jackal was released. This was followed up by artwork for the singing ant valkyrie released on December 24. On December 29, 2022, Evil Genius Games announced the Kong: Skull Island game was set for a digital release date on March 23, 2023, and a physical release date of June 2023.

On March 28, 2023, the sourcebook with the "Sliver of the Skull" starter adventure was shipped to the game's backers, and was digitally released to the public on April 4, 2023. A physical edition of the guidebook was released on June 1, 2023. Evil Genius Games also announced expansions for Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure and another campaign based on Legendary Pictures' Pacific Rim franchise were set for their next Kickstarter campaign, titled "Legendary Bundle", beginning on May 9, 2023. The new expansion, "Isle of the Damned", will provide updated lore of the MonsterVerse franchise and feature new canon, with twenty new creatures confirmed for the expansion. It was also confirmed that a 64-page bestiary book would be released as a companion for the set. Artwork for the Spirit Tiger, Giant Dodo, Jovian Flytrap, Magma Turtle, Sirenjaw, and Tree of Woe.

On May 9, 2023, the day the campaign started, Evil Genius Games announced that their funding goal was achieved within the day of its launch, and opened up a new stretch goal of $80,000. On May 10, 2023, the Kickstarter released a preview description of the Rock Bug as a monster to be added as a reward for hitting the next stretch goal. The funding campaign officially concluded on June 6, 2023; Evil Genius Games announced on the following day that the goal was achieved, and writing would be moving forward for the expansion. On September 29, 2023, the new name of the bestiary was confirmed to be the "Cryptid Codex". On October 31, 2023, it was announced the codex's creatures were finalized and approved by Legendary, and that artwork was underway. On December 8, 2023, preliminary artwork for the Jovian Flytrap, Horncrest Chameleon, Giant Branch Beetle, and Ivy Dragon was released.

On February 14, 2024, Evil Genius Games confirmed expansion materials for the Legendary Bundle would be released later in the year. On April 1, 2024, the official cover for the "Isle of the Damned" expansion was revealed. A separate post was released that clarified that the name of the bestiary book was changed to "Creature Codex". Artwork for the Mother Longlegs, Sker Buffalo, Mire Squid, and Psychovulture was also released. On May 7, 2024, approved artwork for the Flashgulls, Crystalfang Serpent, and Slitherflower was released. On June 11, 2024, writing for the game was confirmed complete with a tentative delivery date of November 21, 2024, and a preview of pending creatures with the placeholder names Marionette Vine, Meteor Bugs, and Egg Dragon (Nest Raider) was revealed.

On September 4, 2024, all artwork for the Creature Codex was confirmed finished and was scheduled for publishing. The post also features artwork of the Nightboy and Magma Turtle.

On October 11, 2024, pre-finalized versions of the Isle of the Damned guidebook were e-mailed to the backers. Art for the Quillion and Leafwings was also released. On January 13, 2025, the Creature Codex was confirmed nearing completion and Isle of the Damned would be released after the codex is shipped out. This was followed by a post on January 28 confirming the digital PDF version of the codex was ready to ship in the coming week; the same post also provided a preview page of the Alluring Bulb. The codex was then digitally released on February 8, 2025 to backers. As of March 7, 2025, the Isle of the Damned sourcebook finished proofreading and was going through final corrections.

On April 1, 2025, the Isle of the Damned expansion was digitally released to backers, along with a digital version of the game's first edition to backers who previously purchased them. Physical editions of both the Isle of the Damned and Creature Codex were confirmed to be in production and would finish printing by the end of the month.

Content

The set includes a 112-page guidebook with the character classes, professions, monsters, and adventure paths. The guidebook is split into two parts: the first part details the mechanics and core gameplay, and the second part details the campaign setting and adventure guide. In the "Cast" section lists stat blocks for the human and monster characters featured in the campaign, as well as for additional Skull Island denizens as NPCs. The Isle of the Damned expansion features the story adventure path book and a 75-page bestiary companion book, the Creature Codex, along with a map tile pack, cardboard pawns for the game's NPCs and monsters.

A soundpack for the game is also available through the guidebook's provided QR code.

Gameplay

The campaign operates as part of the Everyday Heroes system, which is based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition with d20 Modern that adapts the game to D&D modern gameplay. This system gives four adventure adventure-idea paths for players to pick their game from, or create a custome one themselves. The first campaign, "Sliver of the Skull", is a level-three starter adventure. An exclusive mechanic to the cinematic path is "Titanic Scale"; taking into the account of kaiju size compared to humans, this dictates normal humal-scale damage is divided down for kaiju while kaiju damage does penetrate normal armor. Other mechanics include Absolute Armor, Cinematic Actions, Combat Complications, Combat Conditions, and Survival Mode for additional challenge.

Appearances

Monsters

• Alluring Bulb
• Aloe Turtle
• Amberpede
• Azure Skyshark
• Bloodspike Impaler
• Bone Rat
• Camazotz
• Crow of Thorns
• Crystal Fang Serpent
• Death Jackal
• Fernwing Bat
• Flashgull
• Galloping Crocodile
• Giant Dodo
• Giant Thunder Beetle
• Grass Hedgehog
• Hedgemaize
• Horncrest Chameleon
• Ivy Dragon
• Jovian Flytrap
• Lake Razor
• Killral Polyp
• Kong
• Lakerazer
• Magma Turtle
• Megamaw Mudskipper
• Meteor Bug
• Mire Squid
• Moss Constrictor
• Mother Longlegs
• Nest Raider
• Nightboy
• Psychovulture/Leafwings
• Quillion
• Rampart Turtle
• Roakur
• Rock Bug
• Singing Blade
• Sirenjaw
• Slither Flower
• Sker Buffalo
• Skull Island Kraken
• Skullcrawler
• Snarehunter Ant/Singing Ant
• Spirit Tiger
• Spore Mantis
• Swamp Locust
• Tanystalker
• Trapdoor Crab
• Tree Sapper
• Trickmaw
• Trikonicorn
• Vampyr Slug
• Vine Snake
• Vinestrangler

Scrapped

• Tree of Woe
• Marionette Vine

Characters

Sliver of the Skull

• General Ward
• Commander Jericho Daniels
• Kai
• Katherine Pierce
• Sparky
• Ray Cross
• Houston Brooks
• Aaron Brooks
• William Randa (optional character)
• Lieutenant Hank Marlow (optional character)
• Preston Packard (optional character)

Isle of the Damned

• Mason Weaver
• James Conrad

Weapons, Vehicles, and Races

• Iwi

Organizations

• Monarch
• Janos Biotech
• Dauntless
• Compass Rose
• Sonic Emitter

Isle of the Damned

• Sky Devils

Locations

• Skull Island

Gallery

Promotional

Isle of the Damned Kickstarter poster

Previews

Artwork

Singing Ant Valkyrie illustration

Death Jackal illustration

Spirit Tiger illustration

Jovian Flytrap illustration

Nest Raider illustraion

Meteor Bug illustration

Slitherflower illustration

Crystalfang illustration

Flash Gull illustration

Psychovulture illustration

Mire Squid illustration

Magma Turtle hatchling

Nightboy illustration

Leafwing illustration

Quillion illustration

Marionette Vine illustration

Videos

Everyday Heroes - Kong Skull Island

Trivia

• The campaign features canonical titans and various superspecies from the MonsterVerse creature bible, including those that have not appeared in the films themselves and original ones that were created for the game.
  • In December 2023, with the "Isle of the Damned" expansion, in response to a question about concurrently-releasing projects Skull Island series and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the developers hinted at expanding the set for creatures from the media. This was followed up in the "Creature Codex" unveiled in 2024, where the creatures from the former series were added, alongside some being verified to be the same as previous monsters established in prior Kong: Skull Island-based materials.
  • Some monsters, such as the Marionette Vine and the Tree of Woe, were made during the game's production, but were ultimately cut from the final version.
• A mockup cover on the Kickstarter shows the Creature Codex was originally going to be called "Kong: Skull Island - Beasts".
• In promotion for the "Isle of the Damned" pack, Evil Genius Games held an art contest where followers could submit a florafauna-style monster design and original human character, with the winning entry would be added to the game as an official creature and NPC. On July 31, 2023, the Slither Flower (designed by Erik Evert) and Tanystalker (designed by Shayor Sheikh) were declared as the winning creatures with Libbet Sanchez (created by Matthew C. Cutter) as the winning character. In addition, three characters were chosen as honorable mentions who would be killed in the story: Dr. Axwell "Ax" O'Brien (by Tyler Catalone), Carl C Cooper (Alexander Loucks), and Zander Corso (Eugenio). Plush versions of the winners were also announced for shipment.

External links

• Official webside
• Guidebook on official website
• Kickstarter