16-Jul-2004 There's a nasty odour about this movie-inspired platformer, befitting of Dreamworks' ugly green ogre himself Big, green, and coming to a console near you
Let's be honest, licensed games frequently stink, and games based on animated features are usually the worst of the smelly pile. Shrek 2 the movie is by all accounts a bit of a classic, and for once the game actually manages to capture some of the humour, charm and wit of the big-screen version.
The story closely follows that of the film, although there are some locations that are unique to the game. The action kicks off in Shrek's swamp, as he and his bride are embarking on a journey to visit her parents in the land of Far Far Away. The first task sets the tone for the rest of the game: Shrek has to collect bouncing eyeballs from the swamp to sustain him on his journey. Nice!
The gameplay sticks firmly to traditional puzzle-solving and platforming. You get to collect stuff, fight in brawls with the likes of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and figure out how to open the gates to the next section. You play as part of a squad of four interchangeable characters, including the Ninja hero Gingerbread Man, wise ass (literally) Donkey, Princess Fiona and assorted other fairytale characters. Each character has a special trait which can be used to help you solve puzzles.
It's certainly not the greatest platform adventure ever, but it's imbued with the same charming humour as the film, with all manner of sight gags that tip a knowing wink to fans of the movie.
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