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Shrek 2 Review - Xbox

Shrek was and still is one of the most popular computer-animated family movies ever made. Unfortunately, the game of the same name wasn't so well received, with its poor storyline and repetitive gameplay. Developer Digital Illusions was stripped of their privileges due to this and the license was handed over to Luxoflux, creators of True Crime: Streets of L.A.. With their well-established reputation on the line, Luxoflux got to work on Shrek 2 and have released it just in time for the release of Shrek's second movie. Fortunately, like the games based on the Harry Potter movies have, Shrek 2 for the Xbox proves that movie-to-game conversions can be pulled off with a decent final product.

In the fairy tale land of Far Far Away, the king and queen have heard that their beloved Princess Fiona has finally located her true prince charming. They organise for a royal ball to be held in honour of this, expecting their daughter to return free of her ogrish curse, a handsome young man in hand. Little do they know, however, that Princess Fiona's new husband is none other than the notorious ogre Shrek, and that Princess Fiona herself has found 'love's true form' as an ogress.

The Shrek series is most well known for its creative spin-offs and reproductions of fairy-tale characters, such as the Gingerbread Man and Little Red Riding Hood. Luxoflux have done a great job in carrying this theme across to Shrek 2; the main menu is laid out in book form, and the story is progressed at the beginning of each level - or chapter as it's known in-game - via the form of a fairy-tale book with an accompanying voiceover.

Gameplay

Shrek 2 is based upon the movie of the same name, so you can expect to see many of the locations and characters featured on the big screen. However, you'll also come across a few additional locations and characters, namely the Dwarven Mines, in which you'll chase the evil Fairy Godmother through compacted tunnels full of spiked machinery and stray mine carts, and Lil' Red, a softball-playing spin-off of Little Red Riding Hood.

The game provides a unique approach to traditional Adventure games; on-screen at all times will be not just one character but four, the squad being composed of Shrek and his friends. You control one character, while the CPU controls the other three. Throughout the game different characters will be added and subtracted from the squad as new characters become involved in the storyline. By the end of the game you'll have taken control of eight characters: Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey, Gingerbread Man, Big Bad Wolf, Lil' Red, Puss in Boots and Fairy. At any time during gameplay you're able to quickly and smoothly alternate between each of the four characters currently available with the tap of a button - and you'll have to, as many situations and puzzles require you to utilise each character's special move. For example, you (continued next page)