Shrek 2: The Game – PS2 – Review

Shrek 2 is a grand
collection of gameplay elements, both old and new.  You might be surprised to
learn that the battles have more in common with Midway’s Gauntlet series than
they do with the Goomba-jumping antics of Mario.  You will almost certainly be
surprised when you see four cooperative characters on the screen at once, all
of which can be controlled.  Switching between characters (the starting lineup
includes Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and Gingerbread Man) is a seamless experience. 
Each character has a different attack, as well as an important special move. 
This is sort of thing is not uncommon for an action/adventure, but in every
other game on the market you must switch characters at either (A) designated
character selection spots, or (B) in between levels.  Shrek 2 does away with
that nonsense by letting players change characters on-the-fly.

This does unfortunately
create a problem with the camera.  The camera can be moved manually at
specific points, but when the characters are separated it becomes stuck in a
strange, zoomed out view that makes it hard to see what’s going on.  I’ve been
in worse situations and conquered far more serious frustrations, so it wasn’t
like it drove me to the point of not playing the game.

Visually, Shrek’s levels
are a work of art.  You’ll stare at the backgrounds.  You’ll stare at the
characters.  You’ll stare at just about everything, marveling at how well the
game matches the look of the film.

Structurally, the levels
are a tad disappointing.  They have cool elements and amusing surprises from
new characters, but you rarely have more than one option.  You move forward at
all times, never looking back.  In many cases you can’t go back, so if you
miss an item or wish to collect more coins (which can be used to increase your
stats), you’ll have to start the level over again.

Shrek 2’s battles are
very interesting.  You’d expect to be able to jump on top of an enemy, jump
off, and he’d disappear.  Shrek’s world doesn’t work like that though.  In
this game you’ll have to battle all kinds of thugs, including townspeople with
pitch forks.  The three characters that you are not in control of will start
attacking the enemies on their own, but their AI isn’t perfect, so you will
have to do your best to protect them.  If one character dies, he or she (or
it) cannot be used until a healing potion is acquired.

The mostly simplistic
challenges that await Shrek fans might hide the brilliance that Luxoflux
created.  What they have on their hands is an incredible idea and a stellar
game engine.  Shrek is an all-ages film, and I suppose the game is expected to
be played by a younger audience.  But hardcore gamers would be fools to not
even rent this game and miss out on what could be the beginning of something
great.

After viewing the film’s
trailer and many TV spots, I wasn’t sure if Shrek 2 would be as funny as the
original.  Actually, my real concern is that it wouldn’t be funnier than the
original.  A sequel is just a sequel if it isn’t better.  If the game is any
indication, it’s safe to stop worrying and prepare for what could be the
summer’s most hilarious film.  Shrek and friends recite various lines from to
time, many of which poked fun at the entertainment industry’s most beloved
fairytales.  And as I said before, the voice acting is great.

For the comedy alone,
Shrek 2 is a must-play.  Video games are rarely given the same kind of humor
that other entertainment mediums offer.  Everyone knows Disney, The Wizard of
Oz, and other classic fairytales, and this game pokes fun at all of ’em.  From
the gameplay standpoint, you have to consider all the facts: the levels are
long, but they aren’t very hard to get through.  There are many playable
characters, but their moves are simple.  (They do relate to the characters’
assumed strengths and weaknesses, however.  For example, Donkey is the only
one who can bust open locked gates.  Shrek is the only one who can pick up
boxes and barrels of TNT, etc.)  Anyone who loves Shrek will enjoy the game,
if only as a rental.  It is a game that I’m pretty certain I’ll play through
again, especially after seeing the film and in need of something great to
extend the life of this comical fairytale.

Gameplay: 8
Enemies are
abound – attack!  Kick ’em, punch ’em, and use Shrek to body slam them until
they stop getting back up.  That is one surprising element in the game.  While
the level objectives are easy (at one point you have to gather a bunch of
chickens, a la The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, but instead of
throwing them into a pen you throw them into a bubbling hot cauldron), the
battle can be a little more challenging.  Most enemies take multiple hits to
defeat.

Shrek
is the ally you have, so you’ll end up using him to take out most of the
foes.  Fiona has an awesome special move that slows down the gameplay, making
her an important character as well.  The move creates a really cool slo-mo
effect that doesn’t mimic or parody The Matrix.

Graphics: 8.5
Shrek 2’s
graphics are CG-riffic.  This game captures the visual essence of the film in
a way that few others have.

Sound: 8.5
Great
voice-overs, excellent dialogue.  The soundtrack isn’t as memorable as the
dialogue, but it suits the world of Shrek and reminds me of the fairytales the
game pokes fun at.

Difficulty: Easy
The challenge is
weak, but the game’s length helps to make up for that.

Concept: 9
Ultra-impressive
use of four characters.  There are a million possibilities for games that
Luxoflux could develop based on this architecture.  Once the technology
becomes powerful enough they could even adapt it to the True Crime series…

Multiplayer: 7
You don’t have to
play through the game alone if you don’t want to.  Up to four players can take
on Shrek 2.  As with the many Gauntlet games, the multiplayer experience can
be a bit difficult if the players don’t cooperate (that is, if they don’t all
move in the same direction at the same time).  When one player leaves the
game, the computer takes over for that character.

Overall: 8