Activision and Linoflux have joined forces for Shrek® 2, a platform adventure that loosely follows the plot of the upcoming movie sequel. Shrek and his new wife Fiona have been invited to meet Fiona’s parents, which raises a few problems right off the bat. One, the in-laws live in “Far, Far Away Land,” so there’s lots of landscape to cover. Two, the folks don’t know that Fiona was permanently transformed into an ogre herself at the end of the first movie, so they’re going to have a bit of a shock when their daughter shows up all green and lumpy. At the start of the game, the happy couple and a few friends are just leaving the swamp.
Newlywed adventure.
Shrek 2 features characters straight out of the films, including old favorites like Donkey, Dragon, and the Big Bad Wolf as well as newcomers like Lil’ Red and Puss-in-Boots. Though the game features new actors, they all do a remarkable job of capturing each character’s distinctive voice. Fans of the film will not be disappointed.
This large roster of characters isn’t just for show, either. One of the most exciting things about Shrek 2 is the ability to explore with a team of the oddball characters instead of just one at a time. Your team consists of four members, each with a different set of abilities, stats, and special moves. You control any of the four while the other three back you up. If you fight, they’ll fight, and where you go, they’ll follow. You can switch between all four characters at any time by working the triggers.
Explore colorful swamps.
This mechanic creates all sorts of exciting new possibilities in a platform adventure. Each character can fight and jump, but you’ll need to select the best character for the situation at hand. Shrek himself is perfectly suited to all-out brawling, but he’s not a great jumper and doesn’t have a special ability (at first) beyond a strong array of combat moves. The Gingerbread Man is just the opposite. He’s small, has less health, and doesn’t do as much hit damage, but he can hurl his candy cane as a ranged attack to hit remote switches that the others can’t reach. Though your team selection options are limited by the environment, you will find both challenges and mini-games specifically designed for each character’s hidden talents.
As you move through each new environment, you will encounter random dwarves, pixies, and other fairy tale denizens that need your help. The Three Blind Mice need a hand getting home, The Seven Dwarves have all been captured and need to be released, and there’s a wicked old witch who needs blackbirds for her cauldron. The helpful Magic Mirror will offer hints and advice as you go along, steering you back toward your goal or pointing out something you may have missed. The game has a broad, open-ended feel to it, and it really does seem like you’re exploring this fascinating world and meeting these hilarious characters.
Mirror, mirror …
Shrek 2 also lets your friends join in the single-player campaign at any time, taking over one of the characters on your team. Co-op is set up so that people can join the game or leave it without interrupting the action or forcing a restart. So, not only can you choose the best character for each challenge, you can give control of that character to the player who’ll use them the best.
Shrek 2 is full of the same characters and humor that made the first movie so funny. With its unique squad-based action and a healthy dose of silly fun, Shrek 2 for the Xbox promises to be another blockbuster.
