PC Game Review: Shrek Forever After

Posted by Laya Maheshwari on Jun 26, 2010 in Games, Reviews |

Yes, we all know videogames which are adaptations of movies aren’t exactly the epitome of quality gaming. They are viewed as only a lucrative merchandising opportunity, have rushed development schedules and are scrapped together just in time to be released as the movie hits theatres, for maximizing sales. This more often than not results in an unsatisfactory gaming experience, which isn’t well thought-out and is ridden with bugs & technical faults. There are some games (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Kung Fu Panda) that break this trend, but they are few and far in between.

But Shrek Forever After is a rare case. Not only is it a good and enjoyable game, but it actually transcends the movie it is based on.

The game loosely follows the plot of the movie, while changing details, adding characters and introducing quests of its own. The story deals with Shrek signing a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to relive his old, cavalier days. However, things don’t work out as planned (do they ever?) and Rumpel tricks Shrek, forcing him into an alternate universe in which he doesn’t exist, Fiona is an outlaw, Donkey is a beast of load and Puss-In-Boots has… well, outgrown a little, to be polite. Now its upto Shrek and his coterie to save the day and return things back to as they were in 7 levels.

The first thing one has to keep in mind regarding this game is that Activision and Xpec have made it for kids. Which explains why the game is so ridiculously easy, totally linear and extremely short. I am not a great gamer by any standard, but even I didn’t break a sweat at any point during the Story mode. There is one fixed path through the Story mode and almost no diversions or side-missions. Infact, the game has a 24×7 GPS to guide you to your next destination and never stops to give you hints on what to do next and how to go about your task. I played through Shrek Forever After at a very leisurely pace, trying to collect as many collectible items as I could. Despite that, I completed the Story mode in around 3 hours.

This is fun!

The gameplay is a mixture of puzzle-solving, platforming and action. The puzzles are fun and so is the platforming. They make good use of the characters (You can play as all 4) and their varied abilities, from Shrek’s brute strength to Donkey’s kicking skills. You’ll need to use all 4 characters in rotation to move ahead, since many missions can only be completed by working as team. Get ready for using Puss-In-Boot’s parkour skills in tandem with Fiona’s pyrokinetics at many points.

What is NOT fun, however, is the action/fighting part. There are many occasions during the campaign when you’ll be barricaded in a small area and will have to defeat numerous opponents before you can progress. During these bouts, the game descends to simple beat ‘em up, which is very disappointing. Not only are these fights repetitive, they get boring very quickly and function only to lengthen the game.

The graphics are mostly pleasing on the eyes, but don’t break new ground. Some locations, such as the Dragon’s Keep or the (old) Peasant Village look quite pretty. The score is hummable but the insertion of pop songs is baffling, especially since they are used in the fighting sections, further adding to the irritation. The dialog is of the not-good-not-bad variety, but some characters, like Donkey and the Witches, get on the nerves after some time. There are some collectible items but the incentive to go after them isn’t much.

This is not.

The game supports 4 player offline play, but I didn’t get a chance to check this out. I can only assume that working through the career with the entire party on screen and at hand must increase the fun somewhat.

To conclude, Shrek Forever After isn’t going to revolutionize the family gaming industry, but if you are looking for some harmless fun to be had, then this game isn’t a bad choice by any means.

(2.5/4)