Two strikes for Activision and its movie-based games this summer. First, Spider-Man 3, disappointed on all fronts and now Shrek the Third releases into summer gaming bomb-hood.
The game follows the plot of the film, which hits theaters this weekend. Shrek finds himself in a pickle when his father-in-law, the frog king of Never Never Land, falls ill. The green ogre's then asked to rule in the king's place, but he just doesn't feel like he's king material. The game begins as he busts the heads of royal cooks and servants, which serves as a tutorial of Shrek's arsenal of moves. He can off enemies using a combo punch attack, an uppercut move, funny finishing moves (such as flicking an enemy with his finger or landing on them like a whoopee cushion). Shrek can also launch fiercer attacks after his charge-up meter fills with fairy dust. Puss in Boots and the wisecracking Donkey become playable characters as the game progresses.
It sounds good in concept, but the game just doesn't deliver. Stage after stage follows the same old blueprint: beat up bad guys, collect items, break objects to find collectible items and repeat until the end credits roll. Donkey never becomes an effective ally because of his short range with head butts and mule kicks. Puss in Boots' swordplay wallows in monotony and only his "cute cat stare" offers anything worthwhile. Additional moves or the ability to execute co-op character attacks would've made this game far more compelling.
That leads to another hitch -- unrefined graphics. Some parts of the game look outstanding, like the water and cool lighting effects, and others look like they were ripped from the original Xbox game. Out-of-place textures, choppy animation and jagged edges appear at any given time. An immoveable camera also makes certain segments of the game needlessly challenging. For instance, in Captain Hook's ship, the camera pans out as Shrek charges forward, making it difficult to see oncoming enemies. To add insult to injury, the Wii version runs at a smoother frame rate and contains zero visual disruption.
Those who expect to hear Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy or Cameron Diaz's vocal stylings will be further disappointed. Instead, second-rate soundalikes fill in with less-than-convincing vocals. The Eddie Murphy sound-alike doesn't quite capture the comedian's personality and Shrek constantly repeats "Out of the way, let's go!".
Shrek the Third's six mini-games keep the game from turning into a complete disaster. A shuffleboard-type game and shooting gallery sequences deliver quick hits of fun and, our fave, Castle Capture requires players to blow each other's forts apart with weapons and can be played on Xbox Live.
In the end, Shrek the Third plays like a by-the-numbers movie-licensed game -- one that came as an afterthought and then rushed out the door for release alongside the movie. If you're seeking our advice to finding happiness in this Never Never Land? Go see the film instead.
Final Score: 5 (out of 10)
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