The Shrek franchise has had no trouble finding love and laughs from adults and kids alike for almost a decade. Along with that have come a few Shrek games tying into the films, each of which has been a pretty good addition to the movies. So it comes as no surprise that the latest video game based on Shrek is definitively a great game developed for the whole family. Shrek Forever After closely follows the plot of the soon to be released film of the same title. You follow our pudgy, green antihero Shrek as he hits a point in his life where being an Ogre just isn’t what it used to be. When Shrek receives an offer he can’t refuse from Rumpelstiltskin he finds himself living in an alternate universe in which he had never married Fiona and had never met Donkey. Shrek’s last tale is a good one, sure to bring smiles to the whole family. Speaking of family, Shrek Forever After has been a great method of getting the whole family around the TV for the past week with its 4-player coop. You can swap between Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, or Puss in Boots if you play solo, but the real fun is in having 3 other friends or family helping you bash your way through the game playing as each character. Each character has his/her own unique attacks and abilities that give them importance in fights and puzzles.
There are plenty of challenging puzzles that can be completed alone or with friends and lots of hidden collectibles to find. If there is ever a point where a puzzle might be too challenging for kids, the Three Blind Mice can typically be found nearby to give them clues about how to solve the puzzle. This combined with the coop really makes the game accessible to kids of all ages. By far one of the most enjoyable parts of the game is the mirrors you’ll find throughout the game changing Shrek’s world from reality to the alternate reality. You’ll sometimes have to go back and forth between the two to solve a puzzle or find some of the game’s many secrets. The witty humor that makes the movies so entertaining can also be found in bundles within the game. You’ll encounter plenty of characters that have graced the series and even some fresh faces as well. The adventure has a decent amount of length to it (around 8-10 hours) with secrets in each level that can only be obtained with a subsequent playthrough of the level giving players plenty of reason to go back and scour each level. Visually the game doesn’t astound, but looks decent for a tie-in and takes the Shrek universe and translates it nicely into a game. The cutscenes however do look good for a movie game, with a lot more plot from the movie than we expected to see. There are also plenty of licensed songs from the upcoming movie, usually playing during the arena style battles that occur every now and again.
They are a great addition to the game, carrying over nicely the great soundtrack that each Shrek film plays. The voice actors in the game nail each character, again making the world within the game all the more believable for fans. Just like the films, this is a great game for parents and kids to experience together and maybe if the kids are tucked in it might not be so terrible to sneak in a few hours solo. But the most enjoyable experience to be had in Shrek Forever After is when you are playing the game together, soaking up the great humor and putting your brains together to solve some of the increasingly challenging puzzle segments. Swapping back and forth between each version of Far Far Away also keeps the game fresh as well as creates some tough challenges but not too challenging for kids of all ages. For the low price of 49.99 you and your family can travel to the world of Shrek and help him make things right one final time. Shrek Forever After is a great farewell to a character that has been a staple of CG movies and what better way to say goodbye than to enjoy the game with the whole family. At $49.99 Shrek Forever After is a great reason as any to get the whole family together for a night of laughs. Shrek Forever After releases in theaters today and the game is already in stores. Grab your tickets and run to the nearest store, it’s a great weekend to have Shrek fever.
