As popular as the Shrek movies have been, the games on the other hand have always been a bit of a disappointment. To put it simply, they’re aimed towards the casual audience, and more specifically, the Shrek fans. But with the momentum of the films slowly coming to an end, can Shrek Forever After make your friends green with envy or rage at the site of it?

Shrek Forever After follows the timeline and story of the film, whereby Shrek has become a little disenchanted with his comfortable family life and longs for the days where he felt like a ‘true orge’. In order to try and re-instil this lost passion, Shrek signs a contract with Rumpelstiltskin, who tricks Shrek into going into a parallel dimension, where Rumpelstiltskin rules Far Away and everything’s basically gone to hell. The premise of the film and game are not that bad, but the game doesn’t manage to convey the narrative well, as slightly unpolished in-game cut scenes and one-liners can’t really carry a story.

Gameplay wise, Shrek Forever After is a combination of different genres. Although each genre isn’t captivatingly deep, the game manages to combine beat-em-up mechanics with puzzle/platforming elements to create a well-rounded experience. Players have the ability to switch between Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Puss in Boots on the fly. Each character has his/her own strengths, such as Shrek being able to pick up heavy objects and Puss being able to climb. Each of the characters’ abilities must be effectively used to solve puzzles, as well as their fighting strengths used to take out enemies. Overall, it feels like a complete adventure experience, however each part of the game could have used a little bit more time in the oven.

Although Shrek is seen as a ‘big ugly ogre’ (Mike Myers voice), the films have always brought some gorgeous visuals and animations, but the game seems a little lacklustre in this department. While the character models are nicely presented, the levels and environments seem a little bland. We’re not expecting Uncharted 2 here, but the games deserve a little more given the movie’s sparkle.

Shrek Forever After isn’t a bad game, it’s just not a good game for gamers. Younger audiences and Shrek fanatics will get their fix however, as the elementary control system, fun puzzles and variety of characters will please them throughout the story.