Shrek has managed to cross the generations and is the animated film series for viewers of all ages, but the videogame equivalent sets its sights firmly on the younger members of the household. This is rudimentary gaming with the collecting of coins, smashing of crates and simplistic combat evident throughout. No wonder the actors are conspicuous by their absence, and in their place is a poorly-assembled cast of soundalikes that frankly miss the mark by a huge margin.
Shrek The Third is the weakest entrant in the series to date, not only for the lack of gags but also the poor storyline. For those unaware, Shrek finds himself in line for the throne, which isn't a role he particularly wishes to take onboard. Instead he sets out to find the other heir to the throne (Arthur) and use his powers of persuasion so that the vacant post can be filled. Prince Charming sees the departing Shrek as his opportunity to spark a revolution and seize the throne for himself.
The game uses the main plot developments as goalposts and fills in the missing hours with themed linear missions that lack variety. To try and break up the monotony, you not only take on the role of Shrek, but also his cohorts. No new gameplay elements are introduced; regardless of the character, you'll be breaking crates, picking up coins (and other secrets) as well as pulling levers. In between, there are plenty of opponents to kick, thump and stab, with only the special attack proving to be the differential between the characters. Even then, you cannot escape that this is the most basic of combat systems on display, aimed purely at the youngest denominator.
The strength of the main mode is the visuals, which, for the Nintendo Wii, are average. By fixing the camera in an almost side-on perspective (with a touch of Prince of Persia) you can appreciate how faithful the locations are, and also see what’s waiting for you around the corner. The design is extremely basic with only one route ushering you towards the end of the level. At least there is no real rational reason to retred your footsteps or revisit an earlier level, as they are all instantly forgettable. The weakest aspect visually are the main characters, with Shrek looking like he's lost a few pounds and Donkey looking more scruffy than usual. The animation isn't up to scratch either, but as you become an instant expert in using the combat system without looking at the screen, Gamestyle almost overlooked this point.
The Wii has already shown that the remote can spark life into the most mundane of experiences. Shrek The Third is, however, too flat-line to be saved. Simply shaking the remote from side to side with no subtlety or room for experimentation activates punches. No thought has been put into trying to take advantage of the potential offered by the Nintendo Wii, which at least Pirates of the Caribbean 3 attempted to accomodate, to its benefit. Even opportunities such as knocking down barriers are achieved by rapidly pressing the C button of all things - why not use the Wii remote? It really sums up the poor planning and lack of thought that is shown throughout Shrek The Third.
As the main mode is polished off in next to no time, thankfully there are other modes to try and prolong the Shrek experience, or at least the search for one. Ignoring the playable demo for a forthcoming film tie-in (pointless advertising), you have a multiplayer mode and a series of mini-games. These range from trying to score points on the ship deck to knocking down your opponent's castle tower. While a brief distraction, each of the concepts could have been put together in only a few minutes and there is no depth on offer.
Ultimately, this is the sort of film license that we are starting to see more frequently in the last year. Gamestyle had hoped that such quick and pointless tie-ins were consigned to the 80s and 90s, with film studios now taking more care over related products. Unfortunately this summer we've experienced far too many of these quick cash-ins that fail to do the source justice or even utilise the capabilities of the host machine to any degree. Shrek The Third is best left lying in the bargain buckets, and even then, that's too good a fate for what it actually is.
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