Shrek 2 GameCube

Along with lunchboxes, toys, t-shirts and Happy Meals there's nearly always a similarly-endorsed videogame tied in to the children's blockbuster movie these days. Shrek 2 is no different, with the duties for the console versions having been given to developer Luxoflux, and the result taking the form of a 3D action platformer, full of the usual array of exploration and puzzle-solving. The storyline throughout the game pretty much follows that of the film, with Shrek and his newly-found wife Fiona on a trip to Far, Far Away Land to visit the in-laws. Once there, however, problems arise due to the fact that Fiona's parents are none too happy to discover that their daughter has got hitched to an ogre. Shrek is then left with the not too easy task of gaining their acceptance. The gameplay throughout Shrek 2 sees you take control of not just Shrek but 10 of his friends as well, as you explore the movie's fairytale world, negotiate the usual assortment of environmental hazards, and fight off myriad enemies. The game is split into different chapters and each one presents you with a series of goals and mini quests, each of which more often than not requires the different skills of your varyingly-qualified entourage of controllable characters. For example, Shrek is a big lad and therefore more than competent when it comes to lifting heavy objects and opening large doors. Donkey is equipped with a manoeuvre that can knock down fences, and Fiona can pull off a rather nifty Max Payne impression and do the whole 'bullet time' thing. Throughout the adventure, you're constantly accompanied by a further three characters, which, under CPU control, help you out by automatically attacking the enemies. Now this is very handy when playing alone, but, even better, it also means that up to three of your friends can also grab a control pad, assume the role of one of the spare characters and join in the fun. As a result, you can therefore also enjoy a co-operative experience and play through the game as a team, with each member f