The world that was constructed for the video game adaptation of Shrek 2 was incredible. Hundreds of fairy tales from centuries of European storytelling were brought in to create a vast, open-world to explore, rivaling Bethesda’s Fallout and Elder Scrolls franchises, which had not yet come to fruition at the time. This was a unique endeavor, as video games rarely borrow from real-world storytelling, instead opting to use original characters and settings. Each character arc, however short, manages to have huge emotional pull thanks to the return of the voice cast of the movie, and a soundtrack consisting of the full works of Smash Mouth. Throughout exploration, the game employs an intricate, timing-based swordplay system which has you fighting one-on-one against a cast of well-known fantasy creatures, each one forcing you to develop a unique strategy. Sometimes, your shield will save you, and in others, it will be tossed aside by an enemy too powerful. Sometimes, a blind enemy is best fought using the masterful stealth system, developed during consultation with Hideo Kojima. The complexity of the combat in Shrek 2 is almost indescribable, and I think it would be best for everyone to experience it themselves.

Conclusion: Shrek 2 was the victim of a weak advertisement campaign, and if you are willing to look for a copy, what you will find is the progenitor for some of the greatest games of the past decade.