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Join 'Van Helsing,' 'Shrek 2' in games

By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Marc Saltzman, a freelance technology journalist whose reviews also appear on the Gannett News Service.

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Princess Fiona and Shrek must solve puzzles and outwit enemies in their journey to meet the parents in "Shrek 2."
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Video games join action figures, trading cards and plush toys as summer movie tie-ins. Two new movie-turned-games -- Activision's "Shrek 2" and Vivendi Universal Games' "Van Helsing" -- are fun adaptations that let gamers control the protagonist instead of just watching him onscreen.

'Shrek 2'

Following the story line to DreamWorks' hit animated film, newlyweds Shrek and Princess Fiona set out on a journey with Donkey to meet Fiona's disapproving parents in the land of Far, Far Away. Along the way, the trio encounters many obstacles, so they must solve puzzles or fight enemies to reach their destination.

To progress through this action-adventure hybrid, players need to take control over certain characters to use their special abilities. For example, Shrek is strong so he can lift heavy objects, but players will want to toggle over to Donkey when his "burro blast" kick is required to break objects.

Fiona's special ability is "slow time," a limited special power that slows down all the action onscreen when the player feels overwhelmed by numerous bad guys. Other fairy tale characters can also be controlled at times during the game, such as Gingerbread Man, Big Bad Wolf and Puss in Boots (whose specialties are tightrope walking and sword fighting).

"Shrek 2" includes minigame challenges and the option for three other players to jump into the game and take control over one of the characters. Both of these game-play additions add depth and replayability.

While not on par with the computer-generated film, the 3-D graphics are attractively detailed and colorful. Sound-alike actors provide voices, but they do a terrific job.

"Shrek 2" is perfect for younger players who want to relive the magic of the film -- on the small screen.

(Activision; for Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube; $49.99; rated "E" for everyone; 3.5 stars out of 5)

'Van Helsing'

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Pistols and crossbows are among the weapons used to eliminate Wolf Man, Igor and Dracula in "Van Helsing."

Gothic action is what you'll find in "Van Helsing," a not-so-serious title that lets players assume the role of the creature-hunting star of the film (played by Hugh Jackman).

With the aid of numerous weapons -- including pistols, tojo blades, a crossbow and an elephant gun -- Van Helsing must battle close to two-dozen foes in Transylvania, such as Wolf Man, Igor and eventually, Dracula. Van Helsing's grappling hook is also fun to play with as it can latch onto giant vampire bats flying overhead.

This linear, single-player adventure follows Van Helsing through 13 missions that more or less stick to the movie's dark environments and plot. Because of this faithful recreation, players who have seen the film will likely get a lot more out of the game. It is played from a cinematic third-person perspective.

It is not a perfect adventure -- shortcomings include awkward camera angles that can obstruct the view and relatively short game-play, hovering between eight and 10 hours.

All in all, "Van Helsing" is an enjoyable, action-heavy ride that doesn't try to take itself too seriously.

(Vivendi Universal Games; for PlayStation 2 and Xbox; $49.99; rated "T" for teen; 3.5 stars out of 5)


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