At least all the characters from the film are faithfully recreated

The story leads on from where the film ended, with Po having defeated Shen and restoring peace to Gongmen City; sort of. In the ensuing chaos a gang of wolf mercenaries begin terrorising the populace, and it’s up to Po and the gang to put a stop to them. The team deserve credit for trying to create an original tale, and it manages to fit into the Kung Fu Panda universe by effectively portraying all the characters from the film. Sadly though, this is where my praise for the game ends abruptly.

Though half of the game is taken up with cut scenes, you do actually have to play it at some point. When you do, all that awaits is loss and despair. A standard third person platformer/brawler, Kung Fu Panda 2 suffers from the worst afflictions that plague the back ends of the genre. A predictable light and heavy attack control scheme and the occasional dodge or partner assist is all that prevents the inevitable boredom, and it doesn’t do a very good job. The fighting is repetitive, tedious and highly uninspired. It doesn’t help that it is also horrendously easy.

This is about as exciting as Kung Fu Panda 2 gets

It’s clear that somebody twigged on to the repetitive combat, leading to new moves being introduced to keep players involved. They only serve to make the game easier however, ironically making the combat even more annoying and forgettable. The odd puzzle is also thrown in for good measure, though so many obvious clues are given that they may as well not even be there. They too pose no challenge for anyone with an IQ in the double figures.

Considering how expertly crafted the visuals are in the Kung Fu Panda films, it is laughable that the game looks so awful. A weird fur effect plagues all the animal like creatures that grace the game’s world. A serious lack of anti-aliasing makes everything appear grainy and unpolished, and a dodgy motion blur effect makes every camera pan a nauseating and amateur-looking affair. The screen tears regularly and, to top it all off, the frame rate plummets the moment anything seems to happen on screen. I honestly haven’t seen a game so poorly designed in a long time. It made me a little bit sad. I have no good words to say about KFP2’s presentation. Even the menu screen looks like hell.

The visuals look bad enough in a screenshot, but the moving image is even worse

When it boils down to it, I would consider the very fact that this game has been released a crime. Not against the industry or any kind of moral code, but a real crime that should be reported. If somebody sold me a bag full of faeces for £40 on the street, I would report him to every government body possible in the hope of shutting him down. This is what I want to do with Kung Fu Panda 2 but, in the absence of any kind of organisation that can forcibly regulate the quality of games, it seems my only option is to warn potential consumers of what is on offer here. A short and uninspired romp that lasts no more than three hours is not worth the asking price in the slightest. The only way KFP2 would be worth it is if they paid you to take it off their hands. Until they do this, avoid it like the plague.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 3.

THQ today announced its plans to release the Kung Fu Panda 2 video game on Kinect for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 , uDraw GameTablet for the Wii and the Nintendo DS, in conjunction with the theatrical debut of the eagerly anticipated movie from DreamWorks Animation.

Players will find all-new ways to enter the world of Kung Fu Panda in the video game, including the unique ability to use Kinect to “become” Po on screen, as they seek to restore the balance of power and save kung fu forever.

Kung Fu Panda 2 the video game begins where the movie leaves off, as Po and the Furious Five venture out to save kung fu from a new evil threat.  Only with Kinect for Xbox 360 will Po teach players key kung fu moves and train them for impending battles against new, never-before-seen enemies, co-created by THQ and DreamWorks Animation.  Utilizing Kinect, players will then seemingly transform into Po as they block, dodge, duck, punch and kick, no controller required.  Onscreen, Po follows their every move as the game takes them into some new terrains and environments.

“Kung Fu Panda 2 brings enormous innovation and creativity to build on the excitement of the movie,” said Mary Beth Haggerty, THQ’s Vice President of Product Development, Kids, Family and Casual Games.  “The team brought unique elements to each platform so players can have a different experience with the same great story.”

Kung fu requires strategy and acumen, so on the PlayStation 3, Kung Fu Panda 2 lets players battle with moves such as “acu-punches,” “thunder strikes” and “kung fu curls” that incorporate problem-solving skills to help players master their talents under Po’s tutelage.

On THQ’s uDraw GameTablet for Wii, players will control Po with their stylus to fight and defend Gongmen City in story mode.  The epic battles against old and new enemies will happen amidst a backdrop that players themselves will bring to life.  In drawing mode, players can color various pieces of character art and objects which will in turn populate the story mode, making the game unique to the player.  There are also several awesome mini-games that players can enjoy playing as the adorable baby Po.

On Nintendo DS, Kung Fu Panda 2 will allow players to command Po using the stylus and unleash awesome kung fu moves against enemies alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five: Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis.  In addition, the Nintendo DS version offers an addictive card game called “Five-Card Fu”, which can be played either alone or with a friend.  The game is played on a 3×3 grid which contains nine squares.  To get started, the player must select five cards from their in-game library and place one card in one of the nine squares.  Each card will have a number ranging from one through nine on each side of the card.  In order to win, the player must strategize on which square they will occupy first as well as which card to use.  Once the player places a card in a square, the opponent will have to place a card on an adjacent square that beats the numerical value of the card the first player placed.  The player that occupies the grid with the highest numerical value wins.

Throughout April and May, Kung Fu Panda 2 fans can find out more about the video game and sign up for “training” through online videos and training mini games by visiting www.kungfupanda2game.com.  When they sign up for “training,” players will be notified by e-mail when each new video and games are available online.