This review was written by our special guest reviewer - Jackal58.

Everyone knows that movie based games tend to range from bad to unplayable. The simple laws of probability tell us that not all movie games can be horrible and The Spiderwick Chronicles falls into that select few. It is a child’s game which is enjoyable to play at any age and with little to no knowledge of the movie itself.

You are in control of three young siblings who have found themselves in a mystical world of fairies, goblins, trolls and other wonderful creatures. The whole idea feels a bit Potter-esque, but manages to differentiate itself beautifully. The game then proceeds to send you on a series of missions to uncover the truth about this mysterious world. I must admit, one of my favorite parts of the game is the simple joy of laying into goblins with an aluminum bat. The game also allows you to capture fairies and use them as spells. This provides you with an ever changing arsenal of buffs and abilities, adding another level to the game play. These abilities can be used to greatly simplify many of the missions, or simply to make your goblin bashing more enjoyable.

Hey, you’re not my brother! 

The graphics are nothing special and more than a bit cartoony, although given the E rating, this seems expected. The game play and controls are about the same, childish and simple. This is not a game to take seriously if you are above the age of 13. The riddles are simple and the objectives page can usually be counted on to spell things out for you. My single biggest problem with the game is the lack of any sort of map. Perhaps I am simply directionally challenged, as my car’s GPS will tell you, but I would like to know how to find my way around. Perhaps give the game a map in the menu screen, a mini map or even an arrow pointing towards the objective. Luckily, the maps are not very complicated and after a short while you will pick up on the general layout of things.

Going… Going… GONE! 

I would say that The Spiderwick Chronicles performs its duties admirably. It is nothing groundbreaking, but it is simple and enjoyable to play. As movie games go, it is one of the better ones I have seen. Unfortunately, unless you are a die hard fan of the movie I can not endorse purchase. This is one to borrow from a friend or rent when you’re bored. Have fun, I’m off to whack a few goblins.

Overall : Childish Fun, Rentable.