Immersive horror experience with intense atmosphere
RenderPi Limited brings a standout title in the mascot horror parody genre in Five Nights At Shrek’s Hotel 2. Building on the success of the first installment, this sequel replaces the static security-camera mechanics of traditional horror games with a first-person, exploration-based adventure. Overall, the game balances an unsettling atmosphere with a sense of the absurd, using the likeness of a popular animated ogre to subvert player expectations.
What begins as a simple quest for a place to sleep quickly devolves into a five-night struggle for survival. The narrative premise of Five Nights At Shrek’s Hotel 2 casts the player as someone seeking temporary refuge in a budget hotel. Upon arrival, players are greeted by Shrek, the hotel’s manager, whose disturbingly wide, static smile immediately establishes the game’s unhinged tone.
Survive through the nights
The gameplay loop is divided into five distinct nights, each escalating in tension and absurdity. The first nights involve performing mundane tasks such as making a mess in the bathroom or defacing a hallway painting, which are intended to slowly erode Shrek’s patience. As the hotel manager’s anger grows, the nights transition from awkward retail interactions to high-stakes survival scenarios where players must navigate the corridors while avoiding lethal encounters with the increasingly hostile ogre.
Frequent jumpscares for an added horror experience
The game utilizes a 3D engine to create an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere characterized by creaking doors, flickering lights, and a low-fi aesthetic that enhances the horror part of the game. Five Nights At Shrek’s Hotel 2 has flashing lights and arbitrary jumpscares that are used to keep the player on edge. However, these scares are often balanced with comedic timing, ensuring the game never truly feels oppressive or heavily leaning towards horror. Additionally, the jumpscares tend to be excessive, occasionally prioritising immediate shocks over sustained psychological tension.
A roster of familiar characters and multiple outcomes
The hotel is populated by a cast of familiar yet distorted characters from the Shrek franchise, including Donkey, Puss in Boots, and Gingy. Each character serves a specific role in the hotel’s operations and the game’s surreal plot. The dialogue adds to the gameplay by blending witty banter with dark, unexpected twists.
Five Nights At Shrek’s Hotel 2 offers a degree of player agency through branching paths and dialogue choices. Certain action, responses, and how players handle particular comedic mishaps influence the immediate gameplay experience. This culminates in multiple possible endings, ranging from successful escapes to more surreal or fatal conclusions. However, while the setting is expanded, certain wildlife-style incursions and pursuit patterns can become predictable after multiple nights, which adds a layer of repetitiveness to the gameplay.
Experience this survival game framed as a horror parody
Five Nights At Shrek’s Hotel 2 is a comedic adventure that successfully blends two beloved franchises into a single game. Rather than a full-fledged horror game, it uses iconic characters in creative and distorted ways that keep the experience unpredictable and humorous. By combining first-person exploration with surreal absurdity and consequence-driven gameplay, the game creates a parody that appeals to both thrill-seekers and those looking for a quick laugh.
Pros
- Unique hybrid tone
- Expanded gameplay
- Multiple endings
Cons
- Excessive jumpscares
- Repetitive treats