Explore a wonderful world of faeries

Follow the Grace children as they discover a magical adventure in their back garden.

Based on the novels by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, as well as the film of the same name, The Spiderwick Chronicles puts you in control of the Grace children as they enter a world of magical faeries and evil goblins.

Twins Jared and Simon Grace, their older sister Mallory and their recently divorced mother move into the Spiderwick Estate when it is given to them by their elderly Aunt, Lucinda. Left alone to explore the creepy mansion, Jared stumbles across the secret study of its late owner: Arthur Spiderwick, an expert on nature. There he discovers a book entitled Spiderwick's Field Guide to Faeries, which has a label attached saying 'do not read'.

Ignoring the warning, Jared discovers a recipe for attracting faeries - crackers and honey - which he uses to lure Hogsqueal, a small rodent-like creature who gives him a special stone with a hole through which the magical creatures of the world can be seen by humans.

Meanwhile, the evil ogre Mulgarath knows that Jared has the book and wanting it for himself, kidnaps his twin brother Simon.

During the early stages of the game, you control Jared, Simon and Hogsqueal the brownie, with Mallory available later on. Jared and Simon are identical twins, but their personalities couldn't be more different: Jared is strong and aggressive while Simon is mild mannered and cautious.

Levels in which you control Jared are combat based, as he swings his way through swarms of goblins with his baseball bat. Playing with Simon involves more exploration, as he searches the mansion for the parts needed to build his vinegar gun. Controlling Hogsqueal offers a glimpse into the miniature brownie's world as he scuttles across workbenches, launching needles at the bugs and beetles standing in his way. Mallory is a fencing expert and her skill with a sword comes in handy for the tougher enemies later on.

One of the game's strengths is how much it looks, sounds and feels like the film. Character voices are instantly recognisable and the mansion, garden and surrounding woodland all look excellent. Fans of the film will enjoy the freedom to explore each setting and there are many secret areas tucked away to keep a lookout for. Delve deep enough and you're likely to stumble across rare items that unlock bonus content, such as video clips.

To top it all off, there's a fun multiplayer mode in which you choose your favourite character and catch as many butterflies as you can within the time limit.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a game that everyone in the family can enjoy and that fans of the movie or the novels will love. It's a great adventure title with charming characters, excellent graphics and plenty of action, making it a welcome addition to the PlayStation 2 library.