The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe [PS2]

Andrew Adamson is the director, executive producer, and co-screenwriter of The Chronicles of Narnia.

Yahoo! Video Games had a chance to chat with Andrew Adamson -- the director, executive producer, and co-screenwriter -- for Disney's upcoming feature film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, which was based on the beloved and best-selling C.S. Lewis book of the same name.

The New Zealander made his directorial debut with Shrek, which won the first Academy Award presented for Best Animated Feature, and then followed up with Shrek 2, the highest-earning animated film in Hollywood history.

Yahoo! Video Games: How and when did you get involved in the The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe video game?

Andrew Adamson: Well, Buena Vista Games came to me early on to help work on the game so it would be parallel with the movie. To be done right, it needed to be worked on simultaneously. The conception for the film began about three-and-a-half years ago and the game has been in development about two-and-a-half years.

YVG: Why did the two need to be worked on at the same time? The Shrek games from Activision started much later down the road.

AA: Yes, this is true. I was a lot more involved in [the Narnia game] than Shrek. To answer your question, I wanted to make sure the game and the film had a similar theme and feel. Narnia is all about family, an emphasis on family, so we carried that through with the game storyline, as well as a second player has the ability to jump in and out of the game to play cooperatively. Thematically, this was very important. We also made sure the game could only be completed by having the family work together. In order for the game to have the same magic as the movie, we wanted players to feel like they've been transported to another world. This is, after all, what games do. Movies and games can work well hand-in-hand.

YVG: Can you specify what you brought to the gaming table? Also, is the game an interactive version of the movie or is there more to it?

AA: I wanted to make sure the game was more than just fighting and running around like many other video games out there. I wanted to make sure the game was also cerebral, so it was important to have a level of strategy in the game, where you can give commands and missions to your team instead of it just being action-based. I also didn't want the game to be predictable. There are certain choices gamers can make in a non-linear narrative that separates itself from movies.

YVG: Can you elaborate on something that's not in the movie but gamers can find in the game?

AA: Sure, you may hear about the Boggles creatures in the movie that live underground but you won't encounter them. In the game you get to face the Boggles underground. We had fun coming up with their design. So, it's part of the back-story that comes to life in the game, if you will.

YVG: You talked a bit about the non-linearity of games. Do you think this is the appeal of video games, something movies can't offer?

AA: Well, movies and games are different experiences. I understand the gratification in video games because you're faced with challenges and then overcome them. You feel satisfaction. Also, there's a social aspect of games, where you can play against friends or other members of your family. Humans respond to competition; it feels good. This is something movies don't offer. Games can compliment movies or vice-versa. Like movies, video games let you project yourself into a character and can be even more immersive because the game gives you a choice unlike a director who takes you where you're going.

YVG: Do you think video games can make you cry?

AA: In theory, yes, it's perfectly possible, but it's different experience than a movie. You can get into a game and get attached to a character. They can be very immersive. I remember playing Myst with great sound and there was a point where something would frighten me and get my adrenaline going. So video games can evoke emotions like fear and sadness. I also remember playing Tomb Raider on a big-screen until two in the morning.

YVG: So, do you consider yourself a gamer?

AA: Well, I've been playing video games since I was 13 or 14 years old. They were old text-adventure games and role-playing games that were immersive, even though graphics were simple.

YVG: And now?

AA: I'm in and out of games. I usually play in between projects. I seem to go through two year cycles where I won't play anything in a long time and then play a lot. I like to play games that are very immersive. I don't mind running around in action games, learning new moves to defeat villains, but I prefer more narrative and involving games like Myst.

YVG: Can you see yourself working on a video game not based on a feature film?

AA: Absolutely. But I won't consider it until after I take a long break [laughs].

YVG: Well after working on Narnia for more than three-and-a-half years, we don't blame you -- time to pick up some video games and relax.

AA: Thanks, will do.

• -- Read the video game review.