For the most part, American McGee's Grimm: Cinderella plays just like any of Grimm's past adventures. Run around, corrupt things, witness some gasp-worthy scenes of gore -- all in 30 minutes or less. Cinderella is exactly that; no more, no less. Any who have ever thought that the step-sisters went too easy on Cinderella should enjoy the first couple of stages, which feature Grimm giving Cinderella and her family quite a difficult time. Worsening her mother's illness to bubonic plague proportions and catching Cinderella on fire are just some of the fun abuses you'll get to inflict on the most renowned servant girl in fairy tales.

These Grimm-inflicted woes serve to bring about a change in Cinderella's attitude, one that does make the overly familiar tale somewhat more interesting. After a bit of moping around due to her abhorrent mistreatment at the hands of her step-mother and step-sisters, Grimm's antagonistic aura injects Cinderella with a bit of spunk. Rather than simpering when she can't go to the ball, Cindy gets peeved and punches a villager in his jaw. The unfortunate victim of circumstance flies backward and becomes wedged in the rump of the horse pulling the step-sisters' ball-bound carriage. This humorous sequence of event culminates with the startled animal unleashing a spray of urine that drenches the sisters.


Way to strike back, Cinderella!

Though a clever way to spark more interest in a tale known by almost everyone, Cinderella is ultimately another episode of American McGee's Grimm. If you like the formula, give it a whirl. It's free after all. But if you don't, there's not much here that will hold your interest.