Spawn: Armageddon

"The newest Devil May Cry spin off isn't too bad"

Spawn games usually stink. Almost all of them (except the old SNES one) have been pretty terrible. So now that Namco has the franchise, did they make it better? Yes. It's definitely the best Spawn game out there, but it has more than just a few similarities with Capcom's Devil May Cry. My review is below, but remember, the final score is NOT an average.

Gameplay (8/10) - Alright, Spawn does borrow MANY Gameplay ideas from DMC, almost too much that it isn't really original. Though Spawn has a greater emphasis on item collecting and platforming than DMC, both still have the same goal: Kill everything in sight. The controls match DMC so much that skilled DMC players will feel right at home with Spawn. Fans of Spawn will recognize some of the bosses from previous games, as well as some of the same levels. Now for the weapons. Spawn has a lot. His basic attack is an Axe, but he can pick up guns and magical abilities like shields. Many stages require use of cape gliding or grappling. Spawn also has an upgrade system similar to DMC, where you can upgrade Life also. Combat does get a little boring, with lots and lots of foes coming at you, most defeated in a few axe swings. It still is fun, but it makes Magic pretty much useless.

Story (5/10) - Well, not much to say here. The story really takes second to the fighting. It is pretty much the same as all Spawn things, with Mr. Simmons battling out of Hell. The story isn't really needed too much though, because the game revolves around the fighting.

Graphics/Sound (8/10) - The stages in Spawn aren't anything really good, and are kind of repetitive. The Character art for Spawn and his foes is pretty cool though. All characters in the game are pretty well made and look awesome. There is an occasional camera problem, which can be annoying during some of the platforming segments, but it doesn't happen enough to really take away from the game. The Voice acting is very, very good and you can tell a lot of work was put into it. The soundtrack is heavy metal, and fits perfectly while you’re slashing away enemies. It gets you in the mood, which is a good thing. There aren’t many sound effects as enemies die or as weapons clash though.

Play Time/Replayability (8/10) - Well, there is three difficulty settings. Easy is pathetic. You can beat the game in four to six hours in easy mode. Normal and Hard don't really present much of a challenge, so this isn't too hard of a game, unlike DMC. The upgrade system will keep you playing longer though, trying to get them all. There is also a lot of artwork and other things like that to unlock, so for Spawn fans, this is probably a good buy. For others, maybe a rental, but a buy would be fine also.

So, does the new Spawn game exceed over its forbearers? Heck yea, but that doesn't mean it's incredible. As I said above, Spawn fans need to get this game. A couple of needed improvements, and a sequel could be quite good. Maybe in the future...

Gameplay-8/10
Story-5/10
Graphics/Sound-8/10
Play Time/replayability-8/10

Final Score- 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/23/03