Spider-Man 2

"All webbed up and ready to go!"

-So chances are if you weren't living in a cave during the summer of 2004, you heard of The Spider-Man 2 movie and all the hype that has followed it. Well, think what you may of the movie... this however, is the game.

-Naturally, being based upon the movie it follows the same core plot that the movie had set. That is, Doc Ock is loose upon the city and it's up to (Spider-Man) to stop him. Sounds simple, right? You wish. Not only do you have to deal with Doc Ock, but Black Cat is hot on your trail to keep you on your toes as well as dealing with the laughable efforts to do you in from Mysterio, Rhino, and The Shocker. But that's just the beginning folks, in this game there is a whole world to explore and unlimited time and ways to do so. With that, go and enjoy some high speed swinging courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

-|The Lowdown|-

Story: 9/10
We follow around the basic films plot of Spider-Man growing troubled trying to balance his life as both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, and also the emergence of Doc Ock. Along the way you'll fight plenty of thugs and deal with numerous situations that often get in the way of Peter having a normal life. From Rhino to The Shocker, things keep popping up that keep it all interesting while tying it into the films plot.

Gameplay: 9/10
Oh, the good part. This is the most groundbreaking title in the Spider-Man franchise. Why? Because for the first time, there is very little limit on what you can do. You can go from the rooftops to the streets, with no loading in-between. Mentioning rooftops, I may also mention that every building in the game's replica of Manhattan is actually to scale, corresponding with the model of Spider-Man. You can tie up multiple foes, hang them from lampposts, race across the city, enter a spider reflex mode, use Spidey Sense, and numerous new aspects (combined with the old favorites) that make this game one of the funnest experiences available in gaming, and certainly in the world of Spider-Man. A new physics engine has been implemented in the webslinging aspect, to where that you'll get quite an undesribable thrill from just swinging around in the city. The velocity, the stunts... it's all there.Quite literally, in this game... you are Spider-Man.

Graphics: 6/10
The game falters a lot in this department. Often times during missions where thugs getaway in cars, their car would pass right through another, cars themselves looking rather bland. The pedestrians all look roughly the same, with few differences between them. The buildings can be nice, but the color seems bland and off at times. On the plus side, Spider-Man and the villians look fantastic! A lot of detail went into them, and it shows. Luckily, graphics contribute very little to the games quality and we're still left with plenty of things for our eyes to enjoy as well as our minds.

Sound: 5/10
Another sour note, even moreso than the previous issue. I could almost give this a six or a 7 even, just for the great sound of wind as you sail through the air or stand on the highest of buildings. Unfortunetly, most of the good aspects end there. Pedestrian voice work is quite terrible, though I find it hardly a big deal as I prefer to swing right by them with little attention paid their way. Other voice work is subpar at best, Harry and MJ leave much to be desired. Bruce Campbell lends his voice fortunetely, and it's definently one of the finer points of the game itself. Sometimes I'll just wander over towards hint markers just to hear good ol' Brucey. Other good work is that of Tobey Maguire and Black Cat's work. Alfred Molina also lends a hand, and it is okay... but could also be better. The punching sounds the same everytime, as does most everything else. I'll tell you, you kind of get tired of hearing Spider-Man's web shoot out after awhile. Though swinging through the city is fun, it lacks a nice aspect... music. I'm not asking for much, just a little background fanfare to really get the juices going. Even Grand Theft Auto has a radio in automobiles for when you explore the city. Sometime's music does break in, but it seems random and gets on your nerves for being so. Just another bug that they can fix for the next Spider-Man release, no?

Difficulty: 7/10
I almost gave this a 6, just because the difficulty of missions ranges on rediculously easy to frustratingly hard. Still, that can be a good thing. I tell you, nothing made me more satisfied than after 4 times, finally beating a boss. Unfortunetley, many tasks aren't so satisfying when they're difficult... and they can be enough to drive you to put it away for some time. It should have been implemented a factor where you could change difficulty when starting a new game, but alas it is not so. Still, it's nothing that can't be overcome with some good work and patience.

Extras: 8/10
There is a LOT to do in this game. Other than the main story missions, you have 250+ side missions and random tasks to fufill, as well as games and extra little things to find. On a happy note there is also some Easter Eggs like The Vulture's feathers on the side of a high building, some Evil Dead and Pulp Fiction references even. Unfortunetly, nothing as of yet has been confirmed in the way of extra characters and/or costumes... but we can hope, right?

Replayability: 10/10
Heck I still play the largely inferior Spider-Man 1 game from time to time, why wouldn't I play this? From all the extra stuff, to redoing classic missions, to just fooling around in Manhattan... there will be plenty to keep you going for some time after you purchase.

Overall: 8/10
Not a perfect game, but the best Spider-Man game as of yet. You can ask for little more, especially given the limits of today's systems. From the innovation with new gameplay, to some of the most exciting boss fights I've seen... this game is worth looking into.

Rent or Buy?
If you're a big Spider-Fan, then this is a must for your collection. Even if you're not, I'd still recommend a purchase. Though, just to be safe (as not all games appeal to everyone) rent this before you buy. You may come out surprised at how well you took a liking to it.

Closing-
I only buy a few games a year, and this was the first I brought this year... and I say it without regret. From my favorite spots with Black Cat and Doc Ock, to putting up with pitiful efforts from Quentin Beck... this game was enjoyable to say the least. Go see the movie this summer in theatres, and buy the DVD when available. At home, on your television... be Spider-Man, live Spider-Man, Beat Spider-Man. Go anywhere, do anything... anything a Spider can.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/01/04