Spider-Man & Venom: Separation Anxiety

"Maximum Carnage is better..."

Well, as a former die-hard Spidey fan, I was thrilled to hear that a two-player sequel to the game 'Maximum Carnage' was going to be released. Needless to say, I went out and bought the thing. What I got was a giant disappointment. I was hoping for a game that was similar to 'Maximum Carnage.' All I got was all of the bad parts of 'Maximum Carnage,' along with new bad parts. Let me just say this: only get this if you are a die-hard Spider-Man fan.

Graphics
Remember how pretty and how detailed the graphics were in 'Maximum Carnage?' Well, those graphics aren't there anymore. The graphics have severly degraded between the two games. My guess is they made the graphics bad to accomodate the two-player mode. The characters look small and there is hardly any detail at all. Even the villians and the street thugs that you have to fight look awful. The backgrounds, on the other hand, have improved slightly. But that really isn't enough to save this attrocity. Graphics: 4/10

Sound
The sound in the game is pretty good. The in-game music is face-paced and makes it feel like you are watching an action movie. The sound effects are pretty much like the ones found in 'Maximum Carnage:' awful. Yes, the weird sounds of you punching an enemy is still there, along with all of the other poorly done sounds. So the bottom line is, the music is good, but the sound effects are not. You won't want to mute your TV, though. Sound: 8/10

Controls
The controls are the same as in 'Maximum Carnage.' They are simple and can be picked up easily. They really consist of attack, jump, and various tricks which can be done with your webbing. To do the tricks, you just hold the directional pad in a certain direction and hit the web button. The controls do get repetitive, though. You will soon grow tired of hitting the Y button for hours on end. But other than that problem, the controls are excellent. Controls: 9/10

Replay
This game is not nearly as big or as difficult as 'Maximum Carnage,' but it is still fairly challenging. If you are a fan of Spidey comics, then you will get a lot of replay from this game. Or, you and a friend can partake in the ultra-hard multiplayer mode. So this game will provide you with enough replay for your money. Replay: 9/10

Challenge level: Moderate-High

Good Points
-Replay
-Multiplayer
-It's Spidey!

Bad Points
-Sound
-Graphics
-Maximum Carnage is better

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/26/01, Updated 02/24/01