Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise has become one of the biggest names in the gaming industry today. The success of both Grand Theft Auto 3 and its semi-sequel, Vice City, is beyond extraordinary, and because of this success many gaming companies have attempted to copy the free form gameplay used in Rockstar’s games.
Treyarch is the latest developer to utilize this formula in a game title based on blockbuster Spider-Man 2 film. Because of the hype surrounding both the movie and the game, Spider-Man 2 has been a highly anticipated title for many, many gamers. However, even though the game implements Grand Theft Auto’s free form gameplay, it’s not necessarily pulled off as well as one may have hoped.
Rushed
I’ll get straight to it… Spider-Man 2’s development had been rushed in order to be released side by side with its blockbuster film counterpart. Because of this, many things can be seen in the game that will make anyone come to the conclusion that the game lacks polish. This is unfortunate. A game’s presentation is just as important as its gameplay, since one directly affects the other.
In the opening movie sequence, the game’s camera travels through the massive New York City area as Tobey Maguire’s narration as Peter Parker gives players some insight into the game’s (and film’s) plot. Unfortunately, the first sign of the game’s rushed release can be seen in this very sequence. While being generated in-game, the city’s structures and buildings magically feature disappearing textures, giving off this very primitive three-dimensional look, and Tobey’s narration gets chopped up into bits and pieces due to difficulties loading segments; definitely not something to brag about.
Additionally, the game’s menu screen is plain and ugly; definitely not something you would expect from a supposedly high profile game such as Spider-Man 2. Also, I’ve personally run into a few instances where the game’s AI became extremely glitchy. In one instance, a police officer who asked Spider-Man to chase after some criminals in a getaway car had actually been standing atop this getaway vehicle while telling Spidey to do so, hands folded across the chest as it sped away. Seeing something like that may result in a handful of gamers raising an eyebrow in confusion.
Mixed Bag
Most games mimicking Grand Theft Auto’s free form gameplay formula have often failed to deliver a gameplay experience that is equal to that of the game which inspired it. Luckily for Spider-Man 2, this free form formula has helped recreate a Spider-Man experience that is truly unique in its own right, while sharing very few things with Grand Theft Auto. However, at the same time it’s a gameplay experience that can become repetitive and tedious.
Without question, the most enjoyable aspect of Spider-Man 2 is web-slinging through New York City. In fact, aimless travel has never been this fun in a videogame. The city is just so huge that it almost feels as if the entire isle of Manhattan has been tossed into the game, which I’m pretty sure it has, for the most part. Every familiar site is there, including the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Add to that the fact that you can web-sling to every area, dive off the tallest of skyscrapers, and wall-crawl to highest point on this planet, and you nearly feel like Spidey himself. Truly a rush that any gamer will enjoy. Also, take note that Spidey is no longer attached to invisible platforms in the sky while web-slinging. If there isn’t anything he can attach himself to, his web-slinging abilities then become useless.
Now, that which is tedious and repetitive about the game are the tasks given to you in each of the game’s chapters. Many of the game’s tasks require for Spidey to go from one point in the city to another within a given time period (or at times, with no time limit at all). However, most of your game time will be spent completing tasks given to you by persons in need. These tasks usually involve stopping a car chase, stopping a robbery (which is then followed by another car chase), fighting your way out of a planned ambush on Spider-Man, saving a construction worker from falling to his death off of a city rooftop, saving passengers on a sinking ship at sea, and delivering an injured civilian to the nearest hospital. Of course, this all doesn’t sound too bad at the moment. However, the fact that players will experience each of these scenarios dozens, upon dozens, upon dozens of times over and over again will cause numbness due to boredom, whose only solution is more aimless web-slinging.
What I failed to mention earlier, had been that these repetitive and tedious tasks need to be completed in order to progress from chapter to chapter… After the completion of each task, players will acquire Hero Points, and these Hero Points are needed in order to progress in the game, in addition to completing the other tasks given to you. Also the points earned can also be used in hard-to-find Spidey shops located throughout the city. With these points players can purchase new abilities and upgrades for Spider-Man, the best of which enhance his speed and jumping abilities, while others add more attacks and attack combinations to his repertoire of fighting techniques. However, most of these combinations won’t prove to be very useful. The game’s basic juggle attacks prove to be very effective and at times simple button mashing does the job nicely.
Speaking of hand to hand combat situations, there aren’t many instances where your wits will be put to the test other than in boss battles, or in the latter half of the game where man-piloted mechs terrorize the city. When this happens, players can lock onto enemies ala The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and even engage Parker’s enhanced “Spider Sense,” which in truth is nothing more than Max Payne’s bullet time in a Spider-Man universe. Also, our red and blue hero’s “Spider Sense” can help avoid attacks with the proper timing and press of a button. Although, it’s quite unfortunate that at times you won’t be able to see the white flash above Spidey’s head which signals this; due to the fact that there’s often too much going on screen, easily overshadowing any hint of an enemy attack. However, in the third and final boss battle with Doc Ock, even when using these battle tactics, the AI’s random want to allow you to land a hit is what you’ll ultimately have to place faith in if you want to win the battle.
Interestingly enough, at approximately fifty percent game completion, the game’s story portion is pretty much finished. You fight your last battle with Doc Ock and proceed to view a few FMV sequences that pretty much tell a semi-stripped down ending of the actual film (minus the transitional Harry Osborn scene featured in the movie). After the credits roll, you’re tossed back into the game, and your goal is to collect an incredible amount of Hero Points, more so than ever required before. Simply put, you’re going to have to complete all of the game’s side tasks and collect all its items to reach one-hundred percent. Oddly, the collecting aspect of the game is pretty enjoyable, mostly in part of the fact that you have to web-sling and wall-crawl throughout the city in search of skyscraper tokens and other similar items. Along with this collecting aspect, challenges are scattered throughout the city that basically require players to guide Spidey through an allotted path under a certain time limit. Oh, and best of all, player’s can deliver pizzas as Spider-Man. Coupled with an entertaining mock of a classic Italian pizza theme, delivering pizzas is one of the most entertaining trivial tasks the game has to offer.
There’s enough busy work in Spider-Man 2 to keep players occupied for many, many hours (around twenty). Although, the game’s story can be blown through in approx. six to eight hours, and that’s quite unfortunate since, at times, what kept me going had been the game’s plot and constant introduction of characters like the Shocker, Mysterio, and the incredibly tempting and beautiful Black Cat. After the story mode’s completion, reaching one-hundred percent will only be a goal that the hardcore gamer will attempt.
Graphics & Sound
At times I have found Spider-Man 2 to be a visually impressive game and at others a half-assed effort… The massive size of New York City is just overwhelming and the fact that the game pulls it off with practically zero load times is most impressive. However, the character models, other than those of Spider-Man, Doc Ock, or any other member of the game’s main cast of characters, have this blocky look to them. Additionally, some of the animations for these same characters remind me of stiff robots, while, once again, the animations for Spider-Man and the other main characters are incredibly fluid. Lastly, the game’s visual effects aren’t anything to brag about either.
As for the game’s soundtrack and other audio traits, it’s pretty well done. The voice acting featured in the game is pretty entertaining, funny, and played out very well with the use of movie’s actual cast. The game’s soundtrack is excellent as well. It helps deliver that same epic feel that the movie brings, but there are a few instances in the game where things feel a bit quiet.
Watch Out! Here Comes the Spider-Man…
There’s no denying the fact that Spider-Man 2 is an enjoyable gaming experience. The web-slinging aspect of the game is incredibly fun and unique experience that no other Spider-Man game, or any game at all, has ever managed to deliver. However, the game can become repetitive and tedious, and in truth it doesn’t provide as much action as Activision’s previous Spider-Man games. Although, I must say that this new direction for the franchise has a bright future, and if worked on, future installments could prove to be very, very promising.
The GamersMark Network reviewed Spider-Man 2 with a copy of the game purchased from retail.
