Not once will this review use the term 'tangled web' to describe “Spider-Man 3” for PlayStation 2.
The game is too inexcusably bad to earn even that description.
It seems the merit of each “Spider-Man” video game to come from the recent cinematic trilogy is tethered to the merit of its respective movie. Like the first “Spider-Man” film, “Spider-Man: The Movie” was an impressive debut that featured polished graphics, a challenging combat system and cinema-scale production.
“Spider-Man 2” sported the same upswing in quality as the movie sequel by expanding Spidey's Manhattan environment to the sandbox size of the “Grand Theft Auto” series. This non-linear format gave the player the ability to roam through Central Park and Times Square while choosing whether to pursue side missions or the game's main plot, which ended in a showdown with Doctor Octopus.
But now, “Spider-Man 3” - like its source film - takes not a step, but a city block-sized leap backward for the game franchise. Its poor performance is all the more disappointing in light of the potential for a great game the developers had in their greedy hands.
The overabundance of villains in the film - namely New Goblin, Sandman and Venom - provided the game's developers with plenty of material with which to craft a compelling game. And their ambitions didn't stop there, because like its predecessors, this game takes Spider-Man through an augmented narrative of the film. For instance, Dr. Curt Connors actually mutates into the fearsome Lizard, as he did in the comics and is expected to do in a future film.
But the game's presentation and play infuse the whole journey with all the fun of a spider-bite. The terrible graphics engine robs buildings of their textures not too far down the horizon and makes Manhattan look like a blurry, polygonal bore. The framerate slows down intermittently, characters' faces are flat, and Spider-Man's feet actually sink into the grass of Central Park.
The game's controls are even more aggravating. The jump button carries a split-second response delay that will surely cause many a mis-timed leap to avoid enemies or navigate rooftops.
Combat is monotonous and not nearly as challenging or multifaceted as the previous games. Most enemies can be overcome with simple one-button melee attacks, especially while Spider-Man is wearing the Symbiote (the black suit).
The revisionist function of the suit could anger rabid fans of the film and comics. The player can choose when to wear the suit, then merely press a couple of buttons to remove it before the alien organism can take control of the web-slinger.
Instead of the 'tangled web' term favored by film critics, the Symbiote itself is the best descriptor for the “Spider-Man 3” game. The deficiency in its gameplay leaves little doubt that the game is mostly intended to land its developers and copyright holders generously far in the black.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Spider-Man 3”
Score: D+
Parental rating: Teen for mild language and violence
Manufacturer: Activision
Platform: PlayStation 2 (different versions also available for PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, GameBoy Advance, PC and Nintendo DS)
Retail price: $39.99
Features: 1 player
Life span: 6-8 hours
The final boss: “Spider-Man 3” follows up two spectacular games with a disappointing excursion through Manhattan that is marred by dull graphics and poor gameplay design.
It seems the merit of each “Spider-Man” video game to come from the recent cinematic trilogy is tethered to the merit of its respective movie. Like the first “Spider-Man” film, “Spider-Man: The Movie” was an impressive debut that featured polished graphics, a challenging combat system and cinema-scale production.
“Spider-Man 2” sported the same upswing in quality as the movie sequel by expanding Spidey's Manhattan environment to the sandbox size of the “Grand Theft Auto” series. This non-linear format gave the player the ability to roam through Central Park and Times Square while choosing whether to pursue side missions or the game's main plot, which ended in a showdown with Doctor Octopus.
But now, “Spider-Man 3” - like its source film - takes not a step, but a city block-sized leap backward for the game franchise. Its poor performance is all the more disappointing in light of the potential for a great game the developers had in their greedy hands.
The overabundance of villains in the film - namely New Goblin, Sandman and Venom - provided the game's developers with plenty of material with which to craft a compelling game. And their ambitions didn't stop there, because like its predecessors, this game takes Spider-Man through an augmented narrative of the film. For instance, Dr. Curt Connors actually mutates into the fearsome Lizard, as he did in the comics and is expected to do in a future film.
But the game's presentation and play infuse the whole journey with all the fun of a spider-bite. The terrible graphics engine robs buildings of their textures not too far down the horizon and makes Manhattan look like a blurry, polygonal bore. The framerate slows down intermittently, characters' faces are flat, and Spider-Man's feet actually sink into the grass of Central Park.
The game's controls are even more aggravating. The jump button carries a split-second response delay that will surely cause many a mis-timed leap to avoid enemies or navigate rooftops.
Combat is monotonous and not nearly as challenging or multifaceted as the previous games. Most enemies can be overcome with simple one-button melee attacks, especially while Spider-Man is wearing the Symbiote (the black suit).
The revisionist function of the suit could anger rabid fans of the film and comics. The player can choose when to wear the suit, then merely press a couple of buttons to remove it before the alien organism can take control of the web-slinger.
Instead of the 'tangled web' term favored by film critics, the Symbiote itself is the best descriptor for the “Spider-Man 3” game. The deficiency in its gameplay leaves little doubt that the game is mostly intended to land its developers and copyright holders generously far in the black.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Spider-Man 3”
Score: D+
Parental rating: Teen for mild language and violence
Manufacturer: Activision
Platform: PlayStation 2 (different versions also available for PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, GameBoy Advance, PC and Nintendo DS)
Retail price: $39.99
Features: 1 player
Life span: 6-8 hours
The final boss: “Spider-Man 3” follows up two spectacular games with a disappointing excursion through Manhattan that is marred by dull graphics and poor gameplay design.
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.