A Fun game lacking sharp graphics and fluid animations
We all knew that sooner or later, Activision would be sending us to New York City and expecting us to put some new evil scheme to rest, defeating a number of superhuman foes and taking out a long list of muggers in the process. Therefore, when The Amazing Spider-Man was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on June 26, we were hardly surprised.
Developed by Beenox, the game turned out to be a tie-in to the film that goes by the same name. The web-slinging, over-talkative and somewhat flashy Marvel Comics superhero has returned to save the day yet again in a new open world adventure. Unfortunately, the latest game in the franchise falls a bit short on graphic details and gripping boss-fights category, a couple of drawbacks that take their toll on the overall experience.
Presentation
One of the primary flaws in The Amazing Spider-Man is its presentation. The long logs featured in an interface similar to that of Twitter feeds by the in-game characters are neither appealing nor interesting. Even the avatars are missing, making the logs seem even duller.
The building textures and Spider-Man’s fighting animations are nothing to write home about. The environments often end up blocking view, while the cut-scenes appear rather stiff and in need of some polishing.
While Beenox seem to have done a less-than-impressive job with the visuals at a number of places, web-slinging is definitely not one of them. With the camera pulling in tight when Spider-Man shoots his web to swing through the buildings, the effect is stimulating to say the least.
In terms of story, The Amazing Spider-Man will ensure that anyone who plans on watching the film enters the cinema with a whole tub of spoilers. The game will also feature a handful of well-known villains from the comic book, including Rhino, Scorpion and an appearance by The Lizard. With the residents of New York getting affected by a virus that has been released, it is up to Spider-Man to contain the situation. Some of the missions in the game will be fun, while others would test the player’s commitment to see the game through to its end.
Gameplay
Anyone who was wondering why The Amazing Spider-Man is being compared to Batman: Arkham City will find out the reason after taking a look at the gameplay. The game will have players taking out the enemies after engaging them either head-on, or sneaking around in the shadows to take them by surprise without raising any suspicion or raising an alarm. Anyone who has played or even looked at the Batman gameplay will be able to question the uniqueness of the experience on offer.
The open world missions in The Spider-Man are interesting, but start to seem a bit monotonous after a while. However, players who enjoy exploring the city and swinging through the buildings may have a good time with the open world missions. While these missions may not be engaging or challenging, they are bound to put a smile on the players face every time he completes them and hits a pose for a snapshot or earns a new upgrade.
In order to offer the web-swinging enthusiasts something new, Beenox has added a new ability for Spider-Man called Web Rush, which will allow players to switch to first-person view and see all the possible places they can zip to. This will allow Spider-Man to get to hard-to-reach places and collect pages of a 700-page comic book scattered around the city. With no ability to add the location of the comic pages to the map, the players will be looking at hours of play before getting to read the entire comic book.
Verdict
It is hard to imagine a Spider-Man game that is close to perfect and does not give us anything to complain about. This latest game in the series is no different. The flat visuals and unimpressive cut-scenes keep the game from becoming a great experience, but it would be unfair to say that the game is not enjoyable or does not have a certain appeal to it.
We give the game 7.5 out of 10 and recommend it to anyone who is not planning on watching The Amazing Spider-Man in theatres or is a fan of the franchise. Batman: Arkham City fans may find the experience pleasurable as well.
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