Mirai
07-11-2004, 04:03 AM
It's just wonderful for an Autralian to be able to pick up a game on the very same day as an American. Usually thanks to a PAL conversion it is at least a month or two before it hits our shores and by that time most of the internet hype surrounding it is long finished. That's where movie games can sometimes leave us with a pleasant surprise. Spider Man 2 is just such a game and it is not just a pleasant surprise for it's release date - IT GODDAMN PWNZ!!!
When I first fired the game up I was startled by the lack of a lot of opening credits - just a quick movie for Activision and Treyarch before we get to a very simple title screen. Nice. So I was allowed to get straight into the game and start my work as ol' web head. After I got through the initial tutorial I found myself amazed - the controls are easy to use I felt completely as one with the game. Any more a part of the game and I would have been banging Mary Jane righ... But I digress.
Now, I'm what you might expect from the average gamer so my first thought was to go down onto the street, pick up a citizen and drop them off a building. Unfortunately the game loses marks here, though you can take out your anger on criminals, which is good, but just not the same.
Now, while the combat and such in this game is good it is nothing compared to the freedom of running around New York City as ol' webhead. Believe me, this is an experience that is unparalleled in any game you will find. Days after passing the game you will come back again and again to just swing around the city and maybe, if you are feeling like it, stop a crime or two.
Thankfully the story portion of the game doesn't try to mimic the movie completely (though it does follow the same general outline). Thanks to this we get to do battle with some other villains including Rhino, Shocker and Mysterio. Actually, I was pretty pissed off with Rhino and Shocker. Sure, they were fun to fight but, jeez, they are the two of the lamest main-stay villains in the Spidey Universe. Mysterio's missions were always fun though and he had a fair few moments where I laughed out loud.
Doc Ock of course stole the show though, though once you figure out how to beat him he was a little to easy. This seems like a good way to sum up the story part of the game. Good fun, a little frustrating at points but just far too easy and over far too soon. Luckily, Treyarch added in a heap of things to do after you pass the game such as challenges to complete (to finish them completetly is just insanity), items to collect (over 400 tokens hidden around the city - FUCK!) and many award titles to unlock. Despite the fact you will finish the story in around 10 hours, if you try for the rest of these tasks you will play for well over 30 hours.
In simple terms, Spider Man 2 is a gaming experience that will not be found anywhere else. If you are even curious about this game or are even the most passive fan go pick it up. And if you aren't a Spidey fan take a look at this - it may just turn you.
Graphics - 8
Ugly models for civilians and vehicles but the game makes up for it with the fact that despite everything, there is no slowdown.
Sound - 8
Horrible voice-acting, apart from Spidey himself but this is made up by appropriate music (when it plays) and the fact that there is even voice acting at all.
Gameplay - 10
I can't remember playing something so enjoyable.
Will I Being Playing It In A Month - Yes. God Yes!
When I first fired the game up I was startled by the lack of a lot of opening credits - just a quick movie for Activision and Treyarch before we get to a very simple title screen. Nice. So I was allowed to get straight into the game and start my work as ol' web head. After I got through the initial tutorial I found myself amazed - the controls are easy to use I felt completely as one with the game. Any more a part of the game and I would have been banging Mary Jane righ... But I digress.
Now, I'm what you might expect from the average gamer so my first thought was to go down onto the street, pick up a citizen and drop them off a building. Unfortunately the game loses marks here, though you can take out your anger on criminals, which is good, but just not the same.
Now, while the combat and such in this game is good it is nothing compared to the freedom of running around New York City as ol' webhead. Believe me, this is an experience that is unparalleled in any game you will find. Days after passing the game you will come back again and again to just swing around the city and maybe, if you are feeling like it, stop a crime or two.
Thankfully the story portion of the game doesn't try to mimic the movie completely (though it does follow the same general outline). Thanks to this we get to do battle with some other villains including Rhino, Shocker and Mysterio. Actually, I was pretty pissed off with Rhino and Shocker. Sure, they were fun to fight but, jeez, they are the two of the lamest main-stay villains in the Spidey Universe. Mysterio's missions were always fun though and he had a fair few moments where I laughed out loud.
Doc Ock of course stole the show though, though once you figure out how to beat him he was a little to easy. This seems like a good way to sum up the story part of the game. Good fun, a little frustrating at points but just far too easy and over far too soon. Luckily, Treyarch added in a heap of things to do after you pass the game such as challenges to complete (to finish them completetly is just insanity), items to collect (over 400 tokens hidden around the city - FUCK!) and many award titles to unlock. Despite the fact you will finish the story in around 10 hours, if you try for the rest of these tasks you will play for well over 30 hours.
In simple terms, Spider Man 2 is a gaming experience that will not be found anywhere else. If you are even curious about this game or are even the most passive fan go pick it up. And if you aren't a Spidey fan take a look at this - it may just turn you.
Graphics - 8
Ugly models for civilians and vehicles but the game makes up for it with the fact that despite everything, there is no slowdown.
Sound - 8
Horrible voice-acting, apart from Spidey himself but this is made up by appropriate music (when it plays) and the fact that there is even voice acting at all.
Gameplay - 10
I can't remember playing something so enjoyable.
Will I Being Playing It In A Month - Yes. God Yes!