Game Review: Amazing Spiderman

Release Date: June 29 (Europe) June 26 (North America)

Platforms available on: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Nintendo Wii, 3DS, DS, iOS, Android

Developer: Beenox

Publisher: Activision

Genre: Action-adventure

The Amazing Spider-Man thrown its way into film theater last June, July on other countries, impressing gamblers with its outstanding throw and interest to comic book lore, breaking box office records in the process. It The video game tie-in, while unlikely have fun with quite the same level of success, comes from a facilities with a lot of Spider-Man experience. Indeed, Beenox has used its Spider sense to craft a film tie-in with limbs - enough for eight, you could say.



The game takes place after the events of the movie, delivering one major spoiler in the process. Without wishing to reveal too much for those yet to see the film, the game begins with an Oscorp Industries tour, which in turn leads to a city full of deadly man-beasts and a contagious virus. Naturally, it's up to Spider-Man to save the day, doing so with a little help from friends both old and new.

Spoiler aside, the creative team has made some smart storytelling decisions. As an epilogue, the developers have freed themselves from the shackles and restrictions of the movie script, all the while retaining the themes and foundations laid out in the film. It's a simple story, and the game's all the better for it. The premise plays out within the first 30 minutes (though there are a few twists), leaving players free to right any wrongs and have fun swinging around Manhattan.

Speaking of swinging, it's this simple gameplay mechanic that elevates Spider-Man above many of its fellow movie tie-ins. Beenox gives players free reign to traverse the City, unlike some of the more linear recent instalments, which allows for all kinds of distractions. Though requiring little skill - you can swing from thin air - gliding through Manhattan is enormous fun, aided by some excellent camera angles, which heighten the cinematic experience.

Players also have the ability to Web Rush, a new mechanic which slows time and allows Spider-Man to fast travel to various spots represented by silhouettes. It's another smart inclusion from the development team, allowing players to quickly change direction and shift focus while swinging, or escape tight spots when fighting enemies or tackling huge mechanical bosses. It also makes indoor travel a little smoother, combating the occasionally awkward camera angles.

The combat system on the other hand, is simple, effective, but unspectacular, failing to present much of a challenge. For all of the combos, acrobatics, web slinging and specials, it's a system lacking both depth and sophistication. Despite some impressive moves and animations, it's difficult to remain engaged when enemies fall like dominoes. There are some impressive boss battles, although the more enjoyable and elaborate encounters tend to take place outdoors.

The Amazing Spider-Man is one of the more successful movie tie-ins in recent memory, with a solid if short single-player campaign and an enormously enjoyable web-swinging mechanic. The sense of freedom and fun gleaned from swinging through Manhattan makes the latest Beenox release one worth checking out, despite its shortcomings. Much like Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker, the development team is starting to get to grips with its powers, pointing towards a greater adventure still to come.

► The Amazing Spider-man System Requirements

Minimum System Requirements:
OS: Windows® XP SP3 / Vista SP2 / 7
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 3800+
RAM: 3 GB
Graphics: 512 MB, Shader Model 3, GeForce® 8800 GT or AMD Radeon™ HD4770
DirectX®: 9.0c
Sound: DirectX® 9.0 compatible
Hard Disk free space: 8.6 GB

Recommended System Requirements:
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Quad 2.4 Ghz or AMD Athlon™ II X4 2.6 Ghz
Graphics: 512 MB, Shader Model 3, Nvidia® GeForce® 285 GTX or AMD Radeon™ HD4830
RAM: 4 GB
DirectX®: 9.0c
Sound: DirectX® 9.0 compatible
Hard Disk free space: 8.6 GB

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