Chaos Raiden
Avid Gamer & Reviewer
I always like Spider-Man. Comics, cartoons, games, and movies. However, it is very hard to find good Spider-Man games, and luckily, this game is a good Spider-Man game.
Story
The story is quite simple. Mysterio wants to steal a tablet called Tablet of Order and Chaos, to get some money. However, Amazing Spider-Man founds him, and attempts to get it back from Mysterio. During a fight however, Amazing Spider-Man accidentally breaks the tablet into pieces, scattering it around different Spider-Man universes, causing havoc. Madame Web contacts all 4 Spider-Men to retrieve each pieces back before the villains get it.
I like every character's characterisation in this game. Simply perfect, authentic, and awesome. Every Spider-Men have nearly same personalities, but with great jokes and stuff. All villains in this game are great, with memorable personalities, designs, etc. I have to say that great characterisation in this game is due to every voice actors great performance.
The story, however, is a hit and miss. It is very simple to comprehend for everyone, without much surprises and plot twists. Good guys retrieve a stolen item, fights villains, etc. The usual. Although each Spider-Man's storyline is carried out in different universe, the formula is nearly the same for each levels. Fortunately, the writers do not come up bad story.
Gameplay
Story
You will play as four Spider-Man. Amazing Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Man 2099. Each Spider-Man needs to recover a fragment of a magical tablet to restore order in every dimensions.
The story is quite simple. Mysterio wants to steal a tablet called Tablet of Order and Chaos, to get some money. However, Amazing Spider-Man founds him, and attempts to get it back from Mysterio. During a fight however, Amazing Spider-Man accidentally breaks the tablet into pieces, scattering it around different Spider-Man universes, causing havoc. Madame Web contacts all 4 Spider-Men to retrieve each pieces back before the villains get it.
I like every character's characterisation in this game. Simply perfect, authentic, and awesome. Every Spider-Men have nearly same personalities, but with great jokes and stuff. All villains in this game are great, with memorable personalities, designs, etc. I have to say that great characterisation in this game is due to every voice actors great performance.
The story, however, is a hit and miss. It is very simple to comprehend for everyone, without much surprises and plot twists. Good guys retrieve a stolen item, fights villains, etc. The usual. Although each Spider-Man's storyline is carried out in different universe, the formula is nearly the same for each levels. Fortunately, the writers do not come up bad story.
Gameplay
Each Spider-Man have their own unique abilities. Amazing Spider-Man has no special abilities, but his attacks are wide range and much more durable than Spider-Man Noir.
The game is a combination of action, adventure, stealth, and platformer. True to Spider-Man, you can travel great distances using your web techniques, namely Web Sling, Web Zip, and Web Jump. You'll be relying on both to travel in each levels. All Spider-Men can double jump, wall crawling, and evade as well. They can use Defensive Stance which allows them to dodge most incoming melee attacks as well as gunfire. Some attacks cannot be dodge using the stance and must be evaded using Dodge Roll or Jumping. The Defensive Stance also acts as a lock-on feature, allows you to focus on one enemy at a time.
The wall crawling however, is quite confusing when used as the camera system will not stay at one place. Thus, it is quite hard to use it except in certain levels.
There are 14 levels in this game. One is a tutorial level, and the last one is a the final level. In order to proceed in the game, you need to complete 4 levels for each Spider-Men, and then unlock another set, and repeat. You can complete any 4 levels in any order as long as you complete it.
Every Spider-Men has access to Spider Sense, which allows them to detect any enemies behind obstacles, traps, civilians, Spider Emblems, etc. It is essential to use it to complete objectives in every level.
Amazing Spider-Man's levels requires you to beat up enemies, save civilians, etc. He has no special abilities unlike the others, however, he has wide ranged attacks as well as stronger than Spider-Man Noir in terms of durability.
Ultimate Spider-Man uses his symbiote suit to fight his enemies. His symbiote attacks are very devastating, especially used in Rage mode.
Ultimate Spider-Man also have the same gameplay elements like Amazing Spider-Man, except one differences. Ultimate Spider-Man has access to Rage mode, which allows him to attack multiple enemies at the same time with increased strength. Rage mode's gauge must be filled by attacking, and it is vital to use it to fight multiple enemies or bosses.
Spider-Man 2099 has the cool freefalling sections, as well as access to Accelerated Vision mode that slows down time itself.
Like Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099 has an access to a special ability called Accelerated Vision. By using this, everything will be slowed down while Spider-Man himself moves at normal speed. This allows you to defeat enemies faster, traverses freefalling sections easier, as well as to escape from a dangerous situation.
Spider-Man 2099 levels have some freefalling sections involving him to escape, chasing a boss, and etc. The freefalling sections are fun, and extremely exhilarating to do.
Spider-Man Noir has low endurance, and must rely on stealth takedowns to take out enemies.
Spider-Man Noir is different than other Spider-Men. As he has lower endurance than other Spider-Man, and he must rely on stealth takedowns to take out enemies. Most of the time in Spider-Man Noir's levels, you need to be stealthy as if you are being discovered, enemies will shoot at you mercilessly until you hide in the shadows. In his levels, shadows are his best friend as it allows him to blend to avoid being seen. When you see the game's screen in total black and white, that means Spider-Man Noir is blended in the shadows and can't be detected. However, some enemies have flashlights attached to their guns, so be careful.
Some sections in his levels though, requires him to fight enemies hand to hand. In this case, you have to defeat them like you play other Spider-Men.
Every bosses in this game are interestingly unique with their own battle styles, designs, and personality.
In most levels, you have to fight bosses several times. Each boss have their own unique fighting style that requires you to think on how to defeat them. In most boss fights, you can just beat them up without thinking, but some don't. For example, Juggernaut has high health, endurance, and high attack power, making attacking him head on a poor strategy. Also, Sandman cannot be damaged while in sand form, and requires you to throw water barrels at him in order to damage him.
You have to beat up bosses and dodge their attacks in first person mode in some levels.
An interesting feature in this game is you are required to punch bosses and dodge their attacks in first person mode in certain levels. This is quite an interesting idea, and it works well in this game. These sequences are mandatory in order to progress, so get ready to move both of your analog sticks to punch them!
The regular enemies in this game have unique designs and different attack patterns. However, there are heavy enemies, regular enemies, and non-human enemies. Heavy enemies have high health and attack power. Regular enemies are normal humans that uses weapons and fists, to attack you. Some may use shields to prevent Spider-Men's frontal attack, requires you to jump at their back to take them out. Some levels also feature non-human enemies like mini Scorpions, which are quite tough and dangerous.
The objectives in this game are varied, like saving civilians to progress, defeating enemies to proceed, fighting bosses in certain areas, and etc. However, this can be repetitive as most levels use this kind of formula gameplay.
By defeating enemies, collecting Spider Emblems, completing Web of Destiny challenges, and clearing a level, the game will rewards you Spider Essence. Spider Essence are points needed to unlock new combat moves and character upgrades. For example, you need 4000 points to get a health upgrade. It is essential to upgrade constantly, as each levels are different and will gets harder after you progress in the game.
The gameplay for this game are good, simple, and effective. However, the objectives in this game are quite repetitive, which dampens the experience of playing it. However, this game has an extremely fun gameplay that makes you to replay each levels with diversity of Spider-Man in the game.
