Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Marc "DjinniMan" Allie
Activision - 360/PS3/Wii
Spider-man has had a mixed bag as far as video games go. Some of them have been stellar, others... not so much. Spider-man Web of Shadows is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum
The best aspect of the game is the open world you have to spin webs and wall crawl in. New York City feels large, and alive. The webslinging is easily as well done as that of Spider-man 2. I often found myself swinging for long periods of time, in a zen-like state of bliss. This open ended gameplay is a fine choice for a game that will appeal to the young, and the young in attention span.
The story is engaging, particularly for those who are familiar with Spider-man's history and supporting cast. Spidey will team up with all sorts of heroes and villains, including Luke Cage, Moon Knight, and the Black Cat. Of course, Venom is a large part of the tale this time around. At several points in the story, Spidey will be forced to decide between good and evil. This feels appropriate for the character, and also allows for replay options.
The games allows you to upgrade your attacks based on which suit Spider-man wears. The red suit allows for some incredible moves and combos, with our hero flying all over the screen in a sort of aerial ballet. The black suit is impressive visually, too, mainly due to the use of symbiotic appendages. The black suit is really overpowered, and feels like cheating; this ties into the story nicely. The problem with combat is, it basically comes down to button mashing. There is little incentive to be creative when the most powerful attack is pressing the A button many times in a row. Visually, it's fun, but it gets old quickly. Midair and wall fights also suffer from some targeting issues.
Overall, Spider-man Web of Shadows is a good game. The appeal of an open world to swing in combined with a decent story are a potent combination. The primary flaw is the repetitiveness of the combat. Still, it is easily the best Spider-man game of this console generation.
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