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Spider-Man 2 (DS)

• Developer:
• Publisher: Activision
• Genre:
• Official Website: http://www.activision.com
• Score: 1 of 5: Save Your Cash

Spiderman 2 is one of the more recognizable titles being released alongside the new DS as it gravy-trains the blockbuster movies that have come out recently. For a launch title, I think it does a fantastic job of showing off some of the new capabilities of the DS, but as a standalone game it became highly frustrating.

One of the things you will notice off the bat is the amazing graphics. I mean amazing in a relative term, since graphics have never been a strong selling point for handheld units. The DS does a nice job of providing highly fluid 3D graphics with a high level of detail. In this regard, the DS shows the GBA for what it is-aging technology. I am aware that a lot of 2D games have more substance than their 3D counterparts, which is probably why the handhelds have survived on 2D for so long. Spiderman 2 sports fully 3D levels in a 2D side-scrolling style game. You will notice early on that the environment will actually twist and rotate as you progress through the level, giving you the feel that you are swinging around the entirety of downtown and not just a single depthless street. I think you will really be amazed at the raw capabilities of this new device and what the developers are going to be able to do with it.

Spiderman 2 also makes use of the second screen on the DS, but I hesitate to say that was anything more than a gimmick. With the horrid and confusing level design that runs rampant in the game, I would have expected a small map of the level, but instead you get a menu to select your special moves and a timer in the middle that keeps track of elapsed time. Occasionally, your primary mission (and often one of your secondary objectives) in the game includes a time limit within which you are expected to complete the level. The problem is that with no map and terrifyingly maze-like levels, the time limit is often ¼ of the amount of time you will actually need to complete the level. This led to playing the same level over and over and over until I basically had it memorized. As a secondary objective, I just ignored all time-related goals, but as a primary objective they just really pissed me off. Back on the topic of the second screen, I would have expected a well-planned use of it, but its use was relegated to boss fights and additional gimmicky tasks. One such task is when you have to disarm the power at Dr. Octavius's lab. You run through the circular level from power console to power console. When you arrive at a console and press B, you will switch to the second screen to navigate the power switch past a few electrical obstacles. To do this, you will need the stylus. Since it prompts you to tap the screen to start, switching was not a huge issue until you successfully flip the switch, at which point your game is back on the top screen and time is running. I realize they tried to make the second screen interaction fun and clever, but it seemed forced and didn't add to the experience at all.

The audio was very noticeable, but that probably has more to do with the two speakers that are now beside the main screen than it does with the actual sounds coming out of them. After a short time, I ended up playing with the volume off, as the music just became far too repetitive. This may or may not be a good idea since off-screen screams can often lead you to people who you need to rescue or thugs who you need to beat up. I figured this was a worthy trade off since the time limit on each level was impossible, so I may as well take my sweet time.

Spidey's movement in the game is actually quite impressive, and they did a nice job of translating the movements from the big screen and the console counterparts into the tiny DS screen. As you would expect, you can websling your way through the outdoor levels, but don't forget the pesky thugs on the ground below you (as this, no doubt, is an objective). Simple kicks and punches will make quick work of them, but you will have to get a little more creative for the thugs with guns. Your special moves such as shooting web shots will come in handy with tough enemies and bosses.

In addition to swinging around the streets, you can use your web to pull yourself to a nearby wall or ceiling. There are many places where this is the only way to avoid being burned by fire or shocked by exposed wires. Half of the difficulty in each level seems to be navigating the level's obstacles.

For a launch title, I think Spiderman 2 is really well done but plagued by difficult levels that wore out their welcome. Developers always need time to refine their skills on new hardware, so the games will only get better from here, but the level design of Spiderman 2 and the incredibly high difficultly made the game fun for far less time than I had hoped. I already touched on the level design, and when you compound that problem by having no checkpoints in the levels, dying from a single thug who trapped you in a corner can simply ruin the game. As I played through the chapters, there were many that took me five to 10 times to complete because I would run out of time or get killed by a bastard thug. This got old and is ultimately why I stopped playing the game.

In a nutshell, Spiderman 2 does a great job of showing off some of the new aspects of the DS and a poor job of demonstrating others-like the touch screen. The game has a solid graphics engine that will surely improve over time should a sequel be in the works (and you know it is). The problems lie with the terrible level design, the lack of an in-game map, and levels that were highly difficult without checkpoints. These things alone are enough for me to recommend against picking up the game. I know at this point, the DS library is quite small, so the urge will be great; but I think you will be unhappy in the end if you go that route. If you really can't resist the temptation, please run over to EB and see if you can demo it before you buy it. I would hate to say, "I told you so."

Dec 1, 2004 | 4 comments
Chris Rasco