• Review: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

    by
    Scott "mountain_duwe " Duwe
    Published on 04-19-2012 07:16 PM
    1 Comment Comments



    Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
    Developer: Treyarch/Shaba Games
    Publisher: Activision
    Platform: Xbox 360 (Multiplatform)
    Genre: Action/Adventure, Open-world
    Rating: Teen
    Release: October 21, 2008

    I bought Spider-Man: Web of Shadows as a Christmas gift for my brother in 2009. He had just recently bought an Xbox and was looking for games to play, so I thought I’d hook him up with a game I’d heard good things about. I also figured that once he was done playing it, I could borrow it myself. Fast forward over two years later, and one night I notice the game still in its plastic wrapping as I helped him move into a new apartment. I thought to myself, as a lifelong Spidey fan, that this is unacceptable.

    As I continue to get excited about the new Spider-Man game launching at the end of June, I figured that Web of Shadows would be a good way to warm up. So, I took the game from him and went home that night and started playing it myself.

    Presentation
    Web of Shadows is all about Spider-Man’s struggle between his normal self and his symbiote suit. The game kicks off with Manhattan in the middle of chaos, symbiote aliens running amok and doing battle with SHIELD agents in the streets and on skyscrapers throughout the city. The events of the game then flashback, showing how things escalated to the point of seeing NYC in ruins.

    Fan-favorite villain Venom is the main antagonist in the game, as it’s clear at the outset that he has something to do with the appearance of the symbiote aliens. It’s up to Spidey to save Manhattan, as always, but not by himself. Marvel characters such as Wolverine, Luke Cage, Black Cat and Moon Knight make appearances to help and/or hinder his progress, depending on the choices made.

    Graphics
    Web of Shadows shows its age here in 2012, almost four years after its release. It’s not an ugly game by any stretch, but it’s just really not pretty either. The whole game has a cartoony feel rather than a realistic one, sticking to Spidey’s comic book roots. Character models are pretty awkward, and some of the design choices are just plain weird. Wolverine seems to be wearing a tight yellow t-shirt for some reason, and as a longtime fan, Venom’s design really bothered me a lot. There’s nothing great or terrible about how Web of Shadows looks, it’s just ‘meh.’

    Sound/Music
    The music in the game denotes the situation Spidey finds himself in -- if you’re between story missions and just web-swinging, it’s lax. If you’re in the middle of a heated boss battle or a large group of enemies, it’s fast-paced and loud. Pretty normal stuff, nothing jumped out at me.

    What did jump out at me, however, was the voice actor who played Spider-Man. He sounds NOTHING like any Spidey I’ve ever heard, and there have been many different incarnations. Mike Vaughn is his name, and he’s a relatively unknown commodity. Tricia Helfer offers a good performance as Black Cat, and Steve Blum is there, as always, as Wolverine, but most of the sound in the game left me feeling flat.

    Gameplay
    Spidey: WoS is a purely open-world game set in Manhattan. As Spidey swings through the streets, icons will pop up on his radar alerting him of crimes in progress, damsels in distress, police shootouts and more. Intervening in these skirmishes act as the optional open-world missions of the game, rewarding you with XP to level up skills and abilities.

    The game’s biggest strength is definitely the web-swinging. Treyarch nailed it in this one. Holding down RT will launch Spidey into full-on web-swinging mode as he is famous for, followed by letting go to free yourself from that specific web, only to hold down RT to repeat the process. Tapping RT makes Spidey web-zip from one point to another, which is a preferred method of transportation in close quarters.

    Sometimes I found myself wanting to clear my head and blow off steam, popping in Web of Shadows and simply swinging through the streets majestically and gracefully. Web of Shadows captures the feeling of being Spider-Man, swinging through the skies of Manhattan. When I visit the city and look up at all the skyscrapers and tall buildings, it’s impossible to not imagine myself shooting a web out of my wrist and taking flight. I have no problem admitting that. Web of Shadows, for the time being, is the closest I’ll get to that feeling.

    With a click of the left stick, Spidey switches between his red suit and his black symbiote suit. With the different appearance comes two very different combat styles. Red suit Spidey is quicker and uses his webshooters more, whereas black suit Spidey is all about power and using his symbiote tentacles to beat down enemies. Different combat situations call for different suits, but the duality doesn’t end there.

    Choices you make in the game give points to red and black, red being good and black being ‘evil.’ These choices help determine cutscenes, the fates of certain enemies and eventually, deciding which of the four different endings you will receive.

    Combat has three different phases -- on the ground, while climbing walls and in the air. Ground combat is simple, with combos consisting of repeatedly pressing the X button over and over again. Wall combat is the same, except you’re perpendicular to the ground and fighting other wall-crawling symbiotes while vertical.

    Air combat is special, though. By tapping Y, you web-zip to the nearest enemy and can do one of three attacks. Half of the fun of the combat in Web of Shadows is juggling helpless symbiote aliens or thugs, and pummeling them mid-air until they fall to their doom. There are a number of different flying enemies(some that use gliders, some that have wings), so air combat is a necessity. Even still, I found myself uppercutting enemies into the air to kick off a lengthy air combo. It’s a lot of fun.

    Lasting Appeal
    Web of Shadows is a pretty long game if you take your time, sprinkling in optional side-missions with main story missions. My playthrough took me around 20 hours. The game might warrant an extra playthrough to make the opposite choices that you did in an original run, be it red or black. There are a lot of side missions and a lot of collectible glowing spiders throughout Manhattan, so some replay value can be found there, but Web of Shadows is most likely a one-and-done game.

    Conclusion
    In the rocky history that is Spider-Man video games, I think that Web of Shadows should be remembered as one of the better ones. It’s not as good as Spider-Man 2 but I think it’s better than most that have released. I hope that the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man game can replicate the great web-swinging that Web of Shadows had, but that’s about it. I’d like to see more and better. Overall, though, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is worth your time.


    Score:
    7.5/10
    Comments 1 Comment
    1. mas8705's Avatar
      mas8705 - 04-19-2012
      Also you have to love how this is a Spiderman game that has a rather brutal to one special hero.

      Let's just say if there was a MK vs Marvel, no doubt this would be a fatality...

      Spiderman Web of Shadows PC - Symbiote Wolverine Fight Black Suit Ending - YouTube

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.

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