Recent Comments

The Amazing Spider-Man game review

The Amazing Spider-Man is 50 years old this year. Let’s see if the game for Nintendo DS lives up to the legend that is the comic-book and movie hero.

UNUSUAL START

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
(Activision for DS)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older


Gameplay: 8.0
Graphics: 7.0
Sound: 7.5
Replay Value: 7.0
Overall Score:7.5Pros: Good control system; web-swinging through Manhattan; fun dialogue.

Cons: Spidey is too tiny; uninspired artwork; limited tutorial/help.

There’s no opening movie. I expected to see a big animated trailer inspired by the new movie. But I kind of like it this way. After a few comic-book-like panels with text you read for dialogue, you’re thrown right into gameplay.

The game seems to follow the general plot of the movie. The evil OsCorp, Spidey tells us, “is continuing Connors’ research with cross-species, and the specimens are breaking loose!” Early on, you need to find Gwen and Connors to discover more about the mystery.

Immediately, you see that this version of Spidey is inspired by old-school games. Like many other games before it, this Spidey gives a nod to Nintendo’s Metroid series. Like those games, this is a side-scroller in which you sneak through many levels, including sewers and skyscrapers. You search for things like keycards to unlock doors. And you knock off big baddies blocking your way.

HELP!

At first, though, I didn’t know exactly what to do. I was in the OsCorp factory and I needed to jump over what looked liked generators. But I was stuck because the green parts of what looked like big air conditioners wouldn’t let me climb on them.

The game suggested that I press the A button and move up on the Circle Pad to get Spidey to shoot out a web and swing. It took me too long to figure out that I needed to hit a beam with my web that was out of sight and far above the air conditioners.

The game really needs a better help system, and the beginning moments should be far easier to play.

THE BEST PARTS

Still, while I was figuring all this out, I got to be pretty good at web-slinging. My passage through the next few levels was on the easy side. Though I fought many monsters that spewed acid at me, I never died. My strategy for some of them was to lie low enough so that the spitting would go over me, and then I’d whack them in the legs.

As the game progresses, the monsters become harder and harder to beat. But the powers you find will deal more damage, too, so you’ll have the upper hand.

You’re rewarded with bonus points if you speed through the missions. But I like to take my time and savor the wonders of swinging past the skyscrapers of Manhattan.

As you play, you’ll also discover character biographies and “Daily Bugle” headlines along the way. You might want to return to the game’s levels once you’re done to finish finding all of them.

Overall, the game takes about 10 hours to complete. And if you get lost, there’s a map in the top screen to help you out.

SOME DRAWBACKS, BUT SOLID OVERALL

I don’t like it that Spidey is about the size of an ant in the game. You can barely see how cool his costume looks. And the graphics of New York City are good but not great. New York buildings have character, and you can often tell one from the other. That’s not the case here, where all the buildings pretty much look the same.

The sound is generally awesome, though. You hear the traffic of the city while you’re above ground, like the sounds of passing cars and their horns honking. And the music comes in these awesome orchestral strains that add drama to the mix. I only wish Spidey had more dialogue. He grunts a lot and says some witty things, but I feel there needs to be more.

Overall, The Amazing Spider-Man is solid and is sometimes a ton of fun to play, especially the web-zipping from place to place. I only wish the game makers had spent more time getting the graphics to shine and giving Spidey more than a few words. Since he’s been around for 50 years, I’ll bet he has a lot to say.

24 Comments on The Amazing Spider-Man game review

  1. Mezmolover01 // February 19, 2013 at 6:21 pm // Reply

    The 3DS,360,PS3,and Wii U looks better. And BTW, you said the DS had a Circle Pad, but your wrong. The 3DS has one. Stop making mistakes Games Geru.

  2. Bought this game for my son and cant get past first part where u find gwen

  3. spiderman is the best the thing about the story of the amazing spierman is that gwen stacy(emma stone) is peter parker’s (andrew garfield)lov and its kind of gonig to be hard to used to gwen

  4. PS3 is wayyyyyyyy better !!! (my favorite game)

  5. i like this game and this game spider man was so cool i like it very much

  6. the graphics really look better on 3ds, xbox 360, and ps3!!!!

  7. I CANT KICK!!!

  8. y not xbox or ps3 edition. the ds version is always the worst except with mario

  9. Invisible Skull // August 21, 2012 at 3:39 pm // Reply

    The graphics may be bad but the gameplay is really fun.

  10. nintendotoad // August 7, 2012 at 6:05 pm // Reply

    The 3ds version is much different..

  11. 2D on a 3D backround?! Seriously?! I expect better of you, Activision

  12. ................. // August 2, 2012 at 12:44 pm // Reply

    its terrible because its on DS nuff said

  13. Awesome dude #2 // July 31, 2012 at 1:08 pm // Reply

    these graphics look terrible it looks like a early 90’s game but i loved the movie
    Awesome dude#2

  14. I know.

  15. Graphics look like a 90’s Street Fighter game! And why did they have to make it 2D?! Looks TOTALLY unworthy.

  16. glad i have playstation 3

  17. Hmm…good rating. The graphics do not live up to what they could have done, but it looks like it would at least be worth playing.

  18. graphics look bad

  19. This game has no freeroam with this version. The X-BOX 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 do though.

Leave a Reply to oops Cancel reply

Please don't use your real name.