Spider-Man 2 for PSP

...I rushed out and bought the game for the Xbox (the definitive version, as the PS2 and GC are subpar) on the morning of its release and played it anticipating a masterpiece but was disappointed. It's not that the game is lousy, it just isn't a keeper. When I buy a game I want it to be in my collection for a long time. I feel that video games should be worth my money. Well, is this game worth your $50? The answer is an honest no. It's worth a cool five bucks, a game rental from your local video store to tie you over till the game is re-released as a greatest hit/platinum hit/players choice title so that it costs you only twenty dollars to purchase.

You fan boy's may be hard pressed to hear my answer but you must rent before you buy, and here's why.

New York is now fully realized, but not even remotely gritty as it is in reality. Even GTA3 had gum, grit, litter, and flyers on the city streets. This game is squeaky clean. I did notice how there was a lot of pedestrians and cars in the streets but again I expected some more especially in Time Square which was as bland as anything from True Crime: Streets of L.A. Why not put a row of cars and taxis slowly following each other bumper to bumper like in real life. It's not like you can crash into cars with a vehicle to break up the illusion. The buildings greatly vary in size. I did get chills when I swung over Ground Zero at night and saw the two blue beams of light that represented the WTC on its first anniversary.

I love the new swinging; actually this IS swinging for real! In previous 3D Spidey games you would just slowly glide through the sky while Spidey does a "monkey bars" animation while his webbing connects to clouds. Now you can hear the wind roar as you swing from buildings gaining momentum and doing moves from the closing scene in Spider-man (2002) as you have full control of Spider-man and his webbing (although once you loose the rhythm, it is sometimes hard to move). You WILL like how the swinging feels (there is only about a 30 minute learning curve) and how you feel when you master it. Later on I gained more swing speed, and swing moves that forced me love traveling through New York as the Web Head.

I loved how they incorporated Spidey's Super Jump into the game play since it is near impossible to swing while on top of buildings. So now you just run across the building tops (like in the movies) and leap a football field to the next one or just dive of the top, catch air then swing back up again. Letting go to start a new web line, starting a second line simultaneously, running along the facade of a building, or just holding on to your current line for dear life is your choice.

The camera is awful. Why does Spidey look so small? Imagine a *360 camera that rotates horizontally around Spidey (25 feet away I might add) and zips directly behind him almost immediately after touching the movement button defeating the purpose for a manual camera button let alone the entire analog stick. I yearned for a Mario 64 like camera controller the let you choose between follow and steady cam, as well as distance from the character. They should have incorporated that into the right analog stick instead of the useless quick peek camera that ended up being used. Graphically, this game has that "mini" look to it, like GTA3, so that they can squeeze more buildings in for memory's sake. I missed the cool cinematic camera from the first Spider-man game that followed Spider-man closely as well as the great graphics. This is the Xbox version I'm playing and it looks like a first generation PS2 title. Even the Spiderman graphics model looks downgraded from the first.

Now to the actual game play… a hodgepodge of missions that are interrupted by actual levels with bosses. You easily beat Rhino in the streets and never see him again, play an American Gladiators like game in the Civic Center with Quinton Beck who later becomes Mysterio in a demented Funhouse/ Circus (an actual level that ends with a sorry battle on top of what's left of the Statue of Liberty. You fight Shocker in a few forgettable battles. And you occasionally chase a very voluptuous Black Cat throughout Manhattan. You will face Doc Ock but never feel like you're actually doing any moves or doing damage but just jump kicking rapidly while his life meter depletes. You fight him three times if I remember correctly. There is a "bullet time" gimmick used here but it is done poorly and I didn't use it till the end of the game.

Once the game is beaten, the final chapter "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" is opened. And this is where the game gets depressing as you must swing down and talk to pedestrians who either want to ambush you or need your services.

Services:

*rescue a balloon
*save a construction worker from falling off a building
*help cops in a shoot out
*help cops in a not so high speed chase
*retrieve a Purse/briefcase
*rescue people from a sinking ship (not as cool as it sounds)
*stop thieves from breaking in to an apartment via rooftop
*stop thieves from robbing an armored van
*stop road rage
*stop street violence
*deliver pizzas (I didn't even bother with this)
AND NOT MUCH ELSE

Sometimes there will actually be a crime in progress where you can either investigate and stop or ignore altogether, your not penalized.

There aren't any cool missions like in GTA: Vice City or GTA3 that make the player say "Oh, I love this mission!" and there aren't any memorable action sequences. Even the Subway train fight with Doc Ock was lame!

...

I had the game for only four days...

...I sadly swung around New York (my hometown) all afternoon one last time, one last session, knowing what I must do...
I bought the game for $30 bucks at Best Buy ($5 off coupon and $15 rebate) and traded it in for $33 credit at GameStop before it depreciates anymore, and bought myself a used but damn near new Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow for my Xbox.

I will buy Spider-man 2 again when the title hits $20, what it should have cost in the first place. There is a reason why games like Halo stay at $50 for well over a year while games like X2: Wolverine's Revenge drop to $20 bucks only 3 months after release. Expect Spider-man 2 to hit $30 by Christmas.

So...whether your a fan of the comics, movies, or just curious, RENT IT. You won't be disappointed and you won't get addicted either. Five days should be enough to get a lasting impression.

E.g.

BRING ON SPIDERMAN CLASSIC! ... (I'm still playing' Spider-man for PSone)

P.S.
I MISS SPIDER-MAN VS. THE KINGPIN FOR SEGA CD!!!