With no direct movie tie-in to worry about, Activision is free to create their own story lines for their yearly Spider-Man games. What this means is we're treated to some pretty cool story lines that feel more true to the comics, balancing humor and action quite well.
In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, a symbiote invasion is taking over New York City, and it's up to Spider-Man to put an end to it. The game's main selling point is the ability to choose between a “good” or “bad” path, thus altering the game's outcome. As you play, a simple click on the left thumbstick allows you to switch between the regular Spider-man red and blue suit or the black “Venom” suit. Each suit has its own unique abilities, making it important to know when to switch suits.
The game is open-ended to a certain degree. You can swing around the city, taking in the view, while occasionally stopping to help the NYPD take out some baddies. Other random objectives include taking injured civilians to the nearest hospital. The more missions you complete, the more experience points you earn – which in turn can be used to purchase upgrades.
The upgrades you buy will either unlock new moves or increase the damage or accuracy of said moves. Luckily, there are tons of unlockable upgrades to earn. Each new move is noticeably different than the previous and can be used in conjunction to execute various acrobatic combos that can take down even the toughest of opponents with ease. Upgrading your moves is highly recommended as the enemies do get tougher as the game progresses. Throughout the game you will partake in some truly exciting, action-packed boss battles that are both challenging and enjoyable.
These epic battles are complemented by an amazing orchestral soundtrack that is both beautiful and inspirational. The soundtrack choice was a pleasant surprise that fits in perfectly as you swing from building to building, taking out the enemy in mid-air. The action and soundtrack, when combined, provide a very cinematic and engaging experience.
In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, a symbiote invasion is taking over New York City, and it's up to Spider-Man to put an end to it.
While the game includes tons of fighting moves, you'll usually end up simply mashing the buttons in hopes of executing a decent combo. A more streamlined fighting control scheme would have been appreciated. Also, at certain times the camera works against you; sometimes at the most inopportune time. Lastly, the optional missions eventually become repetitive and boring. More variety in these missions would have been gratifying.
Overall, a huge city to explore, loads of action and a great soundtrack make Spider-Man: Web of Shadows an enjoyable game that Spider-Man fans worldwide will surely love and appreciate.
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