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Ultimate Spider-Man

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 31 / 35
Date: September 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Ultimate Spider-Man (2005.)

INTRODUCTION:
Over the years, Spider-Man has been one of the coolest comic book characters around. It's hard to believe a character Stan Lee created many decades ago, much less one that everyone thought would crash and burn, has remained consistently popular. The success of the live-action films based on Spidey only boosted his popularity moreso. However, video games based on the Webslinger, as well as most comic-based games, are well below average. The Spider-Man 2 Movie video game showed serious potential, and proved comic book games might have a future after all. And in 2005, Ultimate Spider-Man arrived on various consoles. The game was based on the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book series, which was essentially a modernized retelling of the classic story. To see how the game measures up, keep reading!

OVERVIEW:
Ultimate Spider-Man was released in September 2005. The game is one player, and features full-3D objective-oriented action-adventure. There are two playable characters.

REVIEW:
I waited for this game to come out for a long time. My expectations were pretty high. Did the game meet my expectations? For the most part, it did. The game plays similar to the Spider-Man 2 game, but this game is more linear and objective-oriented. Probably the first thing you are going to notice that is different from that most recent game when you play this one is the graphics. Rather than going with that blocky, polygonal look that plagued the recent game, this one opts for cel-shading, and benefits immensely from it. The game looks better than just about any other super hero game out there. By far, what is going to draw most players into the experience, though, is the ability to play as both Spider-Man and Venom. Spider-Man plays true to his recent 3D gaming exploits, with all his classic powers. Venom, on the other hand, sacrifices agility for power, and to stay alive, must suck the life force out of civilians. There are numerous objectives along with side quests that will keep your attention, as well as plenty of things that you can unlock on the side. Another thing I enjoy about this game is that various characters from the Marvel universe show up in the game - NOT just Spider-Man characters! You'll get visits from the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, the X-Men's Wolverine, and a variety of other characters. The environment the game gives you is also great. In addition to the Manhattan environment you had in the previous game, this one adds Queens to the locales. This makes the gameplay region so much bigger and more diverse, and gives the game a big boost. Unfortunately, as much as I like this game, it isn't perfect. Play control is my first flaw. NO, the control isn't bad by any means, but I don't see why the game makers keep having to change the scheme. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The control scheme in the Spider-Man 2 Movie game was just about perfect. Having to adjust to a different control scheme every time a game like this comes out annoys me. My other issue is with the camera. This is something this series has issues with. Personally, I thought the camera was better in the previous game. One thing bound to turn gamers off is how linear this game is compared to the previous one. I liked being able to roam around freely and participate in events on my own. Sure, you'll get to do that in this game, I just wish it had that open feeling the last game did. Walking into invisible walls and seeing that "area unavailable" message gets on my nerves. My last complaint is that, until you beat the game, you can't switch freely between Spider-Man and Venom - the game switches for you when the story demands it. This annoyed me. I personally would have liked it better if the game had separate campaigns for either character rather than all the switching. But overall, I am satisfied with the game. In a world of dud superhero games, this is one of the few worthwhile titles.

EDITION NOTES:
This game is a recent release, so it is readily available in most stores at the time I write this review. In addition to the normal versions, on the Playstation Two there is a Special Edition version. This version features bonus content right on the game disc, including character profiles and an interview with the man of Marvel himself, Stan Lee. It also includes a special edition comic book! This version is scarce and hard to come by (the only way I know to get it, for sure, was to have reserved the game at Gamestop.) If you're a die-hard Spidey fan, shell out the extra cash and hunt this editon down. Otherwise, the standard edition is just fine.

OVERALL:
Comic book fans rejoice! This is another edition to the extremely small library of good comic book games in the modern age. If you're a fan of Spider-Man, you really can't afford to pass this game up. I recommend the game, although you might want to consider renting it before you lay your cash on the line and purchase it. Four out of five stars.

Definitely fun, but not as good as Spider-Man 2

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: November 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Last year's Spider-Man 2 was undoubtadly the best super hero game ever made, and the same formula that made that game so great has been applied here to Ultimate Spider-Man. The biggest difference between the two games you will notice immediately: Ultimate Spider-Man boasts some great cell-shaded graphics that make the game look like a living, moving comic book that suit the game very well. Some have argued that the game looks too cartoony, but the graphics are superbly rendered nontheless. You can play as either Spidey or his arch nemesis Venom, and you trek through New York on objective based missions beating up baddies, racing, and there are some nifty boss battles as well to go along with a good story penned by USM comic scribe Brian Michael Bendis. The control is tight and easy to get ahold of, and the audio effects (including voice acting) is pretty spot on for the most part. However, Ultimate Spider-Man is ultimately not as fun or awe-inspiring as Spider-Man 2. Despite the fact the game environment is huge, it doesn't feel or look like the massive playing environment in Spider-Man 2. Also, the game feels incredibly linear and the objectives are pretty repetitive and can get old real quick. Not to mention that playing as Venom isn't as fun as playing as Spidey, and his part of the game just feels sluggish. However, there is still much to admire here, as the boss battles are nicely orchestrated, and there are cameos aplenty from Marvel characters (including Wolverine, the Ultimate version of Nick Fury, the Human Torch, and more) that will keep players and Marvel fans happy. All in all, if you enjoyed Spider-Man 2, you'll dig Ultimate Spider-Man, but don't expect it to top Spider-Man 2.

Not very creative at all (Big Spiderman Fan)

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I design video games for a living and I was very dissapointed with this game. I was looking foward to this game very much and was quite dissapointed to find that every level was the same just a different villian (i.e. you chase the villian throughout the city and then catch him and try to kill him)

the biggest suck ass part of this game was the false advertising YOU CANNOT BE VENOM AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT IN THE GAME LIKE IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MISSION ONLY, I REPEAT YOU CAN ONLY FREE ROME AS SPIDERMAN, NOT VENOM.

I am a huge spiderman fan and was very disappointed by the false advertising.

Spectacular, but not Amazing

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 14, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've only been playing this game for a few days, but it was enough to inspire me to write a short review (my first). If you are looking for your first Spider-Man game, buy Spider-Man 2. If you finished that one, and you want another game, then buy this one.

This games looks wonderful, but there are two aspects that annoy me to no end.

1. The web swinging is horrible. I'll never understand why they didn't just use the same model from Spider-Man 2. It was perfect. You could swing simply by pressing and releasing a button, or you could develop skill at swinging so that you can move through the city with pinpoint accuracy. I still find myself loading up Spider-Man 2 just to swing through the city for a while. In this game, press R... release R... press R... release R... It is very simplistic and doesn't allow you to move with style like the previous game. I'll mention the two good things just to be fair. Your web still has to attach to a building (or something), not an invisible cloud way up in the sky. Second, the web zip is improved, but I think they improved it only because climbing a tall building without charge jump would have been torture otherwise.

2. This may change as I get further in the game, but so far... you always start in Queens. I get annoyed that I have to make my way to the bridge and swing across (or under) it just to get to Manhattan where the real fun is.

I give the game a 3 overall because in the swinging area it feels as if they took a giant step backwards. However, it is a Spider-Man game that looks great and is still fun, so I give a 4 for fun.

This is what happens when you let actual Comic Creators make a game...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I'll say it up front: I am biased. I'm a big fan of Brian Michael Bendis and an even bigger fan of Spider-Man. A month or so ago I got onto this really big Bendis kick and with that came Ultimate Spider-Man the comic. The book itself was amazing, and before long I'd read all of the 13 graphic novels out so far. Then I saw the ad for the game in one of the other Marvel Comics I subscribe to, and was floored the game needs to be gotten. Period.

So on to the game...

In the past there have been some horrible superhero games...and I mean horrible. Any of you play the X-Men for the original nintendo? Ugh. I know that it's an early game but when you essentially get a graphically ramped up version of that in X-men Legends, it's kinda dissapointing. Now I now everyone raves and loves X-Men Legends, but it wasn't exactly my radioactive cup of tea. With the greater technology coming out, the capabilites of free roaming in hugely expansive enviornments is becoming a mainstay of the video game world.And something like X-men ledgends kinda lacks that, but it's something that spider-man games recently have had in spades.

The game is almost totally immersive. You can go nearly anywhere as the webhead and never really have to run into any invisible walls that take you out of the experience. There is the instances during missions where you can't stray too far, but if that didn't happen people would be flying all over the place trying to keep on track and lose the mission. Anyway, not the point. The point is that the game is an excellent piece technology wise. Aisde from free roaming capability, it retains the TreyArch webswing system from the previous spider-man game which was so popular. It is dumbed down a bit, and there's no ability for you to go and purchase new acrobatic/fighting techniques (they're given to you as you advance throughout the game)but that makes one less thing for you to worry about. The Need for hero points has been erased and you are free to accept or ignore random missions thoughout the game. My complaint about that though is that there really aren't enough random crimes in the game for you TO ingnore. But it's made up for in storyline and Stroy Missions.

So that covers the Spidey game play, now onto Venom. Venom was a good idea for the game. whereas he's not the most major player in the ultimate Spider-man Comic arc by any means, it makes for a good gameplay character. You hvae Parker who's agile but doesn't do tons of damage, and then the behemoth of the Symbiot that's a bruiser but wickedly slow moving and a huge target. The one thing that is redeeming about Venom's gameplay is the L2 (on PS2) jump. It's like putting a cat into a catapult and pulling the lever. You can jump almost as tall as most skyscrapers in the game with that thing. So when chasing electro around, it makes it really useful to catch up to him (You'll see...).

So Far: Game environment: A, Game Play: A-...Now onto the thing sthat really matter: Audio Visual entertainment.

the visuals relaly work for the game, and may be slightly difficult to get used to at first, truly round out the experience. The style seems to be taken directly from Mark Bagely's illustrations from the comic book. in fact there are certain cutscenes that if you were to hold up the comic next to the tv screen, it would look like the comic panels were animated. And that is a big plus for anyone who loves the comic. Otherwise, the graphics are Cel-Shaded as all should know, so don't expect there to be any mind boggling realistic looking Final Fantasy-esque cut scenes here, just pure comic book heaven.

And the Audio/writing...is...genius. My favorite factor of the game is the fact that all dialogue was written by Brian Michael Bendis. And not just the mian characters, but even the passerby's on the street. I can't tell you how hard I laughed when I overhear som woman saying, "have I told you that I absolutely HATE your shoes?" But as such is Bendis. He not only knows how to formulate a story and make it very enticing, but his humor is out of this world. Spidey's quips are sidesplitting, and the characterizations of the people within the game are gladly similar to the comic. Bendis has a way of writing how you and I would talk to one another (with interruptions, non-verbals, and onomatopoetics) and not have it sould informal or awkward: it can only make the story better. The games' creators certainly did themselves a favor by getting him to write it, becuase anyone else would have made it come off as trite or pedantic.

So In my eyes I can justifiably give this game 5 stars. why? Because it's frickin' amazing!

PS: If you're interested the game runs parallel to issues 30-39 in Ultimate Spider-Man the comic series, or if you'd rather Graphic Novel Vol's 6 thruogh 8. Guet em here at amazon, they're cheap!

~JYH

Pity Spider-Man 2 came first

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is a very good game! The scale is grand, the graphics are fantastic and the story is great (with a fun script). Unfortunately it has a lot to live up to and falls short on a number of things:

Though the story over-all is better, it's also a lot shorter and should be completed in a coupole of days (if not less).

The graphic style is very different to Spider-Man 2, being the style used for the Ultimate Spider-Man comics (obviously). The character designs are unique and superb - particularly in the cut-sequences. The cityscape - this time incorporating Queens (though no Roosevelt, Ellis or Liberty island) - is also far more detailed than Spider-Man 2, especially at ground level. However it is also more cartoon-like and you don't get the same feel of flying through the city streets as before. The streets are narrower and the buildings shorter, and the swing-speed is also a lot slower making roaming less fun.

The control method is simpler and easier to get to grips with than previously, but the controls are less responsive making the chase/race missions in particular very frustrating at times. And the lack of a charge-jump and aerial acrobatics don't help. Nor does the camera, which has an even worse habit of throwing itself in random directions than the last one did.

The side missions are pretty much the same as before (i.e. break-ins, purse-snatchings, armoured car hold-ups, gang warfare, people falling from buildings or in need of a hospital, etc.) with some missions having two separate aspects (e.g. stopping an assault and then having to get the victim to hospital), but all the missions appear at random - as opposed to some coming from a witness' calls for help - and without any time-limits.

On the whole, this is prettier to look at and has a better story and script than Spider-Man 2, but simply isn't as much fun to play.

Ultimate Spider-Man...There Was Supposed To Be Something 'Amazing' or 'Ultimate', Right?

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I remember when the first Spider-Man comic came out. Yeah I'm dating myself.

He was 'Amazing' for all those years. He could climb walls, leap great distances, swing at mind numbing speeds, had AMAZINGLY fast reflexes and strength. Notice that adjective 'AMAZING'.

However, this game has more of a 'LETHARGIC' Spider-Man. He can't jump for squat, he runs slower than molasses running uphill, he swings like he needs mental help therapy, and even Aunt May can jump higher than him. It's sort of like 'Play Skool Spider-Man' or something. You can grow a beard in time it takes to get some things done during this game's action.

The previous game 'Spider-Man 2' based on the popular movie, lived up to it's name! You really felt like you were the wallcrawler using his AMAZING powers to thwart evil. In 'Ultimate Spider-Man' the only thing 'ultimate' is your patience.

Not all is lost. I love the art style. It's rather refreshing. The color schemes are like your kid sister got hold of the crayons and went postal on your yearbook though. The story is just fine. Lots and lots of action and the kicker is you get to play as either Spidey or the purple-people-eater Venom. Playing as Venom sort of made up for not being able to play as Spider-Man. These Venom battles are fierce. Lots of destruction and you get to throw foreign made cars at people and helicopters.

There are chases, battles, strategies, I don't mind them as they make for more fun gameplay. Not enough of the classic characters like J. Jonah Jameson and Aunt May. I can't think of one gameplay scenario that was impossible. They were rather quite challenging and easy.

As a Spidey fan I'll hold on to it and keep playing.

However one final warning, there are chases with the Human Torch that are just intolerable. I stopped playing them as they became too time consuming although they had the funniest dialogue.

Buy at own risk.

I hope in the future Spidey games will go back to the Spider-Man 2 formula. If they put out a new Spidey game each year I would be happy. Just touring NY City by web swinging is fun! In this game NY City doesn't look like NY City. It looks more like when you play frisbee in the house and knock over your mom's pocket book and all those cosmetics fall out.

Ultimate Spider-Man!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Please ingore my first review "Great game although there are some flaws." I didn't have my head on straight. If you ask me I think this game is the best since Maximum Carnage and the recent Spider-Man 2. I am also tired of people saying the webs are too cartoony or it's fun enough to be five stars. It way surpassed Spider-Man 2. Five out of Five stars.

Not Bad

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: September 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I liked the web slinging action from buildings better in spiderman 2 but thats the only real back step this game took,everything else is better including the story line.There some slowdown in it but not enough to make the game unplayable.The storyline in this one is its biggest strong points while free roaming as with most game that have free roaming become repetitive over time.Would like to see more variety in random events that happen on the street.With that said this is still one of the better comic character video games out there,i'd say its right up there with the most recent Hulk game that just came out.Now if developers can just make a good batman and superman translation we'll come full circle in having a great title for all the mainstream superheroes.

WOW! This game makes up for X-Men ROA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: September 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Why in the heck can't we have an X-Men game like this one?????

This game should be labeled as hypnotic by the ratings board. It's so submersive that time blows by while you are playing it. It took what I liked from Spider Man 2 and jacked it up to the tenth degree, like you're actually playing a comic book. The only way that they can top this game is to plant a VR chip right into my brain.

Oh, one other thing. I got the limited edition. It's really the only way to go, since Big Daddy Venom is on the cover of it. This game makes me wonder; why not just a Venom: Lethal Enforcer game with this kind of action?

This makes my third favorite game of the year; along with Revenge of the Sith and Marvel Nemesis. Luckily, I got somebody that's willing to buy X-Men ROA off of me. Lucky me.

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