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Get your spider-sense tingling
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows for PS2 is a retro 2D action game that will lure Peter Parker fans into its web.
Publish date: 07/11/08
There's a dilemma at the heart of Spider-Man's most recent outing on PlayStation 2: the choice between good and evil. As you swing through the skyline and the subways of Manhattan, you encounter locals that ask for help. You can choose whether to help or dismiss them with a cheeky response, and your choices unlock special moves for your red and black suits respectively.
This neat touch works because it shapes how you play. Suits can be switched at any time with a press of the SELECT button, and while the more familiar red suit offers greater agility and increases your esteem amongst the locals, the black suit makes you stronger and more efficient in dealing with the waves of thugs that come your way.
Red or black?
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows' 2D side-scrolling gameplay is brilliantly retro, in a similar way to Crash Commando on PlayStation 3. As you web-sling between skyscrapers and subway trains, you're faced with hordes of armed hoodlums that you can take down with punch and kick combos. Depending on how you respond to the New Yorkers asking you for help, you receive red or black points that can be used to unlock new attacks for that suit. Deciding which one you want to upgrade adds an extra layer of depth to the game, leaving you to decide between popularity and strength.
These dialogue sections also make the levels feel alive and, thanks to witty remarks from the offbeat characters you encounter and the occasionally sarcastic responses you can choose; their tone is reminiscent of the original comics, which will please fans. This also carries over to the game's bright and colourful visuals, which are full of character, boasting stylish touches such as interior walls that resemble panel edges on a comic book.
Heroic help
Another thing that will impress hardcore fans is the inclusion of a wealth of characters from the Marvel universe. At the end of each stage, you're faced with a boss, and these include some lesser-known villains, such as Rhino, Electro, Jackal and the tough Kraven the Hunter. You can also collect power-ups which call characters to your aid when surrounded. These include Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Shocker.
If you're a fan of his early comic outings, then Spider-Man: Web of Shadows for PS2 is sure to please. Its clean, bright visuals and witty dialogue capture the atmosphere of those works and the inclusion of so many classic heroes and villains will add to the appeal for Spidey fans. If you're not au fait with Sandman and symbiotes, then it's a stylish and fun 2D action game that is well worth checking out.
