Ultimate Spider-Man (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

If you managed to grab a DS on its US or European release there's a good chance you also bought Activision's Spider-Man 2 given that it was one of the few standout launch titles. Like many games released on day one though it was still lacking a certain something. The developers hadn't quite grasped the DS's mechanics and rushed the game in order to hit their deadline. Even so the first outing was impressive enough even if it only showed just what the new format was capable of. Even at the time of writing there are still few stand out titles available for Nintendo's ground breaking piece of kit but from the screens and previews we saw at this years E3, Ultimate Spider-Man could just be what the platform has been looking for.

Gameplay

Unlike previous Spider-Man titles this one is not tied into a movie or comic book but it's undoubtedly a product of the web slinger's universe. As usual though, you have Peter Parker narrating the story, and you play both Spider-Man himself and Venom. At first glance the game's structure is almost identical to Spider-Man 2 and it's true many criticized the rather linear design. To overcome the 'on the rails' feel the developers have also allowed some branching out of the storyline so every so often you'll be asked to make a decision on which path to take. This adds some much needed longevity to the game and if you're anything like me you haven't revisited the previous outing since completing it.

Possibly one thing, which really separates the two Spider-Man titles, though is the gameplay's focus and where the original encouraged you to explore (looking for bombs or hostages for example) this is much more of a brawler. There's not much hidden in any obscure location and anything you've missed, such as a key or henchman, will be indicated by an icon of some description and the smaller this appears, the further away it will be. These are also essential as they are the things that have to be cleared, disposed of or activated in order to complete the level and continue to the next. Interestingly it's not essential to enter into combat with everything that attacks you, just those indicated. There is now more variety. Gone are the timed exploration levels, in their place is a much more balanced gameplay with, for instance, chase and rescue missions which instead of being against the clock and ending simply because you haven't got help for someone in time are now more likely to end because someone has eventually lost their grip after hanging from a ledge whilst you've concentrated on the less needy.

Controls

While this is slightly more complicated than Spider-Man 2 (especially as you play two characters here) there are lots of 'help bubbles' scattered around the levels to make things easier. Also with a little practice you will stop pressing the jump button instead of punch and vice versa but hopefully before you're trying the same section for the umpteenth time. The combat system is also different and where previously these had to discovered before they were activated, the special moves here requires a specific number of blocks before you can unleash them upon an enemy.

Graphics

While the title uses the same graphics engine as the previous Spider-Man outing the comic book style illustrations are not only better suited but also far more visually pleasing. In fact the whole game's presentation is excellent and the cut-screens, which are told in a mixture of panels and simple animation, will delight fans of the original comic book series. The only real drawback is an ever so slight slow down when there's a little too much happening but when a title looks this good you can forgive almost anything.

Sound

It does appear that the audio section of games has started to be ignored recently or even worse generic or stock sounds and music added. Ultimate Spiderman does no such thing and this could be the best sounding DS title yet thanks to some great voice acting and intelligent use of music. The voice (whilst not Toby McGuire) narrates the storyline in an almost cinematic manor whilst the various sound effects seem to perfectly suit the on-screen happenings. The music is also outstanding and because it used at just the right moments it never overwhelms the gameplay.

Dual screen

There seems to be a growing amount of developers who have no idea what to do with the touch screen and even the first Spider-Man struggled to use its features. This time though it's completely different and the first thing you'll notice is the cut-screens, which use the dual screen layout to great effect. Then there are the various physical activities you'll have to indulge in such as lifting heavy objects off civilians or opening locked or damaged doors. It's here where you'll have your first interaction and users are required to stroke the screen either up or across in order to complete the task at hand. Further to this you can also extend some of Venom's moves and attacks to give them pinpoint accuracy with the help of the stylus, which should help you in a fair few situations down the line. Overall this is a real improvement and probably one of the best examples as to how the touch screen can be used. Other developers please take note.

Final comments

If you consider Spider-Man 2 on the DS the practice run then this is certainly the main event with the developers addressing almost everything that was wrong with the launch title. It's a lengthy affair too with the branching story adding a unique angle to an otherwise linear adventure. There's also some great storytelling evident here which is something a lot of developers appear to focus on less and less as an important part of a games structure. Clearly it is, and hopefully this will kick-start a new trend in strong thoughtful plots. The only real problem here is that as good as it is, it does end eventually and with the Multiplayer little more than a two player battle there's little incentive to revisit the game. That said the whole thing looks and sounds wonderful as well as featuring some of the most enjoyable slices of gaming I've witnessed for some time and, as a result, it not only belongs in every serious gamer's collection it's also a great example of what the DS is capable of. Go get it now!

Pro: Fantastic Presentation and Storytelling
Con: Not Much replay Value
Final score: 8.7

Share on Twitter or Facebook

Comments