Version needed: 1.00
Players: 1
Wi-Fi Compatible: N/A
Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man swings onto PSP to coincide with the console’s launch, but because this version has been released considerably later than the other console versions, you have to wonder whether it was a good idea to make the super hero portable or whether they should’ve saved his webbing for Spider-Man 3.
You know the story by now: Peter Parker leads a double life. He’s an average student with an aptitude for science, but after being bitten by a genetically modified spider (or radioactive spider if you follow the animation and comics) he became Spider-Man. In Spider-Man 2, he’s struggling to find a balance between being Spider-Man and having a normal life. This struggle isn’t so apparent in the game: you just play as Spider-Man, fighting villains such as The Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, and trying to keep New York City safe.
If you’ve played Spider-Man: The Movie or Spider-Man 2 on other consoles then the gameplay and controls will be very familiar to you. Spider-Man: The Movie was about going through the missions with little time to do anything else; its sequel moved away from that a little and gave you more time to explore the city. The PSP version of Spider-Man 2 seems to be a combination of the two: 19 levels of linear gameplay, but with Spider-Man 2’s storyline and events. The missions in this game are very straightforward: it gives you simple tasks, such as rescuing civilians, finding or fixing objects, or defeating one of your enemies, but you’ll find completing them is as easy as they sound. These levels take you through some of the events that took place in the film, like being attacked at the bank by Doc Ock and the train scene, and bring you new events so that you get to fight against characters like Mysterio, who only appear in the comic books.
The translation of the graphics to the PSP's widescreen has been done reasonably well, but it's easy to see this game had been rushed so it was released in time for the PSP's release. The characters look very good: there is a great likeness to the characters in the film, but they don't look quite as good as they do in the other versions of Spider-Man 2. This may be because the console was very new at the time, so designers were uncertain of the processing power that the PSP has, but, compared to other games that Activision released at launch, there is very little evidence showing these limits being tested. Still, the FMV's are great to watch. The majority of the scenes are of events that happened in the film, so you'll see conversations between Peter Parker and Mary Jane or Harry Osborn, or scenes with Spider-Man and Doc Ock.
As you play through the game you will gain credits for the way you've completed a level. Completing levels quickly will get you extra bonus points, but then leaves you with very little time to explore. And the faster you complete these levels, the quicker you will finish the game completely. Style is another way of getting extra credits. By pulling off different moves and combos in a level instead of constantly using the same attacks, you can earn more credits to unlock special moves and abilities as well as other things like artwork and the gallery.
One of the good things about this game is its controls. They are so easy to use, and so easy to get the hang of. Even the analogue stick, which causes problems in other games because of its sensitivity, is almost spot-on this time round: throwing your enemies using your webbing with the analogue stick is a breeze. First-time PSP users will find that they'll easily adjust to using the analogue stick during play.
Most of it seems as though it was made using Spider-Man the movie: same music, same sound effects, but with Spider-Man 2's storyline. Still, it's quite fun to play; you can play as Spider-Man in your favourite scenes wherever you are and whenever you want, but it seems as though it might be far too easy for most gamers, even on hard mode. And once you've completed the game, some 4-8 hours later, you'll find there's very little to do afterwards.
If you've just bought a PSP and want an easy game to help you get used to the console: this is the one. Otherwise, renting it would be best, as it's not one that will really challenge you.
Overall: 47%
Posted on 20/06/06 by Steph
Linear Mode
