Twitch:
First of all, we want to start off by saying Randy informed us that he is
a huge fan of Spider-Man and that if we didn’t give this game a stellar
rating, then he would do unheard-of things to our trigger fingers.

Spaz:
Hey, Twitch, we weren’t supposed to mention that.

Twitch: Oh
yeah, dude, sorry, I forgot. [Hey guys, you know I didn’t say that!–Randy]
Anyhow, this is the first great Spider-Man game since his initial appearance
on the Atari 2600 way back in 1983. In the 17 years since, we’ve been subjected
to one crappy Spider-Man punch-and-kick fiasco after another (most of them produced
by (gag) Acclaim), the only exception being the Sega Genesis Spider-Man vs.
the Kingpin in 1991. Thank the Mighty Thor that Activision got hold of this
license before the movie is released next year.

Spaz:
First of all, this game is narrated by Stan (The Man) Lee, the cocreator of
Spider-Man. How cool is that! Plus a professional cast of actors who have
worked extensively in animated films and the Fox cartoon series portray the supporting
cast of Spidey’s friends and foes. Already, the thought that went into this product
is head and shoulders above 95% of the games on the market. It gets even better,
though–as the game begins, the theme song from the original Spider-Man cartoon
of the 1960s is sung in all of its toe-tapping glory. It is impossible to not
sing along, “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Spins
a web …”

Twitch: Now I know why all the glasses in the
apartment are cracked.

Spaz:
Ahem. As I was saying, if you ever wanted to actually feel like you are Spider-Man,
then this is the game for you. The exhilaration of web-slinging through a 3D New
York City has been brilliantly captured by Neversoft. Wall-crawling, spider-sense,
spider-agility–it’s all here. Spider-Man’s mannerisms and nuances have been deftly
captured, from his distinctive crouch to his backflips off a wall.

Not to
mention the numerous guest stars who have never looked better. The Black Cat serves
as a guide providing hints and advice. Throughout the game, you’ll run into the
Human Torch, the Punisher, Daredevil, and Captain America. Of course, no Spider-Man
game would be complete without the evildoers, and this game has them in spades:
Doctor Octopus, Venom, Rhino, Scorpion, Carnage, and Mysterio.

The
plot is just a hook to hang all of this action on. Dr. Otto Octavius (am I the
only one who has ever wondered why Doc Ock only has six arms?) has seemingly reformed
his evil ways, and during a scientific demonstration a bogus Spidey, in broad
daylight no less, steals the good doctor’s new invention. Now the real Spider-Man
(who we all know is really Peter Parker, but don’t tell anyone) must clear his
name. Obviously, this plot has been rehashed for almost forty years now, but,
hey, it’s new to me!

Twitch: The action in this game is top-notch.
From swinging across New York rooftops attempting to catch Venom to dodging police
sharpshooter bullets, it never slows down, and the controls are a breeze to master.
Combat, besides the usual fisticuffs, consists of the ability to shoot web balls,
spin a web shield, and fashion web spikes to clobber an opponent. Best of all,
though, is when you shoot your webbing at a bad guy and then flip him over your
head. Rockin’.

Spaz:
Us brainy Peter Parker types had a blast, too. While the minor henchmen are
best defeated by using brawn, the major villains must be mentally bested. You
can pelt the Rhino with webbing and your fists all day, but he will not submit
until you find a way to trick him into charging the transformers. Ditto for all
of the other foes from Spidey’s gallery of rogues. Many of the game’s other puzzles
are a cut above what is usually present in a console offering, but they may still
seem mundane for an experienced computer adventure gamer. Air-duct mazes, matching
color patterns, and finding ways into locked rooms–nothing exceptionally difficult.

This game is one huge interactive comic book, from the “thwip”
of Spider-Man’s web-shooters to the dripping sarcasm of Spidey’s quips. Stan Lee’s
melodramatic narration is a hoot, and the animation is top-notch and proves that
the Playstation still has a lot of life left in it. Varying degrees of difficulty
from Children to Experienced ensure that the entire family can enjoy the game
on different levels. This is a must-have game for anyone looking for the best
in the action/adventure genre, and I give it a big thumbs-up.

Twitch:
We’re not allowed to give a thumbs-up, dude, Randy says letter grades only.

Spaz: Randy can kiss my a…

Twitch: Hey, I give it
an “A” also! That’s it for this time. Remember, with great power comes
great responsibility, so if you can’t get to the drugstore, then use your webbing
as protection!

Spaz: Oh, oh. My Spidey-sense is tingling. Let’s bug
out of here, I think we’re about to be hunted down.

Final Grade: A