Spider-Man: The Movie (Xbox)

The game parallels the motion picture's storyline, steering you through a progression of challenges that begin with the hunt for Uncle Ben's murderer, and ends with a final showdown with the Green Goblin. You begin as Peter Parker dressed in his wrestling costume and must defeat a variety of thugs throughout each level before advancing to the next set of challenges. The game gets progressively tougher as you encounter in turn Shocker, the Vulture, Scorpion and, of course, the Green Goblin.

Visually, Spider-Man is a treat: cityscapes unfold in realistic detail and are enhanced by sunlight shining between buildings; cut scenes offer seamless animation; interiors are painstakingly recreated; and Spider-Man and his enemies are well rendered, moving about the screen in clean fashion. As an added bonus, most characters are voiced by their movie counterparts, and the training mode features the sarcastic wit of Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell. --Larry White

Spiderman has great visuals, and it is hard to get bored of the light reflecting off the skyscrapers as you glide through the city. When you look at screenshots, you expect there to be some kind of catch, "How can you swing through the entire sections of the city with no restrictions?" Well, there is no catch, and this is the only area in which the game is truly in its own, it looks stunning (for a game that was released on pretty much every platform and was by no means developed for the Xbox console) and the feel of freedom is fantastic.

I was not a Spiderman fan at all and remain so, influenced by the appalling film, but this game is fun, and levels remain fresh, in the air or inside. The controls however, become increasingly problematic on the interior levels, and even getting from the walls to the floor can present the Superhero with his greatest challenge to date.

The music is repetitive and irritating, and the taunts and replies between Spiderman and the cronies are possibly the most pathetic thing I've heard in a while, this is a title for the younger gamer. However, these are all bearable when you look at the game's greatest flaw: It can be completed in two days... and then there is nothing. This game can be played once, and that's it. The multiplayer ideas are totally feeble and after frustratingly struggling to complete a level, you will not want to revisit it.

Overall, this is a great attempt at something that cannot truly produce a great game, and the result is interesting, enjoyable, but only one for extreme fans or people with money to burn.


Really quite enjoyable   October 5, 2002
Li'l Jay (UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I thought this game was quite entertaining, I am a superhero fan though, so I think that was mainly the reason I bought it,this game is fun, no doubt. There are around 20-ish levels, exploring a plot based around the film. There are a few things to do after the game (such as pin-head bowling, [with thugs from the game], a chance to play as the Green Goblin on his glider with a slightly different plot, production art from the film and various other spider-man things). It is like the playstation spider-man games but with (obviously) a different plot,moves etc. It's play's like Mario64 with the camera behind our hero and simply executed moves. Extra moves can be found in power-up form in different levels, the energy and web is also found this way.i hate power-up's except on the original Pac-Man (Puck-man)and SNES games. I think Spider-man will appeal to comic book fans in particular but people of all ages above 9, it can be difficult at times and frustrating, but a ruddy good laff.


Spiderflop   June 22, 2002
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

As movies and games cross over the gaming industry becomes ever more popular as our favourite characters come to Xbox. Spiderman was a highly anticipated title but it has not lived up to expectations. When you first play the gaem you can see that it is not what you payed for. The actual character detail is not that high and when it comes to the bad guys they are of a low resolution. The actual controls are good and it does become a lot easier as you go. This is a small amount of positive things to say. There are many unlocakbles in the game and many familiar characters such as scorpion, shocker appear in it. The distance draw is great in the game and the sound is reasonable but when it comes to difficulty when it says hard it means hard. The landsacpes on the interior levels is not that great but the most appauling characters are the super soldiers,they are terrible. Overall i would only recommend this game on a rainy day.


A fans dream, nearley came true   June 21, 2002
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Even though I intended to write a review as objectively as possible, I am unable to do so since spider man is one of my childhood heroes. This is basically what draws the line between weather or not to buy this game. I loved its game play as it definitely is the best spider man game and due to the wide variety of moves available you really get the feel of what its like to be spider man supported by greatly detailed controllers. This provides a satisfactory challenge level which increases as the game progresses. I was pleased to see that the storyline paralleled the movie's and was thrilled to fight old time favorites such as Shocker, the Vulture, Scorpion, and, of course, the Green Goblin. The graphics of the game are stunning in detail as most Xbox games are.

However, I encountered several disappointments: Primarily and most importantly, the obnoxious camera which fails to catch up with spider man, secondly, the random darkness of some places. But apart from that and a certain feeling of linear game play developed towards the end, I really loved this game. It is a shame, however, that minor mistakes due to a lack of polishing will stop this game from reaching halo status.

Therefore,if superheroes are not your type of thing, save your money for better games out there. If you love and want to live spider man, buy it now.


web slinging has never been so much fun!   June 17, 2002
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

Never has a game of a film been so good, controlling Spiderman is so versatile and easy there is over 20 moves to find and use, the game follows the films storyline but adds twists throughout as you battle to defeat the green goblin, as the film only has one main villain the game consists of 5 classic villains including shocker and scorpion, don't be put off by other reviews about the camera being awkward to use believe me it isn't the use of the x-box control make it suitable for players of all abilities and all moves consist of 3 buttons which makes it easy to pull off combos against the enemies, the only down side is that this game is short with only 24 levels all are short but sweet two which are exclusive to the x-box but most of the levels show off what the x-box is capable of and its mind blowing especially the outside levels you have got to see it to believe it the levels them self are very varied one minute you could be on the floor fighting the bad guys the next your be on the ceiling hiding using stealth mode, but the best is the aerial combat fighting green goblin in the sky never has this been done in a computer game before now a very nice touch this makes you want to come back for more, there are also secrets to find such as a bowling game using Spiderman as the ball, The enemy A.I could have been improved even on the harder settings they still aren't clever enough that's why im only giving it 4 stars.
Overall this is a classic x-box game and one for your collection even if your not a fan of comic book characters this is a must have title.