Ultimate Spider-Man

Spidey and Venom leap straight from the comic pages to the consoles with stunningly stylish results.

Ultimate Spider-Man brings the super stylish world of Marvel comics to life with beautiful and enjoyable results, but ultimately spins a regrettably short Spidey story-mode experience.

Much like Treyarch's Spider-Man 2, Ultimate Spider-Man gives gamers a chance to swing into the immersive 3D world of Marvel Comics heroes with fresh and entertaining free-roaming "sandbox-style" gameplay. But unlike previous Spidey games, USM maintains its superhero credibility by staying admirably close to the comic book series of the same name--a point that's sure to delight fanboys and hardcore webheads, but might leave new bandwagon fans and comic book outsiders wondering just what the hell is going on in New York City.

The Silver Age
Without a doubt, the striking cel-shaded visuals immediately set Ultimate Spider-Man apart from other Spidey titles and miles ahead of the rest of the pack of superhero action titles. As expected, the web swinging physics are a pleasure to play through and a sight to behold as you gracefully soar through the Big Apple high above the city streets (and relive every single childhood Spider-Man fantasy in the process). Excellent voice acting and dazzling interactive comic panel cut-scenes also contribute to the superb top-notch presentation. With an engaging story, exciting fights, tons of Marvel character cameos, gorgeous graphics, and tons of cityscape to explore, Ultimate Spider-Man might well be the best Spider-Man game to date. USM also boats plenty of side quests and little extras, but the coolest bonus by far is the unlockable Venom mode in which the misanthropic monster goes on a destructive, feeding-frenzy rampage through the crowded streets of New York while being chased by cops, helicopters, and special S.H.E.I.L.D. agents (like a full star rage in GTA).

"It Hungers!"
As great as Ultimate Spider-Man is in nearly every regard, some nagging gripes still manage to keep Spidey's latest adventure from being a truly spectacular experience. The story (penned by the comic series writer) might turn off fair-weather fans, as the plot depends heavily on prior knowledge of Spidey's universe in the Ultimate Spider-Man series, which is a clever re-imagining of the narrative continuity of more "traditional" Spider-Man titles (where the Venom suit had a different origin, Eddie Brock was never Spider-Man's teenage buddy, and the Green Goblin wasn't actually a goblin). The stellar visuals are marred by some nasty bouts of popup and some bland backgrounds, but it's the usually reliable camera that can stifle the fun in fast paced chases and close-quarters boss battles (which unfortunately fall into predictable patterns of attack). The biggest setback, however, is the tragically minuscule length of the main story mode, which we leisurely knocked through in well under ten hours. With such rich story options in a beautifully designed world it's a shame that there isn't more for Spidey to do outside of the mild mini-missions and racing for medals. But even so, these flaws can't stop Spidey's ascent to the top of the superhero heap, as Ultimate Spider-Man is a must have for longtime fans and Spider-Man newbies alike.

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