LONG BEFORE Arkham Asylum, it was Spider-Man that redefined superhero video games. 2004’s Spider-Man 2gave players the ability to swing through an open-world New York – a far cry from the enclosed thug-bashers that had come before it.
The spandex-clad wall-crawler’s more recent games have been considerably less free-form, but with Spider-Man’s silver screen reboot due in a matter of weeks, Activision will give fans the perfect outlet to do whatever a spider can. Developer Beenox is confident
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that The Amazing Spider-Man’s return to an open world structure will be a big hit, as will the quality of the combat and other new features. “We’ve had some hits and misses but this is the best Spidey game yet,” says producer Doug Heder. “We had the full two years to work on this. And we brought back what fans have been asking for.” Interestingly, the new Activision game is actually a sequel to the film – despite arriving on shelves a week before Spider-Man’s return to cinemas on July 3rd.
We’ve had hits and misses but this is the best Spidey game yet. Doug Heder, Beenox
The game picks up where the movie leaves off. Spider-Man has learned to use his great power with great responsibility and must now protect Manhattan from new threats. The new combat system allows players to attack and counter multiple enemies at once. Beenox has said this was inspired by Rocksteady’s Arkhamtitles. Fans can also use Spider-Man’s web-slinging powers to hurl nearby objects at opponents, or swing foes into walls and off buildings. The new Web Rush mechanic also
makes crossing the city easier. Simply lock onto a point, such as a lamppost, and Spider-Man will automatically –and stylishly – swing straight to it. The Amazing Spider-Manis set to be one of this summer’s biggest movies, and the game companion is sure to be just as well received.
June 8th 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man
Spidey swings back onto the silver screen next month but not before a trip to the High Street. James Batchelor takes the web-slinger’s latest video game outing for a spin