Ultimate Spider-Man videogame

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Has anyone bought this game? For which system? What did you think?

I've been very tempted, but I know finding the time to play it will be impossible, and I've never been much of a game player, anyway. But I'm curious to hear some comic readers' reactions to it. . .

-Augie

[torippu]

Has anyone bought this game? For which system? What did you think?

I've been very tempted, but I know finding the time to play it will be impossible, and I've never been much of a game player, anyway. But I'm curious to hear some comic readers' reactions to it. . .

-Augie
I haven't owned a game system since the Nintendo 64, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Tracie (being the crazy Bendis fan that she is) has got to have at least played it...

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Yeah, all I have anymore is a Nintendo GameCube that was a birthday present a couple of years ago. Don't get me wrong -- I love Donkey Konga for it, but I don't play it otherwise. And since this game is available for the GameCube, it is almost sorta tempting. . . I've read a couple of positive game site reviews for it, but now I'm curious for the Spidey Faithful's opinion.

-Augie

[De Carabas]

It looks cool and it is tempting me. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to buy it before Christmas, so it's a matter of waiting to see what Santa brings me.

EM, who is presently dying to play X-Men Legends 2.

[Maukingbird]

Now only have I played the game, but I actually beat it, too!! (The number of games for which I can claim that accomplishment is unfortunately a good deal unequal to the number of games that I own)

The story stuffs is PURE BENDIS!!! And I experienced SUCH JOY in hearing Bendis' words performed (and performed WELL) in the game cinematics! IT really makes me yearn for a Bendis-scripted (or at least, produced/created) ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN animated series. (he had a small hand in the MTV Spidey cartoon, sure, but that was more movie-inspired, I want ULTIMATE SPIDEY inspired animated joy!)

I was a bit trepedatious about the voice acting, 'cause you know with comics, the voices are all in your head (and sometimes WITHOUT comics), and I was afraid they may not live up to the way I hear them, but I thought Spidey/Peter was SPOT ON and it brought me EMENSE delight. MJ was a little off for me, but she worked!

But that's not what you're probably interested in. ^_~

If you've played the Spider-Man 2 movie game (which I consider to be probably the BEST superhero game EVER!) Ultimate Spider-Man sticks to that game design but improves a bit on the web swinging, adds some fancy fighting moves (the way he reacts and interacts with his environment while fighting) but takes a few things away, such as some web attacks and Spider-Sense reaction... possibly to go with the comic and make Peter a little more inexperienced than Movie 2 Spidey.

It's a REAL treat to see these characters moving around on the screen in Bagley's style. (Rhino looks freakin AWESOME!!) The fights and challenges get pretty tough, but in the end I was surprised how quickly the game seemed to go. Though there's still a lot available for me to unlock.

Just like in Spider-Man 2, it's a total BLAST web-slinging throughout a VERY vast New York City. It's not AS sprawling as in SM2, but they added Peter's neighborhood to the game, which wasn't available in SM2. As in SM2, there are many randomly occuring crimes for you to hault, outside of the actual story-driven events.

The scenes with Peter and MJ are SOOOOO CUTE!!!! And this story occurs while the two of them are still a couple.

There are some really nice surprises in the game which I'm curious to see if they spill into the comic, as a lot of characters are introduced in this (with some very cool designs by Bagley) that have yet to appear in the books. I'd love if Bendis and Bagley could spin this story into a mini-series or something. But the game is TOTALLY in keeping with the comics. Many HILLARIOUS quips and Marvel references from Bagley. Some fun Ultimate Marvel cameos.

All the cinematics are told in Hulk-style comic book panels (to some REALLY nice effect in certain places). There were some places where I thought "Well, that wasn't really necessary to frame it like that" and others where I thought "WOW, that was COOL!!!" The direction's mostly very well done, though. And the little characteristics they add to the characters of Peter and MJ and the scariness of Venom and the other villains were really wonderfull.

Speaking of Venom, playing as him is INSANELY COOL!!!!

All-together a really fun game and a TOTAL DELIGHT for the Ultimate Spidey/Bendis fan in me! Since it was so much in keeping with SM2, it didn't leave me with the same sort of "OH WOW!" impressing, game-wise, but it stuck with that same really great model and the story felt more engrossing because I wasn't just walking through a storyline I'd already experienced in the theater and instead felt more like I was adding to my Ultimate Spider-Man experience and was able to discover so many new things.

I guess my only warning to non-gamers (not that I consider myself to be particularly gifted in the ways of gaming) would be that I found a lot of the boss battles to be pretty tough to do. Though I've heard of 6-year olds that were able to whiz right through stuff that took me 7 or 8 tries. They do walk you through the game pretty nicely, though, in terms of learning the controlls.

It's a beautiful-looking game with a really delightful (and frequently funny) story. Gameplay is great, but much what I expected after SM2. I'd really love for them to do more of these, as long as they keep Bendis and Bagley as deeply involved as they are here. Their influence is all over the place and really makes it the best comics-based game I've played.

[Maukingbird]

My GOD... find the right topic and I DO go on, don't I?

^_^;

[DF2506]

I actually bought this game and played it..but...my experience wasn't as good as Maukingbirds. Sure, the graphics are really good and I liked what I played of the story..but....

I got the Gamecube verison of this game and it stalled on me. During the fight between Electro and Venom, the game just froze up (and made a loud buzzing sound too). I've never had that happen with a Cube game before....

So, I had to take the game back. I decided not to buy it for another system (I do have a PS2 and an X-box also). I like the game, but I didn't like it freezing up on me like that. Plus...ugh. That battle with Electro & Venom (and the chase with them was terrible though. Ugh. If there's anything I didn't like about the game, it was the chases).

Anyway, if your going to play this, I recommand not playing on the Cube (I heard someone else returned a copy of the Cube verison to Gamestop too). I plan to eventually rent Ultimate Spiderman for the X-box sooner or later (I want to see more of the story!).

DF2506
" I got Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for the DS when I got my money back for Ultimate Spiderman. Castlevania DS is such an awesome game! Glad I got it! "

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Thanks, Tracie. I appreciate you now, perhaps, more than ever. The trick is to find a way to temper your infectious enthusiasm now and NOT go out and buy the game at lunch. Oh, wait, we have DF for that -- yeah, I own a GameCube. I'll have to search around the web to see how far-ranging a problem this is. UGH

-Augie

[DF2506]

Thanks, Tracie. I appreciate you now, perhaps, more than ever. The trick is to find a way to temper your infectious enthusiasm now and NOT go out and buy the game at lunch. Oh, wait, we have DF for that -- yeah, I own a GameCube. I'll have to search around the web to see how far-ranging a problem this is. UGH<

I actually wrote that before I noticed that you said you had a Cube, Augie. lol. Sorry to be the downer. I hate to be too, because I do think the game is cool...its just that I can't recommand the Cube verison. Now it could be that only a limited amount of copies (say maybe two or so) have the problem. I really don't know. I haven't seen anybody else online mention this problem (wasn't mentioned in any reviews), so who knows. Maybe its not that big a problem. Though looking into it is a wise idea! You never know. Maybe I'll look into it too. I'll let you know if I find anything.

DF2506
" I really wanted to play the heck out of Ultimate Spiderman. Hated that I had to take it back...."

[roach04]

EM, who is presently dying to play X-Men Legends 2.

My wife and I beat it last week-end. WICKED fun game.