There have been plenty of console-ported PC games in the past few months, but Spider-Man 2 definitely stands up as one of the strangest to come out lately. Not just because of how the game plays out, but mainly because of the decisions made for the PC version of this game. The console version was developed by Treyarch and is a more hardcore game that closely resembles the type of gameplay in the Grand Theft Auto series. You're capable of climbing to the tallest points in the city, given the complete freedom to free roam your surroundings, and you can take on miscellaneous missions to save the citizens of New York City. However, this sadly is nothing like the PC version. For some unexplained reason Fizz Factor was hired to make the PC version instead of Treyarch. It's at this point that it was somebody's decision to not make the PC game as realistic and creative as its console counterparts. The decision was to make the PC version of Spider-Man 2 into a 'kid-friendly' version. It's also at this point that this game fails to be appealing.
Actually when you think about it, this game isn't really a console-port, since another company is developing it. The decision to make it into a 'kid-friendly' game has made the game completely different from the console version. The storyline, graphics, and the way the whole city is laid out are all different. Usually having a PC game that's different than the console version is good, because the graphics and controls are better, and sometimes there is extra content. That is not the way it is in this case as you'll soon find out.
The storyline evolves through New York City as you try to stop Dr Otto Octavius from running his lethal experiment. Some other villains you run into include Puma, Rhino and Mysterio who seem to be oddly working for the good doctor to stop Spider-Man at all costs. The story is very easy to follow and doesn't have a great deal of depth to it. Which is obviously one of the elements of making this a 'kid-friendly' game. When they say they wanted this to be child friendly, they simply mean that they wanted this game to appeal to 8-year-olds hence the 'E' rating. This juvenile atmosphere can be seen in many aspects of the game. For example, instead of giving you the freedom to shoot your web anywhere you want when swinging from building to building, there are preset spots on each building, and you have to aim your cursor and just simply press the fire button.
It takes all the challenge out of the game and also a lot of freedom. You can still use your web to zip-line from one area to another which you can shoot anywhere. You can also shoot web on your enemies' mouths and around their bodies to temporarily disable them. Later in the game you also gain the ability to shoot clumps of web to harm your enemies. Another thing that takes away freedom from the game are the game borders which are very abundant. These borders will stop you from going on top of the highest buildings, and from going places where the developers didn't want you to go. Sometimes when swinging down a street you'll hit a border that suddenly stops you, turns you around, and a message pops up on the screen that says, "There is no need to go that way."
There are some random timed missions that you can do around the city, but these just consist of pathetic coins that you need to collect or simple rings that you need to swing through. There really are no criminals to punish. The only random mission in the city that involves a criminal is one where a guy steals a ladies' purse and, you need to get it back for her. Such features as these make the game very limiting. There is the ability to free roam around the city at the end of the game after you beat it, but it just consists of the same boring missions over and over again. The city is divided into small subsections which have to load every time you go into a section. It also won't take you very long to unlock the free roam mode as the game only takes about four hours to beat. Some games have been getting quite short lately, but beating this game in four hours is pretty pathetic.
The graphics also resemble the juvenile atmosphere as they look more cartoon-styled than realistic. It looks more like you're watching a bad episode of the Spider-Man cartoon than actually playing a game. Most of the textures are also very plain and boring. There really isn't anything that stands out in this game graphic-wise. The graphics are supposed to be powered by the Unreal engine, but it sure doesn't look like that's the case here.
The sound effects aren't that bad and consist of some detailed sounds of Spider-Man's web clinging onto buildings. You can hear the sounds of cars driving by and the flapping of birds wings as they move out of your way when you approach them. The voice acting also isn't too bad, but the dialogue is very lame and far too childish.
There really is no good AI in this game as your enemies just approach you, try to punch you, and you punch back and knock them out. You can do a few simple punches and kicks, and when your adrenaline is full you can knock people out with one punch. That's about all that happens during a fight in the game. Furthermore, some of the NPCs don't show any respect for you trying to save them. When walking by some civilians they'll say phrases such as "Why don't you get a real job?" and "Can't you fly?"
Sure it's always nice to see more non-violent games being made for the younger crowd, but with Spider-Man 2's short-lived four hours of gameplay, and with its many limitations on the game environment even an 8-year-old would probably get bored rather quickly. The free roaming mode at the end of the game can be fun for a while, but it gets old very fast. It also makes for practically no replay value. Considering the fact that this game retails for $30 it's definitely not worth your time or money. Four hours of your life can be better spent elsewhere.
Conclusion
We PC gamers have once again been cheated out of having an awesome game. It's not just the fact that the game is different that makes us angry at Activision, it's the way they've been portraying the PC version. Activision never officially released any information about the PC version before its release. So shopping websites like EBGames have it listed as having the same features of the console version and also that it's rated 'T'. Many other game websites are also displaying the same screenshots for the PC that are really for the console. In other words, everybody has been severely misinformed about this game. Everyone thinks it's a true console-port when it's really just something different and worse. So many PC gamers are buying this game thinking that it's what their console friends are enjoying, but it really isn't. Maybe it's the fact that this version of the game is packaged in the same exact packaging as the console version. So when you go to buy the game there's no way of telling that this version is different. Combine that with the lack of information that Activision has provided to companies, and you'll soon figure out that it looks like Activision is suckering in people to buying this version. If you ask me, it looks more like false advertising. Be careful.
Actually when you think about it, this game isn't really a console-port, since another company is developing it. The decision to make it into a 'kid-friendly' game has made the game completely different from the console version. The storyline, graphics, and the way the whole city is laid out are all different. Usually having a PC game that's different than the console version is good, because the graphics and controls are better, and sometimes there is extra content. That is not the way it is in this case as you'll soon find out.
The storyline evolves through New York City as you try to stop Dr Otto Octavius from running his lethal experiment. Some other villains you run into include Puma, Rhino and Mysterio who seem to be oddly working for the good doctor to stop Spider-Man at all costs. The story is very easy to follow and doesn't have a great deal of depth to it. Which is obviously one of the elements of making this a 'kid-friendly' game. When they say they wanted this to be child friendly, they simply mean that they wanted this game to appeal to 8-year-olds hence the 'E' rating. This juvenile atmosphere can be seen in many aspects of the game. For example, instead of giving you the freedom to shoot your web anywhere you want when swinging from building to building, there are preset spots on each building, and you have to aim your cursor and just simply press the fire button.
It takes all the challenge out of the game and also a lot of freedom. You can still use your web to zip-line from one area to another which you can shoot anywhere. You can also shoot web on your enemies' mouths and around their bodies to temporarily disable them. Later in the game you also gain the ability to shoot clumps of web to harm your enemies. Another thing that takes away freedom from the game are the game borders which are very abundant. These borders will stop you from going on top of the highest buildings, and from going places where the developers didn't want you to go. Sometimes when swinging down a street you'll hit a border that suddenly stops you, turns you around, and a message pops up on the screen that says, "There is no need to go that way."
There are some random timed missions that you can do around the city, but these just consist of pathetic coins that you need to collect or simple rings that you need to swing through. There really are no criminals to punish. The only random mission in the city that involves a criminal is one where a guy steals a ladies' purse and, you need to get it back for her. Such features as these make the game very limiting. There is the ability to free roam around the city at the end of the game after you beat it, but it just consists of the same boring missions over and over again. The city is divided into small subsections which have to load every time you go into a section. It also won't take you very long to unlock the free roam mode as the game only takes about four hours to beat. Some games have been getting quite short lately, but beating this game in four hours is pretty pathetic.
The graphics also resemble the juvenile atmosphere as they look more cartoon-styled than realistic. It looks more like you're watching a bad episode of the Spider-Man cartoon than actually playing a game. Most of the textures are also very plain and boring. There really isn't anything that stands out in this game graphic-wise. The graphics are supposed to be powered by the Unreal engine, but it sure doesn't look like that's the case here.
The sound effects aren't that bad and consist of some detailed sounds of Spider-Man's web clinging onto buildings. You can hear the sounds of cars driving by and the flapping of birds wings as they move out of your way when you approach them. The voice acting also isn't too bad, but the dialogue is very lame and far too childish.
There really is no good AI in this game as your enemies just approach you, try to punch you, and you punch back and knock them out. You can do a few simple punches and kicks, and when your adrenaline is full you can knock people out with one punch. That's about all that happens during a fight in the game. Furthermore, some of the NPCs don't show any respect for you trying to save them. When walking by some civilians they'll say phrases such as "Why don't you get a real job?" and "Can't you fly?"
Sure it's always nice to see more non-violent games being made for the younger crowd, but with Spider-Man 2's short-lived four hours of gameplay, and with its many limitations on the game environment even an 8-year-old would probably get bored rather quickly. The free roaming mode at the end of the game can be fun for a while, but it gets old very fast. It also makes for practically no replay value. Considering the fact that this game retails for $30 it's definitely not worth your time or money. Four hours of your life can be better spent elsewhere.
Conclusion
We PC gamers have once again been cheated out of having an awesome game. It's not just the fact that the game is different that makes us angry at Activision, it's the way they've been portraying the PC version. Activision never officially released any information about the PC version before its release. So shopping websites like EBGames have it listed as having the same features of the console version and also that it's rated 'T'. Many other game websites are also displaying the same screenshots for the PC that are really for the console. In other words, everybody has been severely misinformed about this game. Everyone thinks it's a true console-port when it's really just something different and worse. So many PC gamers are buying this game thinking that it's what their console friends are enjoying, but it really isn't. Maybe it's the fact that this version of the game is packaged in the same exact packaging as the console version. So when you go to buy the game there's no way of telling that this version is different. Combine that with the lack of information that Activision has provided to companies, and you'll soon figure out that it looks like Activision is suckering in people to buying this version. If you ask me, it looks more like false advertising. Be careful.
