Once upon a time, it was okay for a comic book game to be below average because sadly, it was the norm for the genre. Then came a little game called “Arkham Asylum.” Now we live in a new day and age where one can rightfully expect just a little more out of a superhero video game. Does Shattered Dimensions live up to this new standard, or do old habits die hard?
If you’ve read any number of comic books, you’ll know what to expect from the story. A mysterious tablet is shattered in a robbery attempt, and now it’s up to the original Spidey and three of his alternate selves (Ultimate, Noir, & 2099) to find the pieces before the entire universe falls apart with it. [EDITORS NOTE: Watch out for two cameos by “Peter Porker The Spectacular Spider-Ham”] It’s standard superhero fare, and it fits well considering the subject matter. However, it definitely wouldn’t have hurt if the writers had gone a step beyond. Extra effort has gone into fleshing out the many bosses, though, who add some much needed character to the stages. Don’t misunderstand: the many settings you’ll play in are certainly not lacking in variety, but the same can’t be said for the sparse mission types, which, despite minor differences, may start to feel stale after a while. It’s the numerous boss fights that are the true hallmarks, and while some could have used more polish, the ones that get it right REALLY get it right, delivering some truly unique and memorable experiences.All four Spider-Man's have their own distinct personalities, as well as the original’s penchant for jokes. The voice actors are good enough to get away with Parker’s wisecracks, but what really sets the different heroes apart is how they all play. This is most evident in the “Noir” stages where sneaking is king, and gunfire is lethal. There’s something that just makes sense about adding a stealth element to a spider-centric character, and considering that the webs allow you to do take-downs from twenty feet away, it’s also extremely satisfying. The other three, however, aren’t so lucky, as they all suffer from some universal issues. Spider-Man has a tendency to gravitate towards perch points and narrow ledges, as well as moving incredibly fast when swinging. This means that it’s very hard to move precisely, and you may find yourself fighting the controls when Spider-Man randomly stops shooting webs to swing from, gets stuck under a platform mid-flight, or decides to perch on the nearby railing instead of landing on the ground when you’re fending off swarms of enemies. More bad news comes in the form of the “throwing” mechanic: because the game automatically chucks whatever you pick up at the nearest threat, it makes hitting a specific target almost impossible. This is made frustrating by the fact that many of the bonus challenges that you have to complete in order to unlock upgrades demand precision tosses, making the lack of a real lock-on system baffling.
Fighting Spidey’s enemies and the loose mechanics has its rewards. Concept art, character bios, and even alternate costumes from all over the character’s history make the fight worth it, but that’s all dependent on if that all holds any value to you. In that sense, it’s hard to recommend Shattered Dimensions to anyone who isn’t even remotely into Spider-Man, but if a twenty-hour romp through the many versions of New York with one of Marvel’s best heroes sounds like it’s right up your alley, then feel free to “swing” by.
Submitted By: WhatTheFNU (Customer)
No comments:
Post a Comment