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I think my title explains my opinion already. I've had this game for a few days and so far, I'm loving every minute of it. Could the controls be a bit tighter? Yeah, I guess so. Does it hinder the gameplay? NO! Not nearly as badly as everyone is saying it does.
I bought Web of Shadows this summer in anticipation for this game. I played all the way through it (did everything, got every single achievement, etc.) and Web of Shadows was probably one of the glitchiest games I've ever played on the 360, hands down. It was a huge sandbox title, and that was great. However, the last 1/3 of the game got so hectic that the whole game engine seemed like it was about to implode on itself. The game wasn't able to maintain 20-25 FPS, which I think is absolutely ridiculous for something released in past 4-5 years. It is especially ridiculous for a non-port console game on the 360, which developers always say is the easiest console to code games for.
Shattered Dimensions runs smooth the entire time. I haven't seen it stutter once since I bought it. The whole game is vibrant and beautiful, and it plays out like one giant comic book. I don't want to say the game is cel-shaded (although on the Amazing and Ultimate levels, it's awful close), but it's definitely something in between normal and cel-shaded. It's perfect for this type of comic-book game.
Did I mention the voice-acting? The voice-acting in this game is INCREDIBLE. (The voice-acting in Web of Shadows was horrendous, so this gets huge marks in my book.) I liked that Stan Lee was brought in for the intro. Another nice surprise was that they brought in Neil Patrick Harris to voice Amazing Spider-Man, which was a great idea and he is probably the coolest Spider-Man voice actor that I've heard in a long time. I'm also really glad that they brought in Christopher Daniel Barnes to voice Noir, because he is my absolute favorite voice-actor for Spider-Man period. Barnes was the voice of Spider-Man in the early '90s Fox Kids cartoon, and he is the voice of Spider-Man that I always hear in my head when I read the comics; the game automatically gains my approval just because he was a part of it.
So I don't mind that the controls aren't as perfect as they could be, because if Beenox did anything right with this game, it was the voice-acting and the art style. Oh, and the storyline? If you have any fond childhood memories of the Fox Kids Spider-Man cartoon from the early '90s, you will go crazy for this game. I can't say enough how much they hit the nail on the head with the story-telling in the cutscenes. It tapped right into all the nostalgia I had from being 7 or 8 years old on a Saturday morning. Totally awesome.
That mostly wraps up how I feel, except for one last point; I'm tired of hearing that people are knocking this game for not being a sandbox title. The reason why this game wouldn't work as a sandbox is because it deals with parallel universes (which was a great plot device by the way don't believe the naysayers) and there's no way the game would have run smoothly if there were 4 different, completely functional NYC's coded onto the disc. I really could care less that Spider-Man isn't swinging around freely from building to building in NYC, because we got something in return for that sacrifice richer, more detailed levels in a variety of locations. Honestly, in pretty much every Spider-Man game so far that offers web slinging in a sandbox environment (Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows, etc.) it's been mostly a gimmick anyway. Were any of the locales really any different that you would swing to? No. Are the locales different in this game? Absolutely every level I've played so far has been completely unique! So stop blaming Beenox for "ruining" Spider-Man. All they did was just try something different, and I think they definitely need more recognition for a job well done! This game is really, really good!
Don't listen to anyone who says this game is a rental / bargain-bin option only. Like I said, if you're a true Spider-Man fan who appreciates quality over quantity and can get over less-than-perfect controls, you should buy this game. Don't hesitate; just buy it. You won't regret it.
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Another holiday season upon us, and another Spider-Man game to swing in and grab our wallets. This is not always a bad thing, I appreciate that there is enough confidence in the Spider-Man name to carry a game without a movie tie-in. Is it a great Spider-Man game? No, but it has enough going for it to qualify as a solid title.Visuals
One of the coolest things about SD is its use of 4 different art styles to depict different Spider-Man universes (comic timelines). The Spider-Man 2099 levels are colorful and have a neon quality to them. The Amazing and Ultimate Spider-Man levels are the only somewhat similar styles. The Amazing levels are cell shaded, brightly colored, and appear as I always thought a Spider-Man game should look. The Ultimate levels on the other hand have a more "realistic" palette, with a black suited Spidey to control. The Spider-Man Noir levels are dark with an emphasis on browns and greys. These levels make use of really nice lighting and shadow techniques. Good thing to since Noir Spider-Man spends large amounts of time lurking in the shadows.
Sound
Good effects but nothing to write home about. The voice work on the other hand is excellent. The banter between Spider-Man and his foes is fun and witty, just as it should be. Spider-Man is very talkative all through the game, especially in combat. Luckily the writing compliments the high class work of the actors, and it never gets old.
Gameplay
Along with the art style, the gameplay of the levels varies depending on the universe you are in. The Ultimate and the 2099 levels are the most similar, straight beat 'em up with subtle combo differences. Speaking of combos, you collect spider emblems and complete challenges in the game that give use points used to upgrade your moves in all of the universes. A cool feature that could use a more intuitive and less cumbersome menu. The Amazing levels are all about combat as well, yet with a higher emphasis on web-swinging. The swinging is not as fun or open as it was in previous Spider-Man titles, but it gets the job done. The Noir levels on the other hand basically turn Spider-Man into Batman. He now lurks in the shadows trying to avoid a fight, instead Spider-Man likes to stay hidden and take enemies out quietly. These levels are the closest we will get to a Spider-Man Splintet Cell crossover. The one really nagging problem with SD is the way the levels progress. In every level a boss character is introduced, then you chase him and fight lesser foes. You are then presented with a boss fight. Just when you think you've made progress by beating a boss, he gets up and runs away. You then chase again and fight stronger foes until...the same boss is fought again. In some levels this pattern repeats multiple times. This is the one design choice that really brings down an otherwise great game.
Is It For The Kids?
If you have a young one who is a superhero fan, a teen with a room full of comics, or (in my case) a daughter who LOVES superheroes, especially Superman & Spider-Man, then yep they will want this one. The game has a T rating, for mild language and suggestive themes, and violence. T is a title harsh for SD, the language is no worse than a hell or damn here or there, and the violence is in a comic book fashion. Spider-Man is not a killer, but one early level has you running from a sniper's scope. I let my kids watch me play this one, as the controls are a little complex for the little ones. Any 9 or 10 year old should have no problem though. This game is another example of the need for a rating between T and E10. Violence is an E rating killer, but in SD the context is that of obstacles to be overcome and not people to be taken out.
Overall
Spider-Man SD is a fun and relatively short game, yet I was not wanting for more at the end of my 7-8 hr trip. To some that may seem negative and short, it's not. I like when a game leaves me satisfied at the end. I feel the game conveyed an experience and I enjoyed the ride. So give it a try, and if you or your kids are fans of Spider-Man, then pick it up. Just be prepared to do most of the playing if you have little ones.
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Being an avid Spider-Man fan, there is one sad truth that needs to be accepted....the games are absolutely amazing at first and then get old and boring after a while. That's because they are all sandbox games where the enemies and missions all just blend together. This is not like those games. This is a linear story line. It also helps that you switch between four different Spider-Man costumes all with unique abilities...my favorite is the noir one. What's nice about this one is that each enemy and boss all take different skills to defeat. It's no longer the beat em up that Spider-Man games once were. Well, it still is, but stylized too different to tell right away. I enjoy it but am glad that I rented it because with this not being sandbox game, I can see the replay being very low on this. Either way, always fun to have a new Spider-Man game on the block.Honest reviews on Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions - Xbox 360
I played Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions on PC first but I wanted to play it later on my Xbox 360 downstairs so I also got this version. I like the variety of gameplay that Shattered Dimensions has to offer. It's like playing 4 different spiderman games in one. The downside to having 4 different types of gameplay is that there is a greater chance that you won't like one of the 4 types of spiderman. I liked all of them but I liked the NOIR spiderman the least because he relied on stealth more which made you slow down where the other 3 were at a faster pace. Still, I recommend the game to anyone that likes spiderman games or web slinging.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions - Xbox 360
I Pre-Ordered Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions back before Sept. 7th(Am getting to writing this now, finally), and when I found out I had to wait through 7 hours of school before I get to play this game on the 7th, I died on the inside. When I got home I opened up Amazon's beautiful packaging(;-]) and there it was! The Video Game along with the Strategy Guide I had Ordered also. The art booklet was interesting, altho not my main interest. Also There were great voice actors (Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Dan Gilvezan, and Josh Keaton)Each charecter also has great jokes up their sleeves. The game itself was fantastic! I followed it all since the announcment of the title. With 4 different versions of Spider-Man this game was sure to be a winner, well...I was wrong, It was more! More Recent Spidey Games have sucked...to be honest, but this one is worth more than $60.I may be just in love with this game but it's really is amazing! Each dimension has it's own ART STYLE for god's sake! And First Person Scenes when fighting bosses(at certain points) Each Level has about 1 hour in speed running time(about) Lots of replay value, and features(Like hidden spiders,"Web Of Destiny", and Alternate Costumes!)! So let me get into a In-Depth Reveiw of each dimension then I'll get to the extras.Amazing Spider-Man The Spidey We all know and love! the Spectacular Spider-Man! His style is using web based attacks. His Dimension Includes 3 bosses (Like the other 3 Dimensions) First is Kraven The Hunter! Russian Hunter and straight from the comics he came. This Level (1st) is a great starting point as you get through the basic controlls for the rest of the game. Another great thing is the art style in this dimension,...or should I say comic book! This art looks like thats exactly where it came from! The other 2 bosses are Sandman, and Juggernaut(With a Guest Appearence from Silver Sabel)...(In order I beleive). Both hold "AMAZING" (heh...punny)story lines for the level and unique enimies.
Noir Universe Noir...Where to start, ok. Noir Is pretty much the underdog for this game. Noir hasn't been used in any other video game title (as of 3/23/11). His style is Stealth,Stealth,and more stealth! His 3 Bosses are Hammerhead(Original charecter for the game)Vulture, And The Goblin. All Levels are based on NOT GETTING CAUGHT by gaurds and such. Noir basically sucks at hand to hand combat so dont go into the fight when caught, plus bullets do ALOT of damage. His Special Spider-Sence is being able to see through walls and see hidden objects. A Great, yet sometimes complicated addition.
2099 Universe My most anticipated Dimension pre-release. It had a nice, sleek look to it, as well as a nice enviroment. Everything,again, Is unique as for every Dimension. The 3 bosses Consist of Hobgoblin(Exclusive),Scorpion, and (Girl) Doctor Octopus (Also Exclusive). Each serve as VERY interesting Boss charecters and are GREAT fun to play. 2099's style is Speed/Agility. He Is very fast and pretty d*mn funny if you ask me! His special Spider-Sence is Making everything go in Sloowww Moooooootttiiooonn (heh). He also has the ability to Sky Dive! Which is tons of fun, for the breif seconds you do haha. 2099 Is deffinatly lots of fun!
Ultimate Symbiote This one is also fun. Kinda Risky to put into the game... Alot of criticism towards the fact that Amazing Spidey and this one are so similar. His style is combat, cause of the controlled(Madame Web's doing)Venom Symbiote. Its Special Spider-Sence is RAGE MODE(Personal Favorite) Where you DESTROY anything in your way. The 3 Bosses (In Order) are, Electro, Deadpool, and Carnage. Each fun, obviousley. This Symbiote combat makes up for the similarities for Amazing.
Extras During Gameplay there are things called Hidden Spiders.(8 in each level, I beleive) Each unlocks a challenge (within the game, not Acheivments/Trophys) Which unlocks new moves (Score!) and gives you a cirtain amount of money. Money can buy you things like Alternate costumes, ect. (excuse my absence of knoledge for that, I haven't played for months now.) Costumes include
Amazing -
Bombastic Bag-Man
Secret War Spider-Man
Scarlet Spider
Cosmic (Downloadable Content)
Noir -
Original Spider-Man Noir Concept
Spider-Man 1602
Negative Zone
Cosmic (Downloadable Content)
2099 -
Flipside
Spider Armor
Iron Spider
Cosmic (Downloadable Content)
Ultimate -
Original Ultimate Spider-Man
Electro-Proof Spider-Man
Mangraverse Spider-Man
Cosmic (Downloadable Content)
So, With that all in mind, This game would be perfect with a simple patch. Few Bugs is the only problem. 5/5
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