The Amazing Spider-Man may be a hard game to resist for fans of the web-slinging superhero. The atmosphere closely resembles the popular film and familiar environment of the Spider-Man universe. Yet at $6.99, it comes on the higher end of what most games in the App Store are going for.
Casual gamers will find the price hard to justify, especially with so many good titles going for $0.99. Yet the hardcore Spider-Man fan will find enough here to keep themselves busy fighting thugs with Spidey.
Getting started involves a brief video that shows the familiar tale of how Spider-Man became who he is. Skip if if you are not interested. Also, I would recommend declining the option for push notifications. Unless it is a social game like Word with Friends, it gets annoying to constantly have a game not-so-gently reminding you that it is time for another go.
The game begins with you controlling Spider-Man on a roof. A series of pop-ups walk you through the controls and other gameplay procedures. Soon you are leaping and swinging amongst the buildings pursuing the bad guys.
The controls mostly work out okay – though there are many awkward and jarring moments. Swinging among buildings can be especially tricky to control at times. I also found it much easier to control on an iPad (The Amazing Spider-Man is a universal app for iOS) given the extra screen space. Once you encounter thugs use a combination of on-screen buttons to smash them to the ground.
In fact, as you play through the game you are able to unlock additional fighting moves and combinations to strengthen Spider-Man’s skills. There are many, many large groups of enemies that can easily wear out your fingers when it comes to fighting. Fortunately there is an impressive breadth of fighting options to add while working through the game.
In all, the gameplay works well and guides you through a series of missions that coincide with the Spider-Man universe. The graphics, especially the comic scenes, are well done. Those who are just looking for another game to kill some time should probably look elsewhere. Yet those who live and breathe Spider-Man or others
Download The Amazing Spider-Man from the App Store ($6.99)
On Target:
- Compelling storyline
- Deep, long-lasting game
Off the Mark:
- Expensive
- Jarring controls
