Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Activision's Ultimate Spider-Man video game for the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. It's not really possible to review this game without comparing it to Spider-Man 2 for the same consoles, also by Activision, released over a year ago. Though I can't say for positive, the game looks to have taken the same engine used to create both games, though Ultimate has several elements missing. Understandably, Ultimate doesn't have a movie background, so storyline, voices and game play need to seem original. They don't. A year's worth of advances in graphics techniques and camera refinement could have been used. They weren't. Activision had the opportunity to expand and improve on a potentially gold-mine franchise. They didn't.
Ultimate Spider-Man scraps the traditional 3D rendered New York for a cell-shaded one in a decent attempt to bring the panels of a comic book alive. Cut scenes feature more detailed, but low polygon sets and characters all with deep black outlines as if drawn by hand. The effect severely hinders the overall graphic quality of the game, especially during normal game play, as characters all seem anorexic and the dark outlines quickly break-up. In effect, developers tried too hard to make it look like a comic book. A comic book that improved on the look of its predecessor, not degraded it.
The story centers around Spider-Man's relationship to Venom, a special medical suit (gone wrong) worn by childhood friend of Peter Parker, Eddie Brock. Beyond the two major players, players will be surprised to find other Marvel characters popping in and out of the story line including X-Man Wolverine, Fantastic 4's Human Torch and a half dozen Marvel villains thrown in to pad the story.
The game feels un-cohesive and offers little in the way of variety, whether it be the voice over quips or the side-missions. The stand out feature of the game is the ability to play as Venom. The story takes you back and forth from Spidey to Venom, who have slightly different control schemes, but equally lacking fight moves
Ultimate Spider-Man just plain sucks. There are dozens of race missions that prove to be extremely difficult to complete due to camera issues and unrealistic times and not nearly enough side battles, a la Spider-Man 2, to keep anyone interested after completing the initial story. Bonus unlockables come in the form of character renders and comic book covers that don't provide any incentive unless you're a rabid fan of the comic book, in which case you probably own them anyway.
For web slinging fun, go back and replay Activision's original game or for the free roaming style with good graphics and plenty of smashing fun, try The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.
