Another contributor to the way you pull off combos is the size of the enemy. Enemies are divided into three classes: small, medium, and large. Small enemies are noticeably weaker and easier to throw around. Medium sized enemies take a lot more of a pounding and often take the deliberate team effort of you and your ally in order to defeat. Since medium sized foes are a lot tougher, characters like Spidey can yank their feet from under them to cause lots of damage instead of wasting time and energy trying to punch them while someone like Rhino can take them head on. Large enemies are almost like mini bosses, which take a bit of strategy to defeat. They often consist of throwing objects at their exposed areas several times in order to defeat, but if not handled correctly they can be a real bother.

Of course, if you're like me, then the real reason you bought this game is because you wanted to play as all those cool Spider-Man hating villains. Spidey's friends make their cameos of course, but it isn't until you get to your very first foe and make him join your party that you really get into the game. The villains that eventually join your party must be defeated first, and this is where the boss battles begin. The watered down gameplay is acceptable but the boss fights really leave something to be desired and come off as very cheap and tedious. First off, the bosses have very long health bars, and after you figure out how to defeat them and start landing punches, a quick cutscene resets the battle and your positions. It is very awkward. Imagine fighting someone, and when his heath is half way down you exchange dialogue and pop back several feet away to continue the battle. Though you are rewarded for the tedious battle by unlocking a new character.

The graphics in Friend or Foe are very pleasant, and as I stated before have a very cartooni-ish charm about it which kind of makes me feel like I'm watching a cartoon on the Nickelodeon network. Great detail is not only put into the characters but the environments as well. Massive landscapes can be seen in the background, and subtle details like the stitching in Spider-Man's suit can be easily seen. Matched with the clean, precise audio and voices that closely match the movie's counterparts, Friend or Foe makes for a pretty decent game.

Overall, I must say that Spider-Man Friend or Foe is just above mediocre considering that it is significantly targeted towards a younger audience. It is a fun, enjoyable, and quirky game that a father can easily pick up and play with his son. Though the boss fights are tedious and combat a bit too simple, by the end of the day I'm glad I own this game, and judging by a very suspenseful name said just before the credits roll I'm definitely looking forward to a sequel.

By Jwan Jordan
CCC Freelance Writer

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