Web of Shadows comes with an excellent cast of characters, and comic fans will love the inclusion of so many villains and others who make an appearance from the Marvel Universe. At the end of each level, you’ll have to defeat a different boss including Rhino, Electro, Jackal, and the extremely difficult Kraven the Hunter. Exclusive to the PlayStation 2, the Amazing Allies feature allows Spidey to receive help from a number of friends such as Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Sandman, and more.

Though the inclusion of the extra characters adds a bit of depth to the game, unfortunately, you don’t actually get to control any of them. Basically, Spider-Man has the ability to call on friends to help him out in sticky situations through the use of his power-ups. You are given five power-ups per level, which you can assign with different abilities or characters who can be summoned by hitting Circle. The help of Sandman, for example, comes with an animation of his head which gusts across the screen and damages attackers. All other characters show up similarly, making the exclusive PS2 feature look more like a cheap add-on than a cool, unique function.

The bright, vibrant environments bring the comic book experience to life in Web of Shadows, and the game boasts some cool character designs for the likes of Rhyno and the athletic Spider-Man himself. There is some voiceover work for some villains and other characters in the game, all of which are fantastic. Peter Parker sounds exactly how he should and comic relief from J. Jameson and the dim-witted Rhyno make for some humorous moments. Writers have also done a good job of capturing the comic book feel with quick one-liners from Spidey, and though none of the conversations you have with pedestrians or villains are voiced over, they are fun to read. The script adds another nice element to the game and as you read along, you continually feel as though you’re reading a comic book with a ‘choose your own adventure’ outcome. All the wit of Spider-Man comics is captured, and the writing is also innocent enough for children, adding a level of educational value as well.

For those in search of single-player fun, Web of Shadows is an entertaining PS2 title, while not offering a whole lot of functions. There is absolutely no two-player action or any modes other than playing through the storyline with three different skill levels. Though the repetitious button controls can become tiresome, the game does offer enough challenges to keep gamers busy, and Spidey fans of all ages will have fun with Web of Shadows. With so many people to pummel and so many decisions to make, Web of Shadows is a decent offering for the still-kickin’ PS2, even if the fun is slightly limiting.

By Pete Richards
CCC Freelance Writer