All the three versions of the game have several common elements, such as choices that may alter the storyline, an ally system where Spider-Man can choose from several allies to summon during fights, and a similar plot, despite different characters being featured across the various versions. In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Venom has launched a full-scale symbiote invasion of Manhattan, forcing Spider-Man to join forces with a number of unlikely allies in order to stop him, while being faced with difficult choices that could change his life forever. The game’s story is noticeably darker than in the previous Spider-Man games.
The game received generally mixed to positive reviews from critics, who singled out the boss fights, destructive combat, original story and open-ended nature. However, the game’s choice system received mixed reviews; although some praised how the player is able to create a dynamic experience with their choices, others were critical of the system’s limitations. In addition, reviewers criticized the storyline’s poor execution, bothersome camera controls, the inability to free-roam after completing the game, lip-syncing issues and the subpar graphics.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, along with most other games published by Activision that had used the Marvel license, was de-listed and removed from all digital storefronts on January 1, 2014.[3][4] It was the last Spider-Man game developed by Treyarch, as Beenox was passed to Spider-Man games license and developed Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions and its sequel Spider-Man: Edge of Time.
Gameplay
Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360
Spider-Man Web of Shadows is a third personaction-adventure video game, set in an open-world that resembles Manhattan. The gameplay is very similar to previous Spider-Man titles (namely Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3 and Ultimate Spider-Man). Players take on the role of Spider-Man and can web swing, web zip, crawl walls, and use the ‘spider-sense’ to identify and lock onto enemies. The combat improves on that of the previous games, and now takes place on ground, walls, and in the air, due to new enemy types being introduced, who can either fly or stick to surfaces. The game also introduces the “web strike”, a gameplay mechanic where Spider-Man attaches a web to the nearest enemy and pulls himself to them; this serves as the basis of air combat, but can also be used on the ground and other surfaces.
While the game’s main story is linear, there are various random events constantly occurring across the game’s map, such as fights between gangs, or, in later stages of the story, symbiote nests that need to be destroyed. These are entirerly optional, but if the player chooses to intervene, they reward him with XP. There are also numerous challenges, such as defeating a given number of enemies or collecting symbiote samples, and collectibles, that reward the player with XP as well, and increase their health bar and web swinging speed.
At specific points in the story, the player is presented with two choices that they need to pick from, which don’t affect the overall narrative, but influence the ending of the game and Spider-Man’s interaction with other characters. In addition, the game features a ‘reputation bar’, which becomes red when the player chooses the Red Path in the aforementioned situations or performs heroic acts, such as saving civiliains, and turns black when the player chooses the Black Path or causes destruction across the city. As they progress through the story, the player meets characters that become allies, meaning that they can be summoned at almost any time during gameplay to help fight enemies; if the reputation bar is mostly red, the player can summon superheroes (Luke Cage, Moon Knight, and Wolverine), otherwise they can summon villains (Black Cat, Vulture, Rhino, and Electro).
The player is able to switch between Spider-Man’s traditional red and blue costume and the black symbiote suit at any time during gameplay. Each suit has individual upgrades, which unlock new fighting moves.[5] Chris Scholz from Shaba Games commented that the developers “worked on really separating the black and red suits to give the player a different feel“. For example, red and blue-suited Spider-Man is fast and agile, while symbiote black suit Spider-Man is stronger and more destructive.
The mini-map on the screen is also different from the style used in previous Spider-Man games. The traditional 2-D overhead view has been removed, replaced by a new 3D map with an “X”, “Y” and “Z” axis which shows the player’s position in three-dimensional space (north and south, as well as vertical position). Also, as a Wii exclusive, there are 6 alternate costumes (Spider-Carnage for the black suit, and Spider-Armor, Ben Reilly, Spider-Man 2099, Cosmic Spider-Man, and the Iron Spider suit for the red suit).[6]
Although the player is unable to free-roam after the storyline’s completion, this can be achieved through a secret method, which has the player watch the credits twice. Afterwards, when they select to continue the game, the player will start a new game with all of their previous upgrades already made, essentially acting as a New Game Plus.
PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions were released as Spider-Man: Web of Shadows – Amazing Allies Edition and are drastically different from the console and PC versions. Rather than being set in an open world, this version of the game is a level-based 2.5D side-scrolling brawler. Players can change between Spider-Man’s two costumes at any time during gameplay, and the game features several situations that can be resolved using only a certain suit, such as weak walls that can be destroyed only by the black suited Spider-Man. Each suit has individual upgrades, which unlock new combos or increase the player’s health bar.
Like its name suggests, this version puts more emphasis on the ally system, featuring over the most allies to summon out of all the versions; there are also power-ups, such as a temporary damage increase or health regeneration. The game lacks cutscenes, which have been replaced with dialogue sections. During these sections, the player can choose between several lines of dialogue for Spider-Man to say. These dialogue lines can either be respectful, mean, or neutral, and the player will be awarded points to upgrade either the red and blue suit, the black suit, or both, depending on which line was chosen. These dialogue sections can also influence other aspects of the game, such as unlocking new allies, or accepting/declining secondary quests.
The Nintendo DS version is also a 2.5D scrolling beat ’em up. Much like the other versions, players can switch between Spider-Man’s two suits at any time during gameplay, which play differently (the red and blue suit provides faster movement and attacks, whereas the black suit is slower, but has more devastating attacks), and earn XP from defeating enemies, which can be used to purchase new combo. As the players progress through the story, they will also obtain upgrades that will allow them to explore more of the open world map and eventually reach the end of the game, similarly to the Castlevania and Metroid franchises.
The choice system has been redesigned to only consist of players choosing which mission to undergo next. Depending on which character Spider-Man helps out the most, the ending of the game will change. This version also features a slightly different plot, wherein Venom is not the cause of the symbiote invasion, and is available as an ally, in addition to Black Cat, the Green Goblin, and Nightcrawler. This version also features an exclusive revival system where, if the player’s health depletes, they can spend one “life point” to attempt to revive the fallen Spider-Man by using the Touch Screen to draw health orbs to him, while poking at poison orbs to destroy them and they will throw health orbs to Spider-Man. The revival will be successful if Spider-Man receives enough health orbs before a time limit is reached.
