Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

It must be tough being Spider-Man. Just when you think you've cleaned up the city and prevented the end of the world at the hands of some evil genius, you find out that the Hobgoblin or Sandman is back again and has some devious and complicated plan to defeat you. It's no different this time around either, as Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions kicks off with Mysterio and Spidey fighting it out with the end result being that a powerful artifact known as the Tablet of Order and Chaos is shattered and spread across four different universes. Being a powerful artifact and everything, each piece of the tablet is bestowed with great power, and of course, it just so happens that most of the pieces end up in the hands of Spidey's greatest enemies. Spider-Man just can't seem to catch a break.

But it's not all bad news for Spidey, because he's got a few close friends to rely on, or more specifically, four different versions of Spider-Man spread across the various dimensions. As you play through Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions you'll be required to take on the role of each Spider-Man, switching between the dimensions and completing missions with the goal of restoring the broken tablet and preventing the destruction of the four universes. Each Spider-Man boasts a different play style, such as the Noir Spider-Man who relies on strategy and stealth to overcome adversaries rather than brute force or fast reflexes. The time-focused 2099 universe features fast-paced freefall sections and the ability to slow down time to dodge and attack enemies, while the Ultimate universe sees you taking on the role of the Spider-Man that most people know from the films and switches you between platforming sequences which involve swinging around levels and beating henchmen to a pulp. Finally, players will take control of the Amazing Spider-Man which sees a younger Peter Parker who wears the black symbiote suit and has the ability to go into a rage mode allowing him to deal out huge amounts of damage.

Each of the dimensions has a distinct look in terms of the character designs and environments, with the Amazing and Ultimate universes using cell-shaded graphics to match the look of a comic book, while Noir focuses on a darker world and eschews the use of colours to fit the look of a 1950s noir film. The 2099 universe on the other hand takes the look of a futuristic New York City inspired by Blade Runner with skyscrapers adorned with neon billboards and flying cars streaking through the air. The enemies you take on have also been adapted to fit into each universe, so in 2099 the Hobgoblin you fight uses synthetic wings instead of a hover board, for example. It’s very well done and the character designs are perfectly fitted to the look of the comics. Shifting between the various Spider-Man universes is also a good way to break up the pace of the game, with each universe focusing on a different mixture of game styles.

One thing I would have liked to have seen more of is the interaction between the various universes, with puzzles maybe seeing you hop between each Spider-Man in order to solve them. Unfortunately, there’s nothing of the sort and what few puzzles there are require minimal brain power to solve - the focus is placed far more on brawn than brains in Shattered Dimensions. The level design for each of the missions usually follows a similar pattern of taking on one arch-enemy multiple times during a level before finally taking him on in a final boss battle. The only difference is the environments you have to traverse in each level and the method of fighting each villain.

One of Spider-Man's greatest strengths has to be his ability to web-swing around his enemies and the freedom that it brings to combat encounters, however, most of the time in Shattered Dimensions you're hamstrung in that regard with only the odd platform section requiring you to really make use of your web-swinging abilities. It's a shame really because when you do get to use Spidey's web-swinging you'll see some wonderfully smooth animations as he traverses the environment. The character animation itself is excellent throughout, with the most striking seen in the fantastic 2099 chase sequences which proved to be some of the most entertaining moments in the game. These sequences see you catapulting down the heights of a futuristic New York City as you dodge obstacles and vehicles all while trying to catch up to and fight an enemy. They're over in a minute or two but manage to get your adrenaline pumping.

When you do come to the platforming sections you'll have to deal with some terrible camera controls that are not helped by the fact that you need to point the camera towards the direction in which you want to swing. With most of the sequences requiring split second jumps you'll have to battle with shifting the camera quick enough to prevent yourself from falling and having to retry the section again. There were several sections that were made far tougher than they should have been by virtue of struggling with the camera and it dulls the sense of power and freedom you have as Spider-Man when you're brought to an untimely demise by a camera that refuses to work as it should.

When you're not swinging across chasms you'll be partaking in fisticuffs with enemies, with various powers and attacks at your disposal to keep the combat entertaining. It’s not as fluid or as intuitive as the system found in say, Batman Arkham Asylum, but the wide range of attacks means that enemy encounters don't become too repetitive. The boss fights add in an extra challenge and usually requires you to up your game somewhat, and it also gives you the opportunity to switch from the usual third-person view to a first-person perspective, with the two analogue sticks acting as punch and dodge. It's only a temporary sequence during each boss battle, but works well for the most part.

Collectibles scattered throughout the levels act as a way to boost your powers and your health, and are easy to spot when using your Spider Sense which allows you to look through walls and identify bad guys and destructible pieces scenery - similar to the Detective Mode in Batman: Arkham Asylum. More importantly though, the collectibles earn you Spider Essence which allows you to purchase combat and character upgrades in conjunction with any challenges you may have completed. Challenges usually involve small tasks like defeating a couple of enemies using a specific attack or finding hidden collectibles in the level. It's a neat reward system that motivates you to explore the levels and try out new attack combos so that you're never bogged down mashing the same button endlessly as you plough through waves of enemies.

The voice work is of a high quality when it comes to Spider-Man himself and you’ll get to hear the usual array of bad puns and quips that have become a staple of the comic. The decision to go with voice actors who portrayed Spidey in the respective spin-off shows was a good move and sees each of the universes gain a bit more character. If I have one criticism though, it's the narration done by Stan Lee. Don't get me wrong, it's not that he does a bad job of it, but rather that it’s gotten to the point where his continual inclusion in the Marvel movies and games has moved from being a neat wink of the eye to fans to a more grating presence.

While Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions manages to deliver an enjoyable and entertaining outing for comic book lovers thanks to the various Spider-Man incarnations and inspired universes, it never really ventures far from the standard action-adventure game formula, moulding together features we've already seen in other recent super-hero games such as Batman: Arkham Asylum but with less success. However, if Spider-Man is your favourite Marvel character, and you can overlook the camera issues, then you'll find a more than capable game awaiting you.

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