ShareThisBy CHRIS CAMPBELL
Scripps Howard News Service
Thursday, May 24, 2007
"Spider-Man 3."
Platforms: Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, PC, PS2, PSP, DS
Genre: Action/Adventure
Publisher: Activision
ESRB Rating: T, for Teen
Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5
The strength of the previous Spidey games was in being able to sling your way around the city of New York. The first of the franchise games to be on next-gen consoles, "Spider-Man 3" definitely brings the goods when it comes to traveling Spidey-style through the streets. It's in other aspects of the game that you'll feel short-changed.
While they add a nice distraction to the main elements of the game, the newest additions to "Spider-Man 3" are also its biggest hindrances. Contextual sequences are the rage now, and they are used frequently here, but don't add anything of substance. You're left wanting to control Spider-Man using these amazing moves during regular game play, not just in pre-designed sequences using random button presses.
Disappointing, too, is how the game deviates from the film's plot in order to cram in as many villains as possible. Not sure if Activision is sensing that the movie franchise is over with for the time being, but it went out of its way to include many potential villains for future games in mostly throwaway scenes.
The movie recently passed the $700 million mark globally, so this game is going to get its fair share of buyers. But knowledgeable gamers should consider renting this game and seeing if it's worth the buying price.
"ArmA: Combat Operations"
Platform: PC
Genre: Shooter
Publisher: Atari
ESRB Rating: M, for Mature
Grade: 3 stars
It doesn't come right out and say it, but "ArmA" wants you to think that you are participating in a simulation of what the next Korean War could be.
One of the benefits of "ArmA" is how it seamlessly blends the first-person shooter experience with military strategy/simulation features. You can take your soldier out on foot alone, or command droves of Humvees and attack helicopters if you want to attempt a massive raid. There's a lot of flexibility in each mission, but it will not take long to realize that this is an extremely challenging game and that finding the right course of action is trial-and-error.
You want challenging? The default "normal" setting is a one-bullet-and-you're-dead scenario, so don't be ashamed to play on the easier difficulty settings (everyone else is). The graphics are not the most stellar, but the wide-open environments remove the linear missions other games give you and bring lifelike strategy to the game play.
The control scheme will have you beating your head against a wall constantly, but the reward is an ultimately satisfying game of open warfare.
"Eureka Seven Vol. 2: The New Vision"
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Shooter
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
ESRB Rating: T, for Teen
Grade: 2.5 stars
"New Vision" gets credit for being bold in presentation and game play. But if you are looking for an anime series that is translated into nonstop gaming, you need to look elsewhere.
Like Atari's critically acclaimed "Indigo Prophecy," "New Vision" is more like participating in an interactive movie or book. The story unfolds and then once in a while you'll get to engage in some fighting. Now, this is still OK, because you're fighting with mechs while traversing the sky on flying surfboards. There's also some on-foot missions and so forth, but the more exciting stuff happens in the skies.
If you can hold your attention to the screen when the prolonged cut scenes occur, the story is fairly interesting and sets up the action nicely. Of course, all of this is for naught if you missed the first game entirely, as many probably did. It was not the most fluid of gaming experiences, and only the truly devout stuck around. This game claims to close the book on the "Eureka Seven" franchise. Most missed it anyway, so perhaps it's no big deal that it was not the most exhilarating thing to come along.
(Contact Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com.)
