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Spider-Man (Xbox) Reviews:
!Xbox owners get a special treat with this release of Spider-man, as the game not only offers the cleanest visuals of the three versions, but also features two exclusive levels featuring villain Kraven the Hunter. The rest of the game is identical, from the location of health and web icons to the level objectives and number of acrobatic moves the web-head can perform. While the crisp graphics and bonus levels put the !Xbox Spider-man game slightly ahead of the !PS2 and !GameCube versions, indoor sequences are still problematic with an uncooperative camera that rarely stays behind the web-slinger as he flits across the room.

Despite niggling problems with the camera, two elements make Spider-man work as a game: the variety of stages and the number of control options. No two levels play exactly the same thanks to the sheer number of moves under your power, and there's even more to take notice of in the !Xbox version with the additional levels. Rather than release a carbon copy of the game, the development team at Treyarch Invention spent a little extra time with this title, going so far as to create a separate cinema sequence featuring a CGI-rendered Peter Parker, Norman Osborn, and Kraven.

The first of the bonus levels takes place inside an animal hospital slowly filling up with toxic gas. Spidey has to quickly find the correct route out of the building or he'll succumb to the poison and die. Then he'll have to literally run a gauntlet filled with every conceivable trap you can think of, from blowtorches to steel claws to spiked pendulums. If Spidey makes it to the exit in one piece, he'll have to avoid Kraven's sniper scope while running across a hallway. Then it's off to another series of trap-filled rooms and deadly hallways until he finds the exit. There are no goons or even animals to deal with -- it's just you against the environment.

What makes this level particularly tricky is that if you die, you have to start the whole sequence over again in the hospital. But most of the traps are easily detectable -- there aren't any cheap surprises -- and after timing them players should be able to run or web-zip past the obstacles quickly enough to earn a bonus at the end of a level. The second stage is the expected boss encounter, where Spidey finds himself trapped inside a burning dome-like arena that makes swinging and climbing ill-advised.

Another interesting aspect is Spidey still being under the influence of the poison gas, so players have to act quickly or else they'll lose health as the poison takes control of his system. Kraven isn't too difficult to defeat as long as players stay close to him as much as possible, punching and kicking in fast bursts rather than using hit-and-run tactics. Once defeated, Spidey will resume the rest of the missions focusing on Green Goblin and infiltrating a well-guarded OsCorp Industries.

As with the other versions, Spider-man impresses the most when you're swinging through the city. The amount of detail is wonderful (cars race across the streets below while helicopters, parade floats, or other objects drift by overhead), and the aerial combat is engaging. Spidey can generally move wherever he wants to, but a slight drawback is the city being enclosed within an invisible wall, forcing him to turn around if he moves too close to the "edge."

More action than adventure, Spider-man could have benefited from more role-playing aspects, more citizen interaction and rescue attempts, and a greater sense of freedom to explore a seamlessly connected city. Yet it still remains a fast-paced, often thrilling game hampered slightly by the poor camera and relatively short levels. While !PlayStation 2 and !GameCube owners aren't shortchanged much, the !Xbox version is unquestionably the way to go for those having the luxury of owning all three systems. Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

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