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Don't let the licensing fool you! Despite camera issues, this overlooked gem is actually pretty good!

User Rating: 8.5 | Spider-Man 3 PS3

By Double_Wide | Review Date: January 13, 2012

What Spider-Man 3 (the movie game) did the best was lay a great foundation for all future Spider-Man games to be released this generation. I really liked how Activision integrated crime fighting within the free roaming on this game. At any time while free roaming, you can stop random crimes in progess for experience that can be spent on upgrading Spidey's abilities. In addition to these upgrades, you can also switch between the symbiote and regular suit. The symbiote suite gives Spider-Man more health and allows him to jump higher...however, if he leaves it on too long it will start to drain his health. A slow filling meter represents how much the suit is taking over, so once it starts to fill up to the maximum, you need to switch. Also black veins will appear on the sides of the screen once the symbiote starts to overwhelm Spider-Man. For owners of the Collector Edition of the game, you can play as New Goblin, however he not the game breaker his dad was in the first game and I his use is limited. Some of the side missions can be a bit redundant but nothing that really ruins the game. Many of the games boss fights include button sequences and use of the SIXXAS controls which always adds a bit of variety to the gameplay. The only issue that I really had with this game is how the camera behaved in closed spaces or when surround by multiple enemies. It can definately work against by occassionally not displaying (properly or at all) everything going on on the screen.

How the story was handled is what I liked the most about the game. The film's plot is still the main story but due to the many different side missions there are to take up in the game, it will only feel like a portion. Spider-Man 3 like most free roaming games is mission based and different missions continue telling the story of different plots. This is what made Spider-Man 3 feel more like an actual Spider-Man game to me than just your average "rushed to meet the movie deadline" licensed game. There was so much non-film related content of the game that it at some points it could be easy to forget that you where playing a movie licensed game. It also added its own new set of villianous groups to deal with other than those commonly associated with the Spider-Man brand. Lastly, what amazed me the most about this game is how Activison changed the ending a bit to make it a bit more darker than the film. I actually loved this alternate ending and imo was WAY better than the movie's!

My Breakdown:

What's Good:

- Nicely rendered visuals
- Awesome variety of missions to partake in
- Crime fighting while free roaming
- Being able to switch between the symbiote suit and regular costume
- Playing as New Goblin (with the collector's edition)
- Great alternate ending!
- Some pretty neat boss battles

What's Not-So-Good:

- Some parts of the game did feel a bit incomplete

What's Bad:

- The camera can become a real problem on occassion

In all, Spider-Man 3 was the best licensed game that I've played so far and unfortunately can be overlooked due to its licensing. It was a great Spider-Man game and definately laid the foundation for all other free roam Spider-man games for this generation.

Spider-Man 3

Don't let the licensing fool you! Despite camera issues, this overlooked gem is actually pretty good!

Hey Peter, why do you look like crap?

Don't listen to everyone else... Get this game!