Games

You may not be able to watch Sony Pictures’ new Spider-Man reboot on your home cinema until later this year, but in the meantime you can always try your hand at swinging through the streets of Manhattan yourself that to this videogame.

Released to coincide with said cinematic outing, The Amazing Spider-Man game takes place after the film ends, allowing it free reign when it comes to narrative (as well as the ability to rope in plenty of supporting comic book characters who didn’t appear in the film). Cue plenty of swinging around an open-world recreation of Manhattan and beating up thugs using a combat system ‘inspired’ by Batman: Arkham Asylum.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that the game also looks and sounds abosultely spectacular. The graphics are crisp, ultra-fast and bursting with colour, while the dynamic audio effects maintain the illusion of taking part in your own Hollywood blockbuster. So what more could you ask for?

Well, better gameplay wouldn’t go amiss. Don’t get me wrong, this latest Spider-Man game is a lot of fun. But the pared down simplicty of the web-swinging (no match for the old Spider-Man 2 game), uninspired level design and ocassionally dodgy camera system means that its really more ‘Acceptable’ than ‘Amazing’.

Activision, Xbox 360/PS3/Wii/PC, £50 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 3/5