Wednesday 14 March 2012

Amazing Spider-Man Borrows from Arkham City

The Amazing Spider-Man game is looking good, and that might have something to do with it looking like Batman: Arkham City. A demo from Spider-Man developer Beenox was going pretty much by the numbers -- open world to websling in, red and blue tights, etc. -- and then it went indoors. 


 



Spider-Man vs. the Iguana


From the ceiling, Spider-Man could hang and use a new power called "web rush" to execute stealth takedowns. Each enemy has a color indicator to specify their awareness of ol' webhead. And if you choose, Spidey can throw himself right into the fray with Arkham City-like attacks (complete with a multiplier counter and similar dodge counters). Heck, if you suck, Spider-Man takes damage and his suit degrades over time. Sound familiar? 


My time watching Peter Parker in action was actually my first exposure to the Amazing Spider-Man, a game set in the movie universe after the events of the film and penned by Battlestar Galactica writer Seamus Fahey. As of now, not too many details are known about the premise, other than certain events reveal Peter Parker's "untold story." Oh, and Rhino and the newly announced Iguana are two of the main enemies Spider-Man will face. 


I'm excited to see the open world, go anywhere Spider-Man gameplay return, although I couldn't shake how much Time Square reminds me of the version found in Prototype from a couple years ago. Some could argue that they look similar because of the locale, and there's no confirmation regarding if the game is using the same environment as Prototype with a fresh "paint job." Regardless, the city makes for some opportune webslinging moments -- amplified by the new camera position that follows right behind Spidey's movements. It's a cool effect, as long as you aren't prone to motion sickness. 


Web rush is another new introduction developer Beenox is touting. It is a mode Spidey enters for the sake of slowing down time to make navigation decisions. With one button press, the game displays a destination Spider-Man can parkour and websling to with a yellow icon. This can come in handy if you quickly want to get to precise locations. A Beenox developer took Spidey from a rooftop to the top of a lamp post without having to manually direct the hero. By continuously mashing the web rush button, Spider-Man quickly maneuvered through Manhattan. Right now, the web rush movements look too jerky and unnatural when used this quickly. I was told that players will have a cool down period in retail version of the game, but the ability is upgradable. 


Looking good, Pete.
Looking good, Pete.


As players navigate through Manhattan, random opportunities will appear. Aside from Peter Parker being sent on various photo missions, Beenox showcased a "police deadlock." In the demo, the NYPD was chasing a perp, and the only way to stop the bad guy was to web rush on top of the criminal's car and successfully complete a quick-time event. More random missions are in the game, but these are all that I saw. 


Sadly, Beenox also didn't let me know who is voicing Spider-Man.Activision has yet to announce the voice actors for the game, but I'm hoping they can nab some notable people preferably from the Amazing Spider-Man film itself. 


Curious to see how Batman fans will react once they get their hands on this game? I'm actually eager to try it out for myself, as it looked fun but I won't know until I play it. What do you think of the comparison? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and then check out all our info on the Amazing Spider-Man, including news on the game's new villain, Iguana

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