The Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows is a 2008 action-adventure game featuring the titular superhero Spider-Man. The game was released across various platforms with different versions and gameplay settings. The PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 featured a 3D open-world gameplay, while the version released across Nintendo DS and PS2 was a linear style 2.5 D game. But these three versions of the game are quite similar with the same storyline and the same ally-based options. The characters that the player can call allies are different in all these versions. But the basic option to call an ally to aid the character is the same.
Reviews
For the record, we will be covering the PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 versions in this article. This game generally received mixed to positive reviews. With mostly negative reviews criticizing the non-uniform story progression and low graphics.
Another main criticism that was leveled against the game was the inability to free-roam in the game world once the game ends. The cut scenes also suffered from poor lip-sync. While the positive reviews in favor of the game highlighted the classical boss fights and darker tone of the game overall as compared to its predecessors.
Gameplay
Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows is a third-person action-adventure open-world game for the player. The players can take on the role of Spider-Man and utilize his various superpowers. These powers include web-swinging, wall-crawling, and the ability to use the ‘spider-sense’. Using this sense Spider-Man can identify and lock onto enemies.
The combat is superior to previous installments. The combat or fights can take place anywhere on the ground, on walls, or in the air. This new addition is because of the introduction of several new enemy types who can either fly or stick to surfaces. A new combat innovation introduced in this game is the “web strike”.
Using this new fighting option Spider-Man can attach a web to the nearest enemy and pull himself towards them. This is the primary attack that Spider-Man uses in his aerial combats. This can also be used on the ground as well.
Story Progression and Rewards
Although the storyline of the game is quite linear, it is filled with random events constantly occurring across the game’s map. These events include fights between gangs, or, symbiote nests that need to be destroyed. These are entirely optional, but if the player chooses to intervene, they reward him with XP.
It is one of the primary reasons that the progression of the game was criticized. There are also several challenges, such as defeating a given number of enemies or collecting symbiote samples, and other collectibles. Doing so rewards the players with XP as well and increases their health bar and swinging speed.
The game also has the option to choose between evil and the good path at various points in the game. Doing so affects the final ending and character interactions between Spider-man and his allies.
Choosing the good option places you in the red zone while choosing the bad path will put you in the black zone. In both zones, the allies that Spider-Man can summon are different with the final ending being different in each zone as well.
Mini-Map and Free Roaming
Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows also comes with an improved mini-map. This map describes the location of the web-slinger in all three coordinates. But once the game ends the player can not free roam. The players can unlock the free-roaming option by using a secret method, in which the player has to watch the credits twice.
Plot Synopsis
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows starts with Venom invading Manhattan island using his symbiote nests. These nests infect everyone around them with the ability to infect everyone eventually.
With the infected people essentially turning into zombies. Even Spider-Man has to absorb the venom symbiote to take on the infected people as well as defeat the final boss. Over the course of the game, Spider-Man helps S.H.I.E.L.D. defend their base at Stark Tower from a symbiote attack.
And even assists Moon Knight in protecting Spector Tower. He also forms an alliance with Wolverine providing his assistance to the clawed mutant on several occasions with a civilian evacuation.
A new character Black-Cat also makes her entry into the game. She helps Spider-Man only to impress him. Accepting her affections will lead the web-slinger with her otherwise he is paired with Moon Knight. If the partners with Black Cat then this leads to Mary Jane being extremely upset.
In the final boss fight player also has the option to convince Eddie Brock to save the city by defeating Venom. Alternatively, he can also kill Venom himself. The first option leads to the normalization of Manhattan while the second one sees the Web-Slinger become the new symbiote head after killing Eddie.
Conclusion
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