i'm glad i played that kellogg's cereal demo of this game something around two decades ago (and yes i can recite the opening dialogue between spider-man and black cat from memory). that bit of not-quite-nostalgia makes this game perfect to come back to every once in a while.
charming in a whole lot of ways, spider-man 2000 has a lot of old-game fun and has plenty of its own fun being cliché that's palpable all the time. replaying this game made me realize just how much i missed things like the numerous cheat codes, a silly bonus mode, and cute unlockables this game features like others in its era and the one just before it.
in exchange for these pluses, though, the level design is a little bit spotty and the game has some of the worst boss fights it probably could have. the whole last two levels of the game feel needlessly gimmicky and the general design feels less deliberate in the final level, but the game up until then is well aware of spider-man's abilities and has the player using most of them frequently. there's too much combat once the main enemy type of the last couple levels appears, but otherwise it's used sparingly and entertainingly up until then.
the controls are a mixed bag, feeling a bit odd, although the different directional inputs for various web moves is pretty creative if a little clunky. it's a respectable level of ambition, with the game then only really being held back by the lack of omnidirectional movement as well as a camera that doesn't quite follow spider-man as well as it can on walls and ceilings.
still, as i've said the game makes up for the majority of its shortcomings with the soul it holds within. it's just so silly and straightforwardly, unapologetically comic book-esque that it feels perfect for what it is. the script is top-notch both in the main campaign and the what-if mode, and dialogue is snappy in a way that's awkwardly brief at times yet engaging to have a very unique feel to its cutscene pacing. the player is given the treat of encountering a nice little slew of some of spider-man's most iconic villains and allies, quite a nice mix for how short the game is. even not being a huge spider-man buff, let alone much of a comics one, i find it very clear that the devs absolutely cared to make sure the game felt exactly as it should. it's spot-on.
i can't stress enough just how much of a must-play this game is for 3d platforming fans, spider-man fans, and late 90s/early 00s gaming fans, and especially for those who fit into any of all of those groups. again, even someone who's fairly casual on comics lore can get a lot out of the fun this game exudes in every scene. it's not perfect, far from it, but it excels at exactly the sorts of things i'd imagine fans would appreciate on top of just being a solid 3d platformer.
charming in a whole lot of ways, spider-man 2000 has a lot of old-game fun and has plenty of its own fun being cliché that's palpable all the time. replaying this game made me realize just how much i missed things like the numerous cheat codes, a silly bonus mode, and cute unlockables this game features like others in its era and the one just before it.
in exchange for these pluses, though, the level design is a little bit spotty and the game has some of the worst boss fights it probably could have. the whole last two levels of the game feel needlessly gimmicky and the general design feels less deliberate in the final level, but the game up until then is well aware of spider-man's abilities and has the player using most of them frequently. there's too much combat once the main enemy type of the last couple levels appears, but otherwise it's used sparingly and entertainingly up until then.
the controls are a mixed bag, feeling a bit odd, although the different directional inputs for various web moves is pretty creative if a little clunky. it's a respectable level of ambition, with the game then only really being held back by the lack of omnidirectional movement as well as a camera that doesn't quite follow spider-man as well as it can on walls and ceilings.
still, as i've said the game makes up for the majority of its shortcomings with the soul it holds within. it's just so silly and straightforwardly, unapologetically comic book-esque that it feels perfect for what it is. the script is top-notch both in the main campaign and the what-if mode, and dialogue is snappy in a way that's awkwardly brief at times yet engaging to have a very unique feel to its cutscene pacing. the player is given the treat of encountering a nice little slew of some of spider-man's most iconic villains and allies, quite a nice mix for how short the game is. even not being a huge spider-man buff, let alone much of a comics one, i find it very clear that the devs absolutely cared to make sure the game felt exactly as it should. it's spot-on.
i can't stress enough just how much of a must-play this game is for 3d platforming fans, spider-man fans, and late 90s/early 00s gaming fans, and especially for those who fit into any of all of those groups. again, even someone who's fairly casual on comics lore can get a lot out of the fun this game exudes in every scene. it's not perfect, far from it, but it excels at exactly the sorts of things i'd imagine fans would appreciate on top of just being a solid 3d platformer.