Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions was my first exposure to the now commonly known “Spider-Verse”. It was a game I finished when I was about 15 years old, and I remember loving it for its unique artstyles and storytelling.
I figured it was time to revisit the childhood classic… but maybe that was a mistake. Shattered Dimensions isn’t a bad game. I actually do like it quite a bit, and think there’s a lot to love here.
The fact that the developers gave each universes Spider-Man a unique art style and setting made the storytelling pop just as much as the first time I played the game through. I loved the fact that Noir’s gameplay was more stealth based, and the inclusion of shadows for cover was actually a really cool idea.
The premise itself is still awesome for a Spider-Man story… and even cooler for a game based on the character. Especially when there’s so many Spider-Man games that feel similar. Beenox decided to abandon the open world and take a more linear, beat-em-up approach… and I actually think that was a refreshing decision having played these all back to back.
All of that said, the game does suffer from repetitive lackluster combat, frustratingly unresponsive controls, and a runtime that could’ve easily been trimmed down when you consider how little each stage contributes to the overall plot. It wouldn’t be so bad if each level was fun and unique… but a lot of levels felt similar to one another for a game that intended to distinguish each. Instead of focusing on one combat system and refining it, they focus on four… and they’re all just kind of mediocre.
I’m sure it would be pretty fun for others on a single play through. It was fun for me, especially as a teen. But returning to it a second time, especially after having played much better games, it’s just okay.
I figured it was time to revisit the childhood classic… but maybe that was a mistake. Shattered Dimensions isn’t a bad game. I actually do like it quite a bit, and think there’s a lot to love here.
The fact that the developers gave each universes Spider-Man a unique art style and setting made the storytelling pop just as much as the first time I played the game through. I loved the fact that Noir’s gameplay was more stealth based, and the inclusion of shadows for cover was actually a really cool idea.
The premise itself is still awesome for a Spider-Man story… and even cooler for a game based on the character. Especially when there’s so many Spider-Man games that feel similar. Beenox decided to abandon the open world and take a more linear, beat-em-up approach… and I actually think that was a refreshing decision having played these all back to back.
All of that said, the game does suffer from repetitive lackluster combat, frustratingly unresponsive controls, and a runtime that could’ve easily been trimmed down when you consider how little each stage contributes to the overall plot. It wouldn’t be so bad if each level was fun and unique… but a lot of levels felt similar to one another for a game that intended to distinguish each. Instead of focusing on one combat system and refining it, they focus on four… and they’re all just kind of mediocre.
I’m sure it would be pretty fun for others on a single play through. It was fun for me, especially as a teen. But returning to it a second time, especially after having played much better games, it’s just okay.