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GB Review: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (360)Posted 3:42pm Tue Nov 18, 2008 by Aaron Dunlap Tags: review, SpiderMan Web of Shadows, Xbox 360, Treyarch, Shaba, Activision

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is Treyarch's first Spider-Man game not based on a movie. The gameplay, especially in combat, is a step up from previous Spidey titles but the story is short and unsatisfying. Too much emphasis is placed on a half-baked "choose your fate" branching storyline that quickly devolves into a non-stop series of boss fights. The ability to switch between red and blue Spider-Man and black-suited symbiote Spider-Man is novel, but wasted. People like me who pine for a game with Spider-Man 2's quality of web slinging with a decent game attached might be satisfied, but not impressed. This game is worth a rental for Spidey fans or any curious gamer, but at the end you wont be itching for more.

score:

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Spider-Man is probably the perfect character for video games. He can jump higher than anyone; he can walk, run, and sit on walls; he can beat up multiple attackers with blinding speed and feline agility; and he can swing around town on webs he shoots from his wrists. If ever there was an entity better suited for virtual representation, I'd like to hear it.

He's had a spotted past in games. I have no qualms saying that Spider-Man 2 on the Xbox is one of my favorite games to play. Altogether, the game is a wreck, but it's the web swinging I love. I could sit in front of that game for hours doing nothing but swing around its digital Manhattan. It just felt right in that game. You could feel the weight of Spidey as he grabs a fresh webline, feel the G-forces as he reaches the apex of a swing, feel the wind sheer off his body as he pulls his legs in and kicks out at just the right moment to maximize airtime and distance. That game is the perfect Spider-Man webslinging simulator. Every game since then has tried to be a better game, cramming in more story or more combo attacks and celebrity voices, abandoning the web mechanics altogether. Spider-Man 3 was a complete waste. How couldn't it be? It was rushed to come out with the movie, which itself was a waste.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(15 images)

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Tomb Raider: Underworld Demo Now Available On XBLPosted 11:58am Tue Oct 28, 2008 by Aaron Dunlap Tags: tomb raider underworld, demo, xbox 360, xbox live, eidos

In case you haven't got enough Lara in your life, you can now download an official demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

PS3 fans seem to not be invited to this party. We haven't gotten any word that a demo will find its way to the PlayStation Network.

Tomb Raider: Underworld goes on sale November 18.

[majornelson.com]

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I Wrote A Book: Mind + Body Published YesterdayPosted 9:22pm Tue Oct 21, 2008 by Aaron Dunlap Tags: Mind + Body, books, selfpromotion, whoring ones self

In addition to my duties as co-owner and lead editor of this website, I also write non-videogamey stuff. For example, I just published a novel. Mind + Body, she's called

In addition to being able to buy the book, like most goods and services, Mind + Body is also available as a free digital download in various ebook formats, released under a Creative Commons license. Yes, you can download it for free. Legally.

Click here to check it out on Amazon.

Mind + Body is a thriller about a teenager trying to unravel a conspiracy that seems to surround and envelop his entire life.

For the uninitiated, books are kind of like video games where instead of controlling them via a gamepad or plastic guitar, you control them with your brain. They're entirely portable, require no batteries, and have no region locking.

Unlike some books which are about John Adams or make metaphors to caged birds singing, this book has guns and killing and explosions and wisecracking penguins. I made one of those things up.

[aarondunlap.com]

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GB Review: Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D (iPhone)Posted 6:03pm Thu Jul 24, 2008 by Aaron Dunlap Tags: review, iphone, crash bandicoot nitro kart 3d

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D is one of the handful of major studio games now available for the iPhone (or iPod Touch) through the newly released App Store. It's a decent time waster, sure, which is what you'd expect from a cell phone game, but given the power of the iPhone and the hefty $9.99 price tag, this game is a waste of time and opportunity. I would wait a bit longer for more impressive, and better controlling games to come around.

score: 2 out of 5

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

A pocket review for a pocket game:

Nitro Kart 3D is a rather quick port of "Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart" for the Xbox, PS2, GameCube, and N-Gage. Like the other kart game on the iPhone (Cro-Mag Rally), controlls are stripped down to the bare essentials. Acceleration is automatic, or rather, perpetual, and all the player must do is steer by tilting the phone side to side.

The control can be frustrating and take quite a while to get used to. Not being in control of acceleration feels a bit strange as well, like being the passenger in a car and leaning over to take over the wheel. I don't think developers have gotten a handle on the iPhone's accelerometer yet, and so using it will feel a bit flimsy until the programmers have it hammered down.

Controlling the karts always felt sloppy to me, but it can be managed by adjusting the sensitivity. Game modes available include standard "Cup" mode, a pretty simple Story mode, and Time Trials. There is no multiplayer.

This is one of the very first 3D games for the iPhone, so it's hard to gauge the graphics, but from what I've seen of other games they're already a tad sub-par. Textures in the distance appear to manifest before your eyes, and there is a very annoying attempt at a lens flare effect that has watered down to nothing but an indistinct series of blobs that do nothing but block your view.

Again, for the money, you should expect more. This may be one of the best 3D iPhone games, but that's not saying much. Treat this game like a launch title and keep your distance until the real games show up.