Spider-Man 2 (video game)
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[edit] Spider-man 2 (Video Game)
Spider-Man 2 is the name of several computer and video games based on the Spider-Man universe and particularly the Spider-Man 2 movie. It is a follow up to the game Spider-Man: The Movie. These games were published by Activision for different systems in 2004. These games are the official game adaptations of the movie Spider-Man 2. The home console (PS2, GC, Xbox) versions of this game have the feature of allowing the player to swing around Manhattan, Roosevelt, Ellis, and Liberty Islands for a more realistic Spider-Man experience. This free play experience is similar to that found in the video game Grand Theft Auto, while not featuring the explicit violence also found in that game. The other versions of the game feature more linear side-scrolling and platform sections with less emphasis on the free play experience of the home console versions. The PC version is also particularly noted to be aimed towards a much younger audience than the other versions.[1] This game's roster of Spider-Man villains includes the Shocker, Rhino, Mysterio, and Doctor Octopus along with various street thugs who commit random street crimes at any time. While street thugs only have handguns, machine guns, crowbars and their fists to protect them, the 'super-villains' and their minions have their various unique powers and weapons that they use to either steal, cause terror or defeat Spider-Man. At the end of the game, it becomes possible to unlock a warehouse in which the player can again fight villains such as Shocker, Rhino, Doctor Octopus, and an additional boss, Calypso, who is not found elsewhere in the game. NOTE: The following overview is mainly concerned with the free-roaming console versions of the game.
[edit] Description
The player has the ability to choose either to go on with the storyline or swing around the city. The player can explore Manhattan, Roosevelt Island, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, and a mysterious label on the map over the water claiming "Governors Island" with many sidequests for the player to complete. The player can do random tasks to earn "hero points," which must be accumulated to continue with the plot and are spent on upgrading Spidey's skills. Following the tradition of the first game, Spider-Man 2 features some of the voices of the original actors in the movie, Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man and Peter Parker, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, and Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus. In addition to the film's villain, Doctor Octopus, several characters from the Marvel comics appear in the game, including Black Cat & Mysterio.
[edit] Console Plot
It is 2 years following the events of the first game. Spider-Man is trying to balance his civilian and superhero life, frequently late or absent for school, work, and leisure time with his friends. Following dinner with Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn, Peter thwarts an armed looting of a museum, and tracks down and escaped robber, the Black Cat. Soon after this, he thwarts an attack in the streets of Manhattan by The Rhino. Meanwhile, Doctor Otto Octavious attempts to recreate Nuclear fusion of that seen in the sun to provide an energy source for Manhattan. To control this fusion, he creates four metal arms which he can mentally control. His fusion creates a strong magnetic field, destroying the lab, killing his wife Rose, and grafting his metal arms to his spine and giving his arms control over him. He blames Spider-Man for the incident. Octavious, now known as Dr. Octopus, kidnaps Aunt May, but she is saved by Spider-Man. In the time following, special effects artist Quentin Beck tries to prove that Spider-Man is a fraud by challenging Peter in a series of "games". Spider-Man emerges successful. Consequently, Beck tries to kill Spider-Man, but is thwarted. The embarrassment causes Beck to assume the identity of Mysterio, attacking journalists attending his press conference, and commands his "UFOs" to "invade" the Statue of Liberty. Both of these attacks are thwarted by Spider-Man's efforts, with no casualties. Spider-Man eventually teams up with Black Cat, who leads him to the Shocker, who escaped during Beck's initial competition with Spider-Man. Shocker is apprehended in a warehouse after attempting to use an experimental propulsion system to enhance his powers, while Mysterio is knocked out with one punch from Spider-Man while trying to rob a Speedy Mart. Black Cat then leads Spider-Man to an illegal weapons trade, where she tries to convince him to permanently become Spider-Man, but he rejects the idea, saying that he cannot stop being either Spider-Man or who he is. Dr. Octopus kidnaps Mary Jane Watson and steals Tridium from Harry Osborn to repower his nuclear fusion in exchange for Spider-Man. A long battle on top of a bridge leads to Peter being delivered to Harry. Peter reveals his identity to Harry, and sets off to defeat Dr. Octopus a final time. The fusion reactor is shut down, and Dr. Octopus regains control over his mind and his sanity back, and sacrifices his life to permanently destroy his fusion reactor. The next day, Peter gets a surprise visit from Mary Jane, who tells Peter that she cannot live without him, and wants to offer her full support to his life as Spider-Man. With his confidence renewed, Spider-Man continues to defend the city from evil.
[edit] PSP Plot
Unlike the console or PC versions, the PSP version of "Spider-Man 2" is like playing "Spider-Man 1" console version but with a few new and improved attractions that make the game a lot more enjoyable.
Still taking place 2 years after the first adventure, Spidey first stops a few thugs in a helicopter from stealing explosives and then goes to meet up with Harry at a resteraunt. Once there, Harry agrees to get Peter in to Doctor Octavius' demonstration. Afterwards, Spidey stops a small group of thugs from killing some hostages on George Washington Bridge (where Green Goblin died in the last game). After that, Spidey takes on the thugs at their warehouse and stops their explosive inventory from going off when a fire is started. Spidey then makes it to see Doctor Octavius perform his demonstration which goes wrong causing him to become Doc Ock. While the city looks for Doc Ock, Jonah Jameson sends Peter to the museum to cover its grand opening. But when Peter gets there, the police hold him back saying that a man is holding the visitors hostage inside. As Spider-Man, Peter rescues the hostages, destroys all the traps, and then fights Mysterio who was just trying to force the owner to give him credit for his work. After that, Peter goes to the bank to meet up with Aunt May but finds it overrun with crooks lead by Doc Ock. Spidey rescues the hostages, escapes Ock's trap, and then chases down the Doc.....only to lose him. Later, Peter goes to see MJ's play but finds a bomb in a near-by dumpster. Immediately calling Jonah for answers, Peter learns that the Vulture escaped prison with Rhino and Shocker and has threatened to blow up the city. Spidey manages to deactivate all the bombs and then chases Vulture to a construction site. Once there, Vulture tries to defeat Spidey with a new type of attack but ends up painting himself into a corner and allows Spidey to apprehend him. Vulture, in hopes of getting revenge on Shocker and Rhino for cutting him out of a job, tells Spidey where to find them. Meanwhile, Harry makes a deal with Doc Ock: Spidey for the tridium. Back at the docks, Spidey fights his way through Shocker's new henchmen and manages to find Rhino. After chasing Rhino off, Spidey finds his two enemies waiting for him. By using Shocker's attacks, Spidey manages to knock out Rhino and then deals with Shocker. Shocker then tells Spidey that Doc Ock was actually using them as a distraction so he could steal equipment for his experiment. Later at a diner, Peter talks with MJ who is then captured by Doc Ock who informns Peter that he has taken over Grand Central Station and that Spidey has until three 'o' clock to get there. Spidey manages to beat all the baddies and robots and fights Ock's minions on a train. After getting knocked out from stopping the train, Spidey is captured by Ock and taken to Harry who unmasks him and is startled to find Peter underneath. With Harry's help, Spidey tracks down Ock who accidentally unmasks him. Peter then battles Ock who realizes the errors of his ways and sacrifices himself to save the city. Afterwards, MJ expresses her true love for Peter as he swings off to save someone else.
[edit] Gameplay
Players can now perform many moves and use many skills as seen in the film, including: Wall Sprint: Spidey can run along vertical walls and even straight up the side of a building. If this skill has been upgraded, the wall running speed will be increased Spider Reflexes: Spidey can use his Spider reflexes during times of danger. When his Spidey reflexes are activated, the rest of the game world slows down, granting Spidey more speed and agility to dodge and attack, his attacks become much stronger and varied, and enemy attacks are easier to spot. Charged Jumps: Spider-Man can jump higher than before. To activate, the player holds down the jump button to charge and releases it to jump. Jumps can be charged to different levels. The zoom map provides a top-down view of the city centered on Spider-Man, but if Spider-Man reaches a high enough elevation and the zoom map is brought up, it will flip upside down to display the sky.
[edit] Sidequests
There are a variety of sidequests found in the game, and while none of these are really connected to the main plot, they are useful for earning hero points.
[edit] Critical reception
The home console game was released to generally positive reviews. The most popular aspect of the game was the web-swinging mechanic, where Spider-Man had to shoot webbing at an actual building, unlike previous games where he shot webbing up into the sky. However, parts of the game were highly criticized, such as the dullness of the side missions and the linearity of the story objectives (which many saw to be contrary to the developer's idea of creating a free-form game). There was also some disappointment at the lack of unlockable content in the game, leaving players who completed all objectives with nothing to show for it. The other versions of the game also received generally positive reviews with the exception of the PC/Mac version, which was "dumbed down" for a young audience and thus featured more simplistic and less challenging gameplay. Many reviewers argued that the PC version should have received a port of the console versions instead. Some critics even thought the GBA version was better than the PC version. The PSP version received moderate reviews. Gameplay and graphics were praised, while the bad camera angle and the length of the game were criticized.
[edit] Characters/Cast
Peter Parker/Spider-Man (voiced by Tobey Maguire) Dr. Otto Octavius/Dr. Octopus, or simply Doc Ock (voiced by Alfred Molina) Black Cat (voiced by Holly Fields) Rhino (voiced by John DiMaggio) Shocker/Herman Schultz (voiced by Michael Beattie) Mysterio/Quentin Beck (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) Calypso (voiced by Angela V. Shelton) Mary Jane Watson (voiced by Kirsten Dunst) Harry Osborn (voiced by Josh Keaton) J. Jonah Jameson (voiced by Jay Gordon) Aunt May (voiced by Mindy Sterling) Betty Brant (voiced by Bethany Rhoades) Robbie Robertson (voiced by Jeff Coopwood) Dr. Curt Connors (voiced by Joe Alaskey) Puma (Exclusive to the PC and GBA version of the game, voiced by Dee Baker) Also features the voice of Bruce Campbell as the Tour Guide.
[edit] Differences
Between Versions The PC/Mac version is a dumbed down version, being much more linear and lacking the highly praised web mechanics of the console versions. The game also features small spaces, not a Free-Roaming Manhattan as the other versions. It was not well received, scoring 5/10 (mediocre) on Gamespot, even saying that the GBA version is better than the PC's. It is uncertain why a new version was made for the PC/Mac. In the PC/Mac version of Spider-Man 2 some computers in the OsCorp and FNB levels show the Spider-Man 2 game. In the Playstation 2 version, a sign on one of the buildings said "Tobey's Toy Store," a nod to actor Tobey Maguire. In the PSP version, the player can only swing in the sky, much like the first 3D Spider-Man games. The DS version concerns the escape of The Vulture.
