Most comic book geeks have acknowledged that Batman: Arkham Asylum is without a doubt the best comic book video game to date. Rocksteady, the development team behind Arkham Asylum, created an amazing atmosphere packed with cameos and interesting pieces of Bat-history that would please any Bat-fan. With the near-universal praise for Arkham Asylum, comic book video games are now a far more profitable gamble in the eyes of the major publishers. This is a perfect time in the gaming industry for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to make his comeback.
I grew up in the 90s, and I constantly read the Amazing Spider-Man comics whenever I had the chance. I was one of Spidey's biggest fans. My love for the webhead was unmatched, he was my hero. As I matured and learned of the human miracle known as "video games," every weekend became a hunt for the next Spider-Man game at my local Blockbuster. One of the first Spidey games that I had the joy of playing was Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six. After playing the game for a couple of days, I wanted to rid myself of the abomination via the nearest window. My tiny heart was broken, and I simply could not believe that sub-par Spider-Man games existed.
The year was 2000 and I was losing hope in the gaming industry's prowess to produce a marquee Spider-Man title. My doubts received a powerful uppercut to the jaw from Spidey himself when Neversoft's Spider-Man released on the PS1. The game was amazing and everything I could ever want from a Spider-Man game. The storyline felt as if it was ripped straight from the original comics, the voice acting matched the characters' personalities, the gameplay was robust, and the sheer amount of cameos was simply everything a Spider-Fan could ask for. All was right.
Soon after the release of Spider-Man, Neversoft produced a sequel titled Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro. The game was fun, just like its predecessor. However, I wanted something new. I needed the next Spider-Man game to be even better. After three years of more mediocre Spider-Man games, Treyarch stepped up to the plate and delivered a homerun with Spider-Man 2. Possibly the first movie-to-video game adaptation not to suck. Spider-Man 2 was an epic victory in the eyes of comic book geeks around the globe. The game allowed you to swing your way through a lifelike New York City using Spidey's signature web-swinging abilities. Freedom was finally granted to the player, and the experience of swan diving from the tallest structure in the city was too good to be true. Since Spider-Man 2, nothing quite like it has emerged.
I've played some of the more recent Spidey titles like Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, but none of these games have really pushed the boundaries like Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. Beenox, the development team behind Shattered Dimensions, is producing yet another Spidey title this year. And it's not just any Spidey title either. This new game, The Amazing Spider-Man, is actually a movie tie-in with the upcoming film of the same name. I cannot help but feel that this upcoming Spidey game will not meet my expectations, as few movie-to-video-game adaptations ever do.
The Spider-Man universe is ripe with untapped elements and new gameplay ideas. Create an experience that is true to the source material - the comic books. Design the most realistic version of New York City, add Peter Parker segments where he deals with the real life issues of his personal life, throw in as many classic Spider-Man villains as possible, and take advice from the fans. Without Spider-fans, companies would have no reason to continue pumping out title after title. We, the fans, are the people who support Spidey in his video game endeavors. We deserve better than another rehashing of a previous title.
The time for another innovative Spider-Man video game is now! We need a development team to bring us the Spidey equivalent of Arkham Asylum - no, a game that surpasses Arkham Asylum! Deliver what the fans are asking for, not your shareholders!
No comments:
Post a Comment