Spawn Impressions

Spawn is the upcoming action game from Namco starring Todd MacFarlane's hellish comic book hero. While the character has been appearing on consoles since the 16-bit days, there has yet to be a game that truly captures his appeal. Namco's attempt is a third-person action game that borrows liberally from the original Devil May Cry.

The game casts Spawn as a gun-toting, axe-wielding action hero and challenges you to wipe out hordes of demons. The levels shown at E3 showed off the game's solid, albeit derivative, gameplay. Spawn wields two pistols that he can use to juggle enemies in the air and an axe for melee combat. You'll also be able to fire off bolts of green energy that pack a serious punch. Additionally, Spawn will be able to double-jump and glide using his cape. You'll be able to target enemies via the right trigger or shoulder button on the controller. When locked on, you'll be able to perform gymnastic leaps to avoid enemies. The demons you'll be slaughtering drop different-colored orbs that will reward you with health and recharge your energy meter. You'll also collect special yellow orbs that will serve as keys to unlock doors to new areas.

The graphics in the game are solid across all platforms. The game looks good and moves fast, with just a few frame rate inconsistencies during the heat of battle. Spawn is detailed and animates smoothly during battle. His cape, seen briefly during his glides, looks respectably tattered and moves pretty well. Of the three console versions, the Xbox version looks the best, with the GameCube slightly edging out the PlayStation 2 thanks to a tighter resolution and richer color.

Spawn is currently slated to ship this fall.