Spider-Man 2 Hands-On

SEATTLE--Spider-Man 2 is the upcoming DS game from Activision that's based on the movie of the same name. But while you'd think the game is a port of some kind, Spider-Man 2 is an original hybrid 2D/3D game (from developer Vicarious Visions) that's been coded from the ground up for the system. While the game is still cooking over at Vicarious, the work-in-progress version we've played at Nintendo's Gamer's Summit is certainly looking sharp.

Spider-man 2 will take the same approach as the other versions of the game by using the movie's plot as a base. However, the game will flesh it out with a few more villains, such as Mysterio and the Vulture. The game's story will unfold over the course of 14 chapters that will pit you against the aforementioned villains and Doctor Octopus, as well as a hefty assortment of thugs. The odds are naturally quite daunting, but Spidey won't be going into the fight without some muscle. Your progress through the game will reward you with new supermoves that are just what the doctor ordered for laying the smack down on supervillains and garden-variety thugs.

The game's structure is both straightforward and basically linear, sending you on your way to the final face-off with Doc Ock. The individual chapters you'll plow through will feature a variety of gameplay that includes everything from beating on thugs and midbosses to rescuing innocent folk from burning buildings. The action will play out via a mix of traditional 2D side-scrolling and 3D sequences, some of which will require you to bust out your crimefighting stylus. The core gameplay is a good old-fashioned beat-'em up in the same vein as Double Dragon and Streets of Rage, which is always nice to see.

Control in the game is good and tight, with the extra face buttons being put to good use. Dedicated punch, kick, jump, webline, and special move buttons help to keep the game's pace solid, and they also lend more to the game's robust combat system. You can also trigger Spidey's patented spider sense to help out during a brawl with some Matrix-like time slowdown. The DS's touch-screen support plays out in two ways that work fairly well. You'll be able to use the touch screen to swap your equipped special move with a different one on the fly, which helps during combat. The other use for the touch screen comes into play during 3D sequences, wherein a villain, such as Doc Ock, is hurling debris at you that can be deflected by tapping on the screen.

The graphics in the game are similar in spirit to 2D/3D hybrid games (like Contra: Shattered Soldier) that find you navigating a 3D environment on a 2D path, with the occasional 3D diversion. While Spidey and the supporting cast of the game look good, thanks to modestly detailed but crisply textured models, one of the game's highlights is undoubtedly its performance, which keeps the action humming along at a solid 60 frames per second. The high frame rate, coupled with the nicely done character animation, makes for an impressive presentation that shows the DS to be a versatile machine.

The audio in the game is good and crisp, and it uses some clean sound samples to bring Spidey and the innocent civilians you'll be rescuing come to life. The rest of the effects in the game suit it well and ensure that you'll be sucked into its action.

Based on what we played, Spider-Man 2 is looking like a solid contender in the DS launch lineup that should be well worth your time. The solid gameplay and touch-screen integration offer a new experience that seems to work pretty well. For more updates on the Nintendo DS and other impressions and media, check out GameSpot's coverage of Nintendo's Gamer's Summit.