Title Spider-Man: Friend or Foe Date 10.12.2007 Genre Action Platform Xbox 360 Developer Activision Publisher Activision

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does what a spider can. If only I could really do what a Spider-Man can. That is all I ask. Different games portray different facets of the super hero very well but it can be argued that none really capture the essence of Spider-Man. If I could take parts from each game that features the wall crawler then I may just have a truly wonderful experience. The newest attempt to accomplish this, apparently impossible, feat is Activision's Spider-Man: Friend or Foe.

The story is simple enough. Some villain is wreaking havoc on the world and Spider-Man enlists both friends and foes from his universe to fight this threat. The multitudes of enemies are a new creation called PHANTOMS. They are just grunts though, speed bumps on the way to the characters you know. All the big villains make an appearance and most can be unlocked as playable characters. Plot holes exist but the game is meant to be a beat ‘em up not a rendition of Shakespeare.

The most important part of a gaming experience is the game play. It doesn't matter how graphically sound the pictures look if the game play is lacking the experience is going to suffer. Friend or foe will likely be too simplistic for most “gamers”. The title utilizes simple attacks, a simple leveling system, and simplistic puzzles. There are two basic ways to destroy an enemy. Melee combos and grapple attacks. They vary somewhat among the characters but there are no complicated button sequences to pull off. Leveling up characters only requires the purchase of new abilities or upgraded characteristics. The purchases are made using tokens that are collected by defeating enemies or destroying objects in the environment. There is a limitless amount of tokens available and each level can be replayed as many times as necessary to level up all characters. I can not remember one puzzle that (wait they probably shouldn't even be called puzzles, well there isn't really another word that fits, oh well) was really any kind of challenge. Basically if you can stand on a block you can move through the game without effort.

The cut scenes are well done and the team combo animations are interesting to view. Some of the characters look a little odd or out of proportion but it may be on purpose. They are supposed to be cartoony. The voice over work is fine and I must say much of Spider-Man's dialogue is on point. At times, they really did well capturing the quirky, smart, one liners that are part of Spidey's trademark. The levels are one dimensional, basically a side-scroller with some depth.

Defeating the game in an afternoon is entirely possible. Not only is it short but it’s very easy. Take away the accidental jump or fall from a cliff and you are unlikely to really die at the hands of an enemy. Even if you die you just teleport back, unless you are facing a boss. Game completion with all the characters unlocked and 11 of the 12 achievements is doable in 6 hours (that may even be generous). Fortunately though there is a “versus” mode where you and a friend can take two of your favorites and fight till someone reaches three wins. The “versus” mode is bare but is a fun add-on feature to play against a friend.

The game is designed for a younger or a non hardcore audience. In that respect it does very well. If you go in with low to moderate expectations you won't be disappointed. Basically, it is mindless entertainment that will take up an afternoon or two. If you are looking for a game that you can get for/play with your kid or want to introduce a non gamer to gaming Spider-Man: Friend or Foe may be for you. Its like the tagline says its all about expectations. If you expect to be blown away you will be sadly disappointed but if you want a quick fun experience that utilizes an interesting license Friend or Foe will be worth your time (if not your $49.99).

Game Score

C+

Reviewed By: Contributed