Though its predecessor Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was favorably accepted by both gamers and comic fans, the recent sequel Spider-Man: Edge of Time has received somewhat mixed reviews. This title is actually available on the DS as well as the 3DS, and, while both are infinitely more enjoyable than X-Men: Destiny, they do have their flaws and idiosyncrasies.
On either platform the player controls Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 as they fight to save a world altered by a time-traveling villain. Though this plot and their chief gameplay mechanic is principally identical, switching between Spider-Man and his far-future analog to overcome obstacles and enemies, the DS and 3DS offer distinctly differing experiences.
The Other Ocean-developed DS title tries hard to be a time-hopping Metroidvania-style 2D platformer, but only partially succeeds. The concept of switching player control between Amazing Spidey and Spider-Man 2099 as they traverse the same level in different time periods isn’t exactly exploring exciting new territory, but when it works – meaning when you can actually navigate the map effectively – it’s just as enjoyable a hook as in any other similar title.
Yet for all its temporal twisting Edge of Time will still find you spending the bulk of your… er, time repetitively bashing enemies and circumventing barriers. Doing so will intermittently lead to the discovery of additional abilities and upgrades that will aid you in further exploration. Along the way you find your Spider-Men pitted against a series of formulaic mini-bosses that never quite live up to those of the Castlevanias and Metroids that Spider-Man: Edge of Time fancies itself to be. The same can be said for the title’s visuals, which, while competent, never achieve the level of remarkable.
Though the 3DS iteration also casts Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099 against the sinister machinations of rogue Alchemax scientist Walker Sloan, it does so with a much higher level of polish. Easily one of the best looking third party titles on the market, this version was actually developed by Beenox, the company likewise responsible for the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 varieties.
The movement of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man typically takes two forms: web-swinging and wall-crawling. While both are fun, fluid and responsive (and look great thanks to the 3DS’s additional graphical processing power), the transition between the two never quite shakes out. This sort of disconnect negatively impacts what would otherwise be the game’s highlight. The Spidey of any era is as much about speed and agility as enhanced spider-strength, and when the game denies the player that expected level of effortless movement it damages the experience as a whole.
Combat, too, is furious and frenetic, and while the Spider-Men tend to sport a pretty meager selection of moves, they can be nicely supplemented by spending collected energy orbs on ability upgrades. The problem with combat is an all-too finicky camera. Admittedly, you can adjust it to some degree with the Control Pad, but the fact that it’s placed directly below the Circle Pad (which controls movement) makes it more troublesome than it should be.
Don’t get me wrong, this version of Spider-Man: Edge of Time has definite merit, but there are simply some deficiencies that, when combined, act as a barrier to true enjoyment. The good – elements like the Spider-Sense (or Spider-Man 2099′s decoy drop) and competent use of 3D effects that really provide a sense of fluidity as well as power – outweighs the bad, but there’s still nothing about the game that drops it into must-play territory.
It’s difficult to recommend X-Men: Destiny to any but the most rabid of X-Fans, and its DS brother, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, is really only advisable at a bargain price. Still, the 3DS iteration of Edge of Time does manage to succeed as both an audio and visual stunner, but subpar, too-similar level design and gameplay quirks dog it throughout. With more competent brawlers/platformers (like Skylanders and Super Mario 3D Land
Review materials provided by: Activision
