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(More customer reviews)I think my title explains my opinion already. I've had this game for a few days and so far, I'm loving every minute of it. Could the controls be a bit tighter? Yeah, I guess so. Does it hinder the gameplay? NO! Not nearly as badly as everyone is saying it does.
I bought Web of Shadows this summer in anticipation for this game. I played all the way through it (did everything, got every single achievement, etc.) and Web of Shadows was probably one of the glitchiest games I've ever played on the 360, hands down. It was a huge sandbox title, and that was great. However, the last 1/3 of the game got so hectic that the whole game engine seemed like it was about to implode on itself. The game wasn't able to maintain 20-25 FPS, which I think is absolutely ridiculous for something released in past 4-5 years. It is especially ridiculous for a non-port console game on the 360, which developers always say is the easiest console to code games for.
Shattered Dimensions runs smooth the entire time. I haven't seen it stutter once since I bought it. The whole game is vibrant and beautiful, and it plays out like one giant comic book. I don't want to say the game is cel-shaded (although on the Amazing and Ultimate levels, it's awful close), but it's definitely something in between normal and cel-shaded. It's perfect for this type of comic-book game.
Did I mention the voice-acting? The voice-acting in this game is INCREDIBLE. (The voice-acting in Web of Shadows was horrendous, so this gets huge marks in my book.) I liked that Stan Lee was brought in for the intro. Another nice surprise was that they brought in Neil Patrick Harris to voice Amazing Spider-Man, which was a great idea and he is probably the coolest Spider-Man voice actor that I've heard in a long time. I'm also really glad that they brought in Christopher Daniel Barnes to voice Noir, because he is my absolute favorite voice-actor for Spider-Man period. Barnes was the voice of Spider-Man in the early '90s Fox Kids cartoon, and he is the voice of Spider-Man that I always hear in my head when I read the comics; the game automatically gains my approval just because he was a part of it.
So I don't mind that the controls aren't as perfect as they could be, because if Beenox did anything right with this game, it was the voice-acting and the art style. Oh, and the storyline? If you have any fond childhood memories of the Fox Kids Spider-Man cartoon from the early '90s, you will go crazy for this game. I can't say enough how much they hit the nail on the head with the story-telling in the cutscenes. It tapped right into all the nostalgia I had from being 7 or 8 years old on a Saturday morning. Totally awesome.
That mostly wraps up how I feel, except for one last point; I'm tired of hearing that people are knocking this game for not being a sandbox title. The reason why this game wouldn't work as a sandbox is because it deals with parallel universes (which was a great plot device by the way - don't believe the naysayers) and there's no way the game would have run smoothly if there were 4 different, completely functional NYC's coded onto the disc. I really could care less that Spider-Man isn't swinging around freely from building to building in NYC, because we got something in return for that sacrifice - richer, more detailed levels in a variety of locations. Honestly, in pretty much every Spider-Man game so far that offers web slinging in a sandbox environment (Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows, etc.) it's been mostly a gimmick anyway. Were any of the locales really any different that you would swing to? No. Are the locales different in this game? Absolutely - every level I've played so far has been completely unique! So stop blaming Beenox for "ruining" Spider-Man. All they did was just try something different, and I think they definitely need more recognition for a job well done! This game is really, really good!
Don't listen to anyone who says this game is a rental / bargain-bin option only. Like I said, if you're a true Spider-Man fan who appreciates quality over quantity and can get over less-than-perfect controls, you should buy this game. Don't hesitate; just buy it. You won't regret it.
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Spider-Man: Shattered DimensionsSpider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is an action-packed adventure encompassing four dramatically different parallel universes, each with its own Spider-Man armed with unique strengths. Each stunning universe has its own detailed art design and thrilling gameplay with challenging skill sets to master in order to unlock powerful new moves. Explore dramatic, stunning environments, wield explosive new powers, and face epic boss battles against extraordinary foes. Experience the legendary Super Hero like never before: Four unique worlds. Four distinct Spider-Men. One unparalleled experience!
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