Game review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man combat falls flat.

Why do you play Spider-Man games?

Is it for the combat? Zipping around enemies, throwing kicks and punches before splatting them with a load of sticky web?

Is it for the Spider-Man legacy, storyline and movie tie-in?

Or is it for the freedom to web-sling through towering cityscapes at breakneck speed, freefalling until you're about to hit the road and then swinging back up again?

Luckily for me, it's the latter - and if either of the first two interest you then you're in for some considerable disappointment in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

The web-slinging has been given a bit of an overhaul, to make it more "realistic". No longer can you just fling webs willy-nilly and have them automatically find purchase on places to swing from. You need to actually look for swing points before slinging, which sounds complicated, but has been simplified enough to make the whole process work smoothly. Exploring the city between missions is an absolute thrill.

The fighting itself, which borrows heavily from the Batman Arkham series, fails miserably, with impacts carrying little to no weight. Spider-Man's combat animations are jerky; mashing the attack button with the occasional button press to counter attack will get you through most of the 10-hour game.

There's fun to be had here but ultimately we're left longing for what could have been. Ian Knott