Something smells
rotten in the Big Apple and it’s not the usual assortment of villains that often
show up to give our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man much grief. Usually, it’s
the Sandman who gives the most trouble (I mean, who likes sand in their hair?)
or sometimes it’s the psychotic antics of Venom that keep him busy. No, this
time the threat is different and deadlier … deadly enough to have Spidey join
forces with the likes of Doctor Octopus as well as the other two bad guys I
mentioned. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe for the Nintendo DS is a game geared
to a younger crowd and while it’s not perfect it’s still fun enough to give fans
of the webslinger a reason to swing into action.
Released on
multiple platforms, Friend or Foe on the Nintendo DS plays a tad
differently than the console game even though the setup and main story is
relatively the same. Story Mode begins with Spider-Man patrolling the rooftops
of New York City when he is attacked by not one, not two but three familiar
Spidey villains such as Doctor Octopus, the Sandman and even Venom. In the
middle of the melee, though, the three bad guys are attacked themselves by
holographic enemies called PHANTOMS and they are whisked away by this new
threat. Confused, Spider-Man is approached by Colonell Nick Fury of S.H.E.I.L.D.,
who adds that these PHANTOMS were sent by some mysterious enemy linked to meteor
fragments that recently fell to Earth. Who is behind these enemies and why do
they share the same alien genetic makeup as Venom? These are answers Spidey must
find out and this time he’ll have help from friends and the very enemies he
faced off against many times before.
Comic book fans
and gamers of all ages can certainly appreciate the fact that the wall-crawler
is not only joined by friends such as the Black Cat but also his bitter enemies
like Doc Ock. Unlike the console version of the game, though, there are some
foes missing from the lineup and the game concentrates on two key locations: New
York City and France. You start the game in NYC after Fury gets word that
there’s some unusual activity involving Doc Ock near the museum. You’ll also be
given some objectives to complete in each level whether it’s rescuing hostages
along the way as well as gaining access to areas within the museum.
While you’ll
have the choice to pick your sidekick later in the game, the game has you
starting off with the burglar-turned-hero called the Black Cat. Immediately,
you’ll notice that your sidekick (and every other sidekick you unlock) has his
or her own unique skills and you can always switch between Spidey and his
sidekick with the R button. Obviously, Spidey has different webbing attacks
while the Black Cat has a powerful feline attack as well as the ability to throw
blades. Doctor Octopus can toss objects with his mechanical arms as well as
clear a room by spinning like a blender. You’ll even be joined by the Green
Goblin with his pumpkin bombs, the Sandman with his sandstorm powers and there’s
even the interesting addition of the vampire slayer Blade.
Cool lineup
aside, the game’s levels are surprisingly lengthy and fill both screens. Really,
the only time you’ll be using the bottom touch screen is for completing the
various mini-games and for activating switches by tapping an exclamation mark
that pops up when there’s something of interest. The exclusive mini-games range
from lock picking to safecracking using the Stylus. Lock picking, for example,
requires you to move a series of tumblers using the Stylus until the lock in
place. It sounds easy but these mini-games are timed and are actually
challenging even for older gamers. It’s also a nice diversion from the game’s
brawling action.
Combat is both
simple and a bit complex at the same time. Younger gamers will be able to punch
and kick without trouble but the more complex moves such as throws, require you
to press both the X and Y buttons at the same time. The PHANTOMS in the console
version aren’t very formidable opponents but here they’re able to throw some
good punches and shoot a lot more accurately. You’ll be thankful that the
controls are responsive enough to make combat work well but the enemy AI can
sometimes be prone to walk right into your fist. Boss fights can also be quite
challenging … surprisingly even more than the console version. Still, even with
this, combat can get extremely repetitive and younger gamers might get
frustrated with going up against the same types of PHANTOMS.
Kids who like
sharing their game will be happy to know that you can have a friend join you in
the main Story Mode as well as Free Play mode (a game mode that allows you to
replay past levels only using a sidekick of your choice). It’s great to play
with a friend cooperatively and wirelessly but there’s noticeable framerate
problems that become a little too hard to ignore when you face off against more
than three opponents at a time. Still, multiplayer isn’t completely broken and
it’s a good game to share with a friend … especially later in the France levels
were the fights get longer.
Graphically
speaking, Friend or Foe looks decent but nothing special. The animated
cut scenes bring to mind the new Spider-Man cartoons where the Green Goblin
resembles the movie version rather than the classic comic book version. There
are cut scenes but no video so it’s like watching an interactive comic books
with no lip movement. The game’s soundtrack is also pleasantly enjoyable and it
never gets old even when it repeats itself throughout the level. There’s some
voice acting that comes up during mission briefing and cut scenes and the actors
do a pretty good job of bringing each character to life. As far as the sound
effects are concerned they’re repetitive but not annoying.
Spider-Man:
Friend or Foe
is an adequate and worthwhile Nintendo DS action game fit for the younger Spidey
fans and while the action can get a wee bit repetitive there’s enough to like
about this portable version of the game. With four different touch screen
actions and a variety of allies that keep the action going, this is a
challenging title that might not push the NDS to it’s fullest but is fun
nonetheless. If you have a young gamer who absolutely loves Spider-Man, this
portable version is worth the money.
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Gameplay: 7.5
On the
Nintendo DS, Friend or Foe plays a bit differently than the console
version of the game and the levels are deeper and have plenty more to do
throughout. Combat is handled well enough and young gamers can quickly pick up
and start playing despite some of the more powerful moves are a bit complex to
pull off. The interesting sidekick lineup is a major plus but where is Rhino?
Graphics: 6.0
The game’s
graphics aren’t the best but they do well enough on the dual screens that you’re
able to make out some details on the characters. The cut scenes move like an
interactive comic book where there’s no lip movement at all.
Sound: 6.5
The music is
surprisingly well handled throughout the game and it’s great to hear it coming
from the DS speakers. There’s voice acting in the game and it’s also pretty good
but the sound effects repeat over and over again without little change.
Difficulty:
Medium
Many of the
PHANTOMS you’ll face in the game won’t give even the youngest gamer much trouble
but there are some mean boss battles that will not fail to challenge even the
older set. Oftentimes you’ll get ganged up on as well. The lock picking and
safecracking mini-games are timed and challenging so start honing those Stylus
skills.
Concept: 7.5
Imagine you
are Spider-Man and you’re fighting a common enemy right next to the likes of Doc
Ock or the Green Goblin and you get an idea of what’s in store for you in this
game. There are some challenging mini-games scattered throughout the game and
each character plays a role in adding their own unique skills to each level. Oh
and you can play this game with a friend wirelessly.
Multiplayer:
7.0
If there’s a
portable game that screams multiplayer action it’s this one. Friend or Foe
plays better with a friend and while I experienced some framerate
stuttering, it doesn’t get bad enough that it takes you out of the game.
Overall: 7.5
Spider-Man:
Friend or Foe
for the Nintendo DS is a likeable, challenging and entertaining portable action
game that has its share of problems but is fun enough for young Spidey fans to
enjoy. The interesting team up of villains and allies and the ability to play
wireless with a friend is a major plus and worth a purchase.
