Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (Wii, PlayStation 3, PSP, PlayStation 2, Windows, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo 64, Mac)

Even superheroes have their bad moments. In the case of Spider-Man, it happens in the form of Activision's SPIDER-MAN WEB OF SHADOWS. While the combat is often exhiliarating, the adventure feels very one-dimensional. New York City has been invaded by an alien symbiote infecting citizens, and it's up to Spider-Man to thwart it.

Unlike recent Spider-Man titles which focus on open-world action, Web of Shadows emphasizes combat. Your hero pummels foes on the ground, along the facades of skyscrapers and even in mid-air. As you vanquish foes from drug dealers to super villains, you'll earn points toward new attacks. You can also pick up glowing spiders scattered throughout the city that increase your speed. A twist to the storyline is Spider-Man himself has been infected by the symbiote. As a result, Spider-Man can take advantage of the symbiote's powers in the form of an all-black costume. While Spider-Man deftly bounces past enemies in his traditional red and blue suit, the black version whips long tendrils at foes and uses brute strength to punish enemies. Some elements of open world games, like light exploration and sporadic side quests, appear as well.

Fights look and feel incredible, particularly once you leave the ground. You can pull yourself toward enemies with a web shot and let loose a flurry of punches and kicks. You can also slings gobs of web to slow foes before beating them down. Out of all the Spider-Man video games, Web of Shadows is arguably the best at conveying the character's speed and agility.

Where Web of Shadows fails is the game's singular focus on combat. The game simply involves swinging from fight to fight. There are occassions where you rescue civilians or chase down an enemy, but they're rare. What's worse is the combat itself is fun initially, but grows repetitive as you see Spider-Man repeatedly execute the same moves. Web of Shadows may dazzle at first, but don't expect the thrills to last very long.