Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (Xbox 360)

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Web of Shadows is a completely original story not based on any film or contemporary Marvel storyline

Unlike most licensed games, Spider-Man titles aren't always steaming piles of virtual dog dung so stinking that even flies can't bring themselves to touch them. The last one, November 2007's Friend or Foe, got a desperate 5/10 from Tom. But then May 2007's Spider-Man 3, the game of the rather disappointing film, scored a good 7/10 from VideoGamer.com's fearless leader. 2005's Ultimate Spider-Man, based on comic-book Spidey, got another 7/10. 2004's Spider-Man 2, again the game of the rather disappointing film, faired less better, but it still managed a solid 6/10.

So it's not fair to say that Spider-Man games are guaranteed dribble, as most licensed games are. There's some quality virtual web slinging to be found out there. The question is, will Web of Shadows, the latest Spider-Man game in the long, long, long list of Spider-Man games, due out at the end of the month, be a steaming pile of virtual dog dung, or, er, not a steaming pile of virtual dog dung?

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Early indications are positive, as a trip down to a London hotel to see the Activision-published game, and chat with associate producer Brian Morrison, proved. In Web of Shadows, which is based on comic-book Spidey (classic cloth suit) and not Sam Raimi Spidey (raised webbing suit), the hook is that the story is open for discussion, rather than rigidly linear - a first for a Spider-Man game. To this end there will be multiple endings, all dependent on decisions players make and the way they play. It boils down to two, clearly defined options, both intertwined with the very fabric of the suits Spider-Man wears. Think like the good-natured red-suited Spider-Man and you'll get a different ending to the one you'll get if you think like the more aggressive-natured black-suited Spider-Man.

The art style is based off of the comic-books, not the films.

The story, by Marvel writer Brian Reed, who was also the designer on Ultimate Spider-Man, is a completely original one and doesn't follow any specific contemporary Marvel storyline. Turns out Venom has returned to New York with an army of symbiotes which he hopes to use to take over the world. Our time with the game began before the invasion is clearly understood, and is instead considered more of a spreading infection. Symbiote pods have captured certain pedestrians and started to transform them into rabid zombies. Spider-Man notices there's something not quite right - not surprising given that he's being attacked by people who are crawling on the sides of buildings. From there you'll meet up with other classic Marvel characters and try and work out just what the hell is going on.

During this time anti-super bad guy agency S.H.I.E.L.D comes in and sets up a perimeter around New York in an effort to contain the symbiote threat. Spider-Man, Wolverine, Vulture, Black Cat and more Marvel characters are captured inside New York. S.H.I.E.L.D will play almost like a faction of their own - it doesn't care about the collateral damage of having super powered heroes and villains captured inside New York. Spider-Man meets with S.H.I.E.L.D and offers his services, as you'd expect him to. From there it's up to the player to decide whether to save the city using the red-suit or the corrupting black-suit. At key points you'll choose whether or not you want to follow a black-suit path or a red-suit path as you work through the game. That will change the missions you have to do as well as the storyline itself. It's the age old 'with great power comes great responsibility' thing.

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