Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Calling all Webslingers! If you are a fan of Marvel, Peter Parker and Spider-Man, here’s the latest news. Spider-Man Unlimited is available to download now in the Play Store. Gameloft has recently released Spider-Man Unlimited and it is an endless runner and free-to-play. I can hear the thunderous sighs and moans as the words appeared on the screen. I know, the endless runner genre is full of games, but Gameloft has done a good job of making a game that fans of Spider-Man may enjoy.
Spider-Man Unlimited is broken into three issues, like comic books. Within each issue there are multiple missions to complete. Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. is providing you information about your missions. Your goal is to defeat the Green Goblin and the Sinister Six as they plan to destroy the city. Gameloft has accurately rendered the game in that it does look like a comic book. The game also allows you the opportunity to different versions of Spider-Man. Gameloft boasts that this is the first time that gamers can experience playing Spider-Man in so many different ways. How does that happen?
The scientists at S.H.I.E.L.D. have access to an Inter-dimensional Portal. Through this portal, you are able to teleport in different versions of Spider-Man from different time periods. The first Spider-Man made available to you is Mangaverse Spider-Man, the next is Bag-Man Spider-Man and it goes on and on. As you play the game, you run, slide, jump and swing through the city. While doing that you collect vials. Vials allow you to purchase different versions of Spider-Man. You have to watch out here though, my first foray into using vials to purchase Bag-Man Spider-Man ended up with me buying two of them. I am sure this was my fault. You collect vials easily, as they are quite abundant… but, beware of making the same mistake I did. Especially if the Spider-Man you are attempting to get requires a lot of vials. Mangaverse Spider-Man was given to you and Bag-Man Spider-Man cost 2500 vials. I am sure the number of vials increase with the different types of Spider-Man. The other item you are trying to collect is ISO-8. ISO-8 is used for continues in the game and upgrading Spider-Man.
Spider-Man Features:
– Wing into a hand-drawn, action-packed adventure game that feels like it came straight from the Marvel comics!
– Unite every hero in the Spider-Verse against the ultimate threat! Recruit an army of Spider-Men to combat the new Sinister Six, who have opened a dimensional portal in New York to summon endless versions of themselves! The Sinister Six are moving from dimension to dimension, destroying each one. Now ours is fighting to survive!
– The Green Goblin (Issue 1) and The Vulture (Issue 2) are here! Issue 3 coming soon.
– Enjoy the thrill of the first Amazing Spider-Man arcade web-runner! Swing, run and fight through chaotic NYC in over 5 different environments!
– Go beyond an endless runner game with superior fighting and running gameplay! Combat dimensional super villains, web-slinging, go running up walls and perform skydives.
– Play story mode with 5 boss battles to fight and 25 missions per issue.
Summon, collect and play with an endless supply of Spider-Man cards from across Marvel’s amazing comics, including Spider-Man Noir, Iron Spider, Cosmic Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and the Bombastic Bag-Man!
My first impression of the game is that it is fun and balanced in types of game play, even though it is an endless runner. Though the endless runner genre is completely flooded, Gameloft has made room for another by creating a game that is well thought out, pretty fun to play and engaging on multiple levels. Keep in mind, the game just came out so I have to spend much more time with it, but initial impressions have not been soured by what I have seen/played.
The length of fun in the game will be determined by how the free-to-play model affects the overall experience. Interestingly enough, when you start the game, it asks your age. Then a note appears explaining the free to play model to parents. This is extremely well done and I can appreciate its inclusion in the game. What makes me wary of the game is the ISO-8 Shop. In it, you can purchase ISO-8 for the small price of $1.99 to the incredulous price of $99.99. This to say the least, is a little bit disturbing, so parents really need to make sure their Google Play Account Password is kept in check. Gameloft duly notes this during their message to parents. ISO-8 is also used for continues in the game. This is really not a problem if you don’t mind starting over. Also, you will increase the amount of ISO-8 you have as you play the game. Gameloft in the early stages allow quite a few free continues. They also note that they will refill Spider-Man’s energy for free until Level 10. After that, I would imagine it is your typical wait to play, to fill your energy meter.
Spider-Man Unlimited is not integrated with Google Game Play Services. This is a big disappointment in many ways, but not unusual for Gameloft. There are daily missions/goals that you can complete in the Unlimited Mode. This allows Spider-Man to level up in XP. If you do not have enough XP, certain missions will be unavailable until you meet the criteria.
Overall, the game play feels right in this game. The visuals are perfect and the voice-acting is pretty good. I’m still not sure if that is Samuel L. Jackson doing the voice over in the game, but it sounds pretty close. Since it is free-to-play, you lose nothing really by downloading the game and trying it out. I will continue to play it to see how the free-to-play portion of the game really affects my ability to move forward in the game. So far so good, but let’s see how long that lasts.
>p?>strong>Google Play: Spider-Man Unlimited
