Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (NDS, 2008)

• Mostly linear structure (linear progression between areas, in-area progression is also linear in terms of the sub objectives in them, can backtrack for a few optional items in each area, can choose to help either of two NPCs at a couple of points, can enter downtown from the west early but it's pointless as you can't proceed without a new ability and the enemies are much tougher, while you can visit the hive area to the west of the residential/beginning area before exploring the rest of downtown (after becoming able to climb slime walls) you'll be faced with an empty room with locked doors blocking your from progressing further into it, linear final area)

• Two different endings depending on which NPC you help (fairly subtly hinted at when picking which one to help)

• Frequent save points (one slot per game only but can copy the save file - two different endings depending on your choices) which also serve as shops for combat moves as well as health+partial lives restoration points

• Can recover from death 3 times by default but after that it's game over (can gain more lives)

• Decent map system (3 levels of zoom though you have to find the "detailed mini-map" of an area for the max zoom level and the detailed/fully zoomed in version doesn't show adjacent rooms (it just shows your exact location and more detailed topology), shows explored rooms+which room you're in+save points+the next sub goal (game doesn't tell you what it is unless you press the objective button below the map)). The default zoom level map doesn't show your exact location and none of them show points of interest like ability gates or seen but uncollected health upgrades plus you can't place markers on it

• Great movement options from the get go (can throw webbed enemies into each other, can swing yourself up onto a platform from below it, wall jumps, can quickly attach to and pull yourself towards a nearby wall with the straight shot if in mid-air, start with a four hit attack combo, etc)

• Some interesting combat moves

• Voiced tutorial messages that don't pause gameplay

• Some alternate paths through areas

• Subtitles

• Some scripted scenes during gameplay (NPCs getting snatched away)

• Some destructible objects

• Good enemy AI in terms of following you around rooms and ganging up on you

• Different (but not stronger) enemies sometimes appear while backtracking through previously visited rooms

• Some minor spatial awareness puzzles (no other puzzles)

• Start with an enemy drop magnet

• Some pretty good bosses

• Support attacks (based on NPCs you've met: black cat (heals you), green goblin (kinda weird; bomb attack), nightcrawler - not gained if you didn't choose to help him unlike the other two; can only be used against bosses for some reason, have to wait for them to charge up while fighting the boss)

• No touch damage

• Partial control config (choose between six layouts)

• Dynamic camera (generally good but sometimes zooms out a bit much)

• No difficulty options

• Some fast travel via Nightcrawler but you have to find him (he's not marked on the map but is in the downtown area after getting the ability that lets you climb ichor/slime walls) and he teleports you without telling you where to or saying anything at all+you can't go back afterwards - feels unfinished.

• Unlimited web

• Shows boss's health bars but not enemies'

• Enemy attacks tend to take priority over your stronger moves that lock you into a move like a tackle or ground slam

• Some fourth wall breaking comments by your avatar (generally fine but a bit obnoxious if you stand still for 20 secs without pausing and he tells you to move)

• Enemies can juggle you as well

• Some grinding if you want to buy all combat abilities and not return any of them

Some notable cons:

• Some control/interface issues (can't pull yourself towards a wall or ceiling if you're standing on the ground, some tutorial messages won't go away (to show the map again) until you move far enough, somewhat slow wall crawling - slowed down further because you can't shoot the web while in vents and pull yourself toward the next wall, somewhat overly tight camera when jumping, can't close the subtitles when some dialogue triggers - they cover up the map, fall off ledges if performing combos near them, etc)

• Various minor dead ends early on with slime covered walls that you have to remember for later (can't climb nor web sling to these at first, also means you can't swing around that much early on). Some pointless one way paths (pier->downtown)

• The game sometimes spoils minor puzzles by telling you what you need to do and where to go to do it and it's kind of annoying how it tells you to get back to the main objective after finishing a sub objective

• Some trial & error (enemies in the last area blend in with the environment, some fast flier attacks from off screen and some enemies can start performing an attack while you're falling towards them from above and they're off screen, etc)

• Have to play a stupid simple mini-game to respawn after dying, where you grab health orbs and avoid negative power ups with the stylus or your finger - while it's short it should've just not been in the game as you die rather quickly and it's annoying to switch control methods just to respawn when no other game does this)

• Sometimes uneven difficulty

• Only up to two lives are restored at save points (meaning if you had say, 3/4 lives when reaching one then you don't regain any) and going to a different save point doesn't restore the rest. Given some parts are harder they become even harder if you have fewer lives - have to beat bosses to fully restore lives (black cat's support attack occasionally restores one life but it's not reliable)

• Most ability gates and abilities are metaphorical locked doors and keys

Playthrough - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Metroid or Mega Man ZX, possibly DMC, Alien vs. Predator or Guardian Heroes, Spider-Man 2

Influenced: Possibly Guacamelee