Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage
Reviewed by Josh Orr
Well, this is a fairly old game but it's one that I own so I thought
I'd review it. It seems that the older the system, the more games
there were. The Super NES had the best variety if any system,
whether it was the side scrolling action of this game, puzzles,
like tetris, or overhead view like my favorite game, Zelda. I really
liked Maximum Carnage, it represented just what you could do with
a side-scroller if you really tried. True, it was kind of lame when it
came right down to it; a bunch of street guys (all who looked
identical, I might add) attack Spider-man and Venom. And the
animation of the lessor characters, such as the street punks, was
badly done. However the game followed the storyline of Maximum
Carnage as it appeared in comic books. Aside from the fact that
one of the Characters didn't die.
Graphics 7.5 out of 10
It would be a lie to say that this game has exceptional graphics.
However it does shine through in places. The backgrounds, while
not realistic, did properly illustrate the areas that the characters
were exploring. The main character's and big time enemies were
decently animated. They were the highlight of this games graphics.
However, as I mentioned earlier, the street thugs looked pretty
lame. All in all I think the Graphics were a little better than 'good'.
Music and Sound 5 out of 10
I think that the fact the I can't even remember the music helps
to prove that fact that the music was less than remarkable.
However, I recall that it had an addictive tune that could either
highten the playing experience or, if you've been playing for quite
a while, drive you to insanity.
Game Challenge 10 out of 10
Well, this game was certainly difficult. It took me forever to beat
it. Of course, the first time I beat it was a few years ago. Now it
doesn't take nearly as long. The game throws more and more bad
guys at you, and then when you think you can't take any more, you
have to defeat the bosses.
Game Play-Fun 8 out of 10
The game can be interesting, but sometimes it gets on your nerves.
It is a VERY repetitive game, not on the level of tetris, of course,
but you have to defeat the same bosses over and over and over and over.
Frustration
It is incredibly Frustrating when you get all the way to the end and
then die. It's unbelievably difficult and long and if you die all the
way, you must start completely over. You have to earn every continue
you get and if you die before getting a continue, then the dreaded
words appear: GAME OVER.
Replayability 8.5 out of 10
It has probably the same amount of replay value as the original
Super Mario Bros. If you want to go do it all over again you can,
but aside from hidden items, there's noting else to find/do.
However you can beat it with Spider-man or with Venom. And
at times you are given path choices, so you can go back and beat
it an alternate way. All in all, I think it's worth beating a couple
times, which is what I did.
Game Value 10 out of 10
I don't think you can buy it unused anymore, so you can probably
get it for around $10-$15. Worth the price, It'll take you quite a
while to beat, most likely. So I think $10 is a good price for
hours of entertainment.
Overall 8.5 out of 10
Overall, I liked this game. More because I'm a fan of Spider-man,
than because it's an excellent game. If you don't like Spider-man
there's a good chance you won't like this game. If you've read the
comic book, the storyline will make a LOT more sense and you'll be
able to better appreciate some of the little details of the game.