Hands-on with Spider-Man 2 for Windows Phone

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie has already started playing in theaters and its official game can now be purchased at the Window Phone Store. At $4.99, it’s one of the more expensive games at the store and there is no free trial available. Is the Spider-Man 2 game worth it? Watch our gameplay video after the break to find out.

Before you buy, we should warn you that we’ve had problems opening Spider-Man 2 on our Nokia Lumia Icon and Lumia 1520 running Windows Phone 8.1 Preview for Developers. It opens only after rebooting our devices, and sometimes would not re-open when switching apps. On the other hand, it works fine on our Samsung ATIV SE running Windows Phone 8.0.

Features:

  • Web-sling, wall-climb and web-shoot as the fast and quick-witted Spider-Man.
  • Explore in a large open-world Manhattan with 6 detailed districts to explore from Times Square to Central Park.
  • 6 legendary villains including Venom, the Green Goblin, Electro, and Kraven the Hunter.
  • Intense combo-focused combat. Defeat enemies from street thugs to super villains.

If you’re lucky to get it to work on your device, Spider-Man 2 is actually fun to play. Tap the jump button on the bottom right corner for quick bursts in the air. Press and hold the same button to web-sling. This works really well, and it feels cool doing it in the game. Since it is a large open world, you can just keep slinging around if you like. The directional pad is on the left side of the display. Looking around requires you to move your finger on the right side of the display.

City problems show up as red dots on the maps. Problems include robberies, car thefts, people falling from rooftops, and more. The more problems Spidey solve, the more fame he earns. Important events (blue dots on the map) show up when his fame reaches milestones. You’ll earn points along the way, which you can use to upgrade skills or buy things from the shop like additional suits or items such as potions to restore health.

Some problems require certain skills to be solved. For example, one of the rescue missions requires Spider-Man to upgrade one of his strengths. If you don’t have enough points to upgrade, you’ll have to continue solving smaller problems until you get enough points, or you can use real money to buy points. 2,500 points cost $1.99 while 160,000 points cost $99.99.

Many of the city problems require fighting thugs. You’ll be fine, as long as you keep smashing the melee and web buttons on the right. When the spider-sense shows up, it means you’re about to get hit. Click the counter button when that happens. Other times, you’ll be required to do certain gestures on the screen. This includes tapping rapidly, or swiping at the right moments. Fighting villains are similar, except they take longer to beat. We rather not spoil how to beat the villains.

While we have issues opening Spider-Man 2 on our devices with Windows Phone 8.1, it’s actually very fun to play when it works. Web-slinging around the city is smooth for the most part, but we definitely notice choppiness in the gameplay when fighting several thugs at the same time. It’s noticeable even on the top-of the line Nokia Lumia Icon and Lumia 1520.

Spider-Man 2 costs $4.99 at the Windows Phone Store. The initial version from Gameloft does not include a free trial. Are you buying this game? Let us know in the comments!

Mark Guim

Mark Guim is Video Editor at Windows Central. He switched to Windows because the MacBook Pro isn't Pro enough. You can follow him on Twitter at @markguim.

85 Comments
  • Downloaded
  • If spidey is above the skyscrapers and swinging where does his web stick to.....to allow him to swing? Cool game anyway but with issues on 8.1 and that expensive....guess ama wait! ;-)
  • yesss that's sooo weird !!
  • Airplane? Or just some big bird haha!
  • Virtual clouds?
  • Azure?
  • +925
  • That confused me too in the amazing Spiderman you couldn't go above buildings so it looks like they are going backwards.
  • The Spiderman question of the century, lol.such fun question especially from back in the 90swiththe cartoon...you are watching not thinking about it...then someone asks that question...ypu are like... Duh...wait what?! 0_o
    ... ... ... ... o_0 ...
  • I'm waiting for the Nokia 930, with the new quad core chip and larger screen, guess it will be easier and better gameplay. Just saying.
  • I'm stuck between 930 and 1520 :(
  • So 590 then :D I would love the 1520 but just too big for practical use as a phone. So 930 wins on size. But either choice FTW.
  • Nope... Again...only for 1GB ram...
  • I notice some choppiness on the Lumia Icon. Can't imagine how it'll do on a 512MB device.
  • It is only available for 1GB devices. I don't know why everyone hates 512 MB users. 
  • Is it not just possible that a 512mb device can't quite handle it? Wouldn't you be more annoyed paying $4.99 for a game that 'barely' works?
  • Because 512mb users lack most of good stuff for their phone..... Specially for gamers... I am still waiting for temple run 2 for 512mb user....
  • If it's laggy on a Lumia Icon and 1520 how do you think it's gonna perform on a 520?? Of course it's gonna lag like hell! No one is hating 512 MB users, it's just that some games aren't playable on such low ram
  • If its choppy on the icon, I don't think people with with dual core phones + 1gb ram, will have much luck either lol.
  • If you're running WP8.1 that choppiness is a result of the deep changes to 3d handling, most Gameloft games are either unplayable or unenjoyable on WP8.1, presumably their engine needs updating. :)
  • Waiting for patched xap (now appx) :P
  • Waiting for you to stop being a theif.
  • Waiting for you to stop commenting unnecessarily!
  • Waiting To Exhale...
  • I've a L720, it hs one of the best designs in Lumia Series.. Only thing it lacks is 1 Gigs of RAM, else its a cool phone..
  • Thanks we didn't knew
  • I wouldn't be so sad if I were you, the only thing your missing are poorly optimized games.
  • Does this support moga?
  • No it does not maybe with a future update it will.
  • Does anything on WP support Moga controllers?
  • A expensive warning I believe...
  • Is there some sort of continuity from the first Spiderman game?
  • The game is too expensive !! Also since it doesn't work well with WP8.1 Dev Prev I'm not going to play this.
  • Does this game have been optimized on lumias having a snapdragon 800?
  • +1520
  • Just watch the video.... It plays horrid with the snapdragon 800
  • Not so worthy...
  • Apparently spider-man can swing from clouds as well as buildings now. That's pretty neat.
  • didnt want to get it when i saw the $5 tag...... this review made me buy it...... funny thing is i didnt read one world of the article, i just schimmed throught the pics :P...   Downloading... :D
  • Sorry to hear that.
  • Why?
  • Because not reading the article is bad. :P
  • If you thought $5 was expensive, I wonder if you'll enjoy being charged $99.99 for in-game credits. (I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole).
  • You are only charged if you buy it.....just like being charged for anything..... You speak as if you are charged $99.99 automatically without the choice to NOT buy in game credits. I was charged $4.38 of for a burger and fries...it didn't even come with a drink....OMG!!!!!!....wait.....I didn't have to buy it...I CHOSE to buy it. I am also choosing NOT to buy a $99.99 in game purchase on ANY game and all of us can choose not to. Don't act like the $99.99 purchase is a requirement. The only requirement is the initial cost of the game.
  • Lol ikr, this game is one big failure
  • No trialey, no buyey :D
  • 1GB RAM..no no no :(
  • Didn't you read the article? It is even laggy on Icon and 1520, how in hell do you expect it to play on your 512 RAM devices?! I got a 625 and I'm not whining. I know what I'm getting with what I paid for. SMH.
  • I have read, and I understand that well, I am just saying how game are now a days coming up for 1GB RAM. :)
  • You're happy now but you were crying in your first comment.
  • I guess you have less idea about :( and :'(
  • Insane not for 512ram
  • You bought a low-end device, hence, you can't expect you'll get everything. Couldn't you be happier that most apps and games work on your phone? You're actually getting MORE than what you paid for, and this is coming from a Lumia 625 owner.
  • Is there any upgrade or item we can't get without IAP? If they charge for the game itself, there shouldn't be any IAP inside. I hate if there any upgrade or items we can't get because it only obtainable using currency that had to be bought using real money.
  • Haha
  • someone tested it on 1020?
  • I would've purchased if there were achievements.
  • Boring
  • I would watch the movie than paying for you spidey..its too much of cost
  • When for 7.8?
  • Not in this life ..!!!,;P
  • Why not, stop leaving the same pointless comment on multiple articles. It's a waste of your time and everyone else's.
  • Because NO
  • 1 game sucked, this one looks the same.
  • Can I play this game on my Lumia 525
  • Maybe yes chck it on store
  • Did anybody try to play this on 1020?
  • I feel that if a game isn't compatible with 512MB of RAM then it's either a damn good game, or is very poorly optimised. Xbox have made some pretty good games which are compatible with 512MB, so why can't other companies follow this example?
  • Because it costs time, hence money... Or because it's simply impossibile
  • Like I said, it has to be either a damn good game to not be working on 512 or the company is just lazy with their products. Xbox have created some really nice games and still manages to get the working on the lower end phones, which just shows that it can be done to some extent.
  • 3D games? Which ones?
  • Looked sweet. Looking foward to downloaded this game
  • I tried on my Lumia 920. It is a little laggy but it is not terrible.
  • WP 8 or 8.1 Preview?
  • WP 8
  • All Gameloft games are poorly optimized. If you think that problem will be addressed by a future patch keep holding your breath.
  • It is a shame that they just chuck these games out into the stores without further optimising them. Games are much more enjoyable when properly optimised and have little to no lag.
  • For 512 mb ram phones
  • I hate games that are not free and that still work like free to play games with a bunch of in app purchases. I guess the next step would be to include publicity in a paid game with in app purchases.
  • Money hungry bastards gave up on Xbox certification. Why? Well among other things, Xbox requires optimization which none of these crap overpriced movie games have. That's why they are GAMELOFT and not a real game studio.
  • It's just amazing High graphics and gameplay on  my lumia 1320 , Just bought it :D Images :  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6   The thing i didn't like , the game requires internet connection to work :( and it's bit laggy yes on 1gb ram + 1.7 dual core , runnig wp8.1 Dev , but it's awesome :D
  • lol Mark stopped the robbery by killing everyone, including the victim.
  • Not available for Lumia 928
  • works fine on my 1020 I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. hardly any lagging at all? well done gameloft!! I don't play my phone all the time so quite handy when it comes to continuing the missions. I haven't got the first spiderman game so not sure what that game is like
  • I had a major problem with this. Saw the game, saw the trailer, liked the gameplay, paid for it and installed. Played a while, fun game... Then had to do a hard-reset to try and see if the last WP8.1 Dev Preview update with hard reset would fix the battery issues (as it did) but after that, I can't get the game back in my phone again. It appears permanently as offline and out of the store. How can I get it back? Did they remove it? Will it be back? I wrote to gameloft to ask and the only thing they said was "if you want reimbursment, call the Windows Phone Store team". Crappy answer for a customer, really disappointed me... You guys know anything?