Spider-Man 2 Spins New Video Game Fun

Spider-Man 2 Spins New Video Game Fun
The creators of "Spider-Man" faced a daunting task in conceiving a follow-up to the original, one that would make even the most fearless superhero tremble.

Succeed and they'd have a bona fide franchise on their hands. Fail and they'd be dismissed as one-hit wonders who foisted yet another lame sequel upon an undeserving world.

No, we're not talking about the current box-office smash starring Tobey Maguire. We're talking about Activision's new "Spider-Man 2" video game for the PS2, GameCube and Xbox.

Activision's previous Spidey game, which was based on the 2002 movie, was one of the relatively few superhero games to enjoy critical and commercial success.

It's easy to see why. It gave players control of a high-flyin', web-slingin', butt-kickin' Spider-Man and turned them loose in a breathtakingly realistic 3-D recreation of New York City.

Just like the movie, the "Spider-Man 2" game is an ambitious improvement on its predecessor. The web shooting and fighting capabilities have been enhanced, giving players even more control of Spider-Man's acrobatics than in the previous game.

The game's virtual New York setting has been expanded as well. It features a map of the city and a much-improved navigational compass, both of which allow gamers to explore almost all of the Big Apple. (Well, all of Manhattan at least.