Having never read a Spawn comic, I didn't know really what to expect while playing this game. However, while all you Spawn fans out there will know all about the hellish freak and his weird chain weapon things, I'm sure there are some of you, like me, who probably have never even heard of Spawn, but might still be interested in purchasing this game.

So, for those of you, who have never heard of Al Simmons, haven't got a clue what a Hellspawn is, or know nothing about a final showdown between angels and demons, read on for the background story.

The story revolves around Spawn, who, until recently, was Al Simmons, a professional assassin but upon asking questions on the ethics of his employers, the company he works for has him murdered by a fellow assassin. However thanks to a deal with Malebolgia, a master of Hell, Al is now a Hellspawn: destined to be a general in Hell's army when the Apocalypse comes, inevitable no matter how much he tries to escape his fate.

 

The game assumes you know this stuff already, and instead the opening cut-scenes show you Spawn reflecting on his past on the top of a derelict building in New York City, when she sees a huge green shaft of light blast from the sky, having no effect on the people or buildings, but when the shockwave hits Spawn, he feels his symbiotic costume (a thoughtful gift from Satan, no doubt) writhe and contort with pain, and he is thrown backwards. When he recovers from the blast, he sets off to find out what caused this supernatural attack.

The plot is apparently based on comics 1-99, but that's probably unimportant for non-Spawn fans. Instead, you probably want to know just how good this game is. So, without further ado, on with the review!

Graphics:

The graphics are a little average I'm afraid - not exactly pushing your Cube to the limit, but still moderately decent with no slowdown. Spawn himself is very well detailed and looking better than ever - fans of the comic will be pleased - and the cut scenes are very cinematic. Unfortunately, some of the textures are a little bland and muddy, and the enemy models aren't nearly as good as Spawn's one - and their animation sucks - but all in all the graphics do the job fine. Sadly there are a few camera problems - but I suppose that isn't really 'Graphics' is it? Still, they do get rather irritating…

Sound:

The in-game music is mostly (read: entirely) rock music, with acclaimed weirdo Marilyn Manson lending his vocal talents to the in -game music. This is all well and good - especially if you're a fan (God help you), but some might wish for a slight change of tune.

The voiceovers are all nicely done, and give the characters some extra, um, character. All in all, the music doesn't add too much to the game, which is a shame, so if you don't like rock music, you don't like Marilyn Manson, or just don't like the music, just mute your telly and slam your favourite CD into your player. You won't miss it.

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Gameplay:

I honestly did not know what to expect when I first started the game. I didn't know whether I would be playing a shooter, a hack n slash, or an action game. Well, it turns out that Armageddon is a little bit of each. The game is mainly a standard yet fairly enjoyable hack n slash, with jumping bits and big guns. And demons. Lots of demons.

Sadly, there isn't too much to this game at all - it's very similar in style to the Capcom's Devil May Cry on the PS2 - run, shoot, chop. Sadly, even though I'm not exactly a fan of Sony's machine, I have to admit Devil May Cry is a much better game than this attempt by Namco.

There's a large variety of weapons in the game, from shotguns to Spawn's trademark chains, to all sorts of hellish weaponry for you to get your devilish mitts on. While the lock-on can be a little tricky to get used to, the weapons in the game are great fun to use, and there is enough to keep any advocates of demon demolition happy. As well as these weapons, Spawn has 'Hell Powers' which can be used to fire giant explosive bolts, lasers, and various other deadly powers to use in his arsenal, and which can also improve his abilities (e.g.: increase speed).

The majority of the gameplay has a very generic, run of the mill action game style to it - run over here, fly over there (Spawn can use his cape as a kind of glider), hit that switch, kill some demons, and every once in a while fight some menacing boss or other. Yawn. Unless you aren't paying attention, there's very little to perplex you in the way of puzzles or how to get somewhere - it's a linear game indeed, and quite repetitive in places.

 

The game is also fairly easy - it shouldn't take very long at all to complete this on the easier settings, so you're advised to just go straight for one of the harder difficulties. Even so, it won't take you more than a few weeks to get through the main game, maximum. That said, there is a little bit of replay value that will please Spawn fans - there are comic books scattered throughout the levels, which allow you to view extra comic material.

Killing enemies and whatnot results in Spawn being given extra ammunition, health, and 'Necroplasm' which can be traded in between missions to 'upgrade' and buy more weapons and health. On this topic, while using the variety of weapons on offer is fun, most enemies are not only familiar and samey in their design, but also fairly weak, and not very aggressive at all, making battles not as heated as they could be (despite the loud heavy metal).

So while the gameplay is, as I said, fairly enjoyable, there's too little depth and nothing that will hold your interest for too long (unless you're a fan).

Playability:

Though the camera is a little dodgy, this game is quite easy to pick up and play. It takes five minutes tops to get used to the controls, and then you're free to chop, cut, slash, shoot and blow up demons to your heart's content. The game is enjoyable enough to make this quite a playable game, but anyone looking for a long, supremely playable and fun action shooter will not find it here. Sorry folks.

 

Lifespan:

As previously mentioned, this game is short. As in dwarf-crushed-by-anvil short. Well, maybe not that short. By the time you've played through everything, and collected all the extras and so on, you'll only have owned this game for about a month. And after collecting everything you have NO reason to come back to this one whatsoever. It will just sit there on your shelf, doing nothing, waiting for you to run at it with a chainsaw and chop it up into several tiny little pieces. Or sell it - whichever comes first.

Final Say:

This game, I have to say, is simply not worth your time. The graphics are mostly bland and dull, the gameplay is enjoyable but neither long enough nor fun enough to keep you entertained for more than half an hour or so at a time. Looking for a good game? Look somewhere else. Ask for a Nintendo game, I've heard they're quite good.