Spawn: Armageddon - GameCube

These days, where there's a comic book, there's a video game equivalent lurking around the corner. Usually, such franchises belong to the likes of Marvel and Activision, but there are a few exceptions. In this case, that exception is Spawn, a McFarlane franchise created in 1992 and picked up for a virtual offering by arcade giant Namco. It bears striking similarities to Devil May Cry and takes some good ideas from the Capcom outing - no bad thing...

Where DMC is a thoroughbred hack and slash affair set in medieval times, Spawn's tale pits players in a classic battle between the forces of good and evil - Heaven and Hell. Stuck in the middle of this eternal conflict, Spawn consistently finds himself clashing with a variety of demonic creatures and angelic warriors throughout the game's 25 missions and 60 or so sub-levels. The main character will find himself equipped with numerous blood-spilling weapons such as axes, as well as a pair of 'living chains' that can bring even the fiercest opponent to his knees.

But unlike DMC, this is where the hacking and slashing stops, giving way to a greater emphasis on platform gaming, and this is how Spawn differentiates itself. Okay, it's not the first platform adventure we've seen, and in that respect Spawn lacks originality. But as so many of you will appreciate, it's how a game is designed and executed that makes it a worthwhile offering... and Spawn is certainly worthwhile. Level design is well thought out, and its puzzle element helps immerse players a little deeper into the game.

It is indeed another comic book-cum-video game, but a very good one at that. more