• Developer/publisher: Treyarch/Activision.

• Genre: Action/adventure.

• Number of players: One.

• Rating (by Entertainment Software Rating Board): Teen, for violence.

• The plot: The game transports you off the silver screen and into a larger-than-life adventure.

• Gameplay: "Spider-Man 2" captures the sensation of being our favorite wall crawler. The game is set in a stunning, scaled-down replica of Manhattan, with real-life landmarks like Central Park and the Statue of Liberty that are open for you to explore at your leisure.

The Verdict: Four. THE RATINGS 5 — Outstanding: Add it to your collection now. A must-have. 4 — Great: Buy it or rent it — definitely play it. 3 — Good: Worth playing despite some flaws. 2 — Fair: Unless you're a fan of the license or series, don't bother. 1 — Poor: You'd have more fun playing Pong.

The good/bad: I loved the freedom you're given right from the get go. Want to do the main story missions and progress through the game? Go right ahead. Would you rather wander the city and see the sights, maybe help the many citizens in need?

The choice is yours. The incredible web-slinging mechanics are the true highlight, capturing an amazing sense of excitement and exhilaration.

Manhattan becomes a giant jungle gym for Spidey to play in, and it's so much fun you'll likely spend most of your time cruising around and mastering your technique.

Unfortunately, the city's expansiveness comes at the cost of the graphics, which fall into the "average" category, with blocky civilian character models and bland lighting effects. However, the game's biggest fault is in the repetitive nature of the nonstory-based missions.

With a short list of possible side tasks, you'll more or less be doing the same things over and over (stop an armored car robbery, get ambushed by thugs, chase down a carjacker, stop an armored car robbery again).

Tips: When battling a large group of thugs, make it a habit to use your impact webbing (turbo button + web) often to momentarily incapacitate your foes. You also can use your web to yank their weapons away (and web multiple enemies after purchasing the upgrade).

My Take: There is no other game that makes you feel like a superhero more than "Spider-Man 2." This is the best, most visceral and fluid translation of comic-book superpowers committed to video game screens to date.

Julius Pecson of Waipahu is a student at UH-Manoa and a longtime gamer.