Spider-Man: Edge of Time

Review

Common Sense Media says

Fight as two different web-slingers in time-travel romp.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know SPIDER-MAN: EDGE OF TIME was designed with teens and adults in mind, as it focuses heavily on combat. Both Spider-Man characters each have their own unique skills but usually involve punching and kicking enemies and using web-based weapons range attacks, too. Enemies fall but don't bleed. It's not out of context for a comic book-inspired game, but it's something parents should be aware of. There is also some suggestive dialogue, revealing female outfits, and mild profanity.

  • Positive messages2
    The message, as with most comic book-inspired video games, is good can defeat evil. Both Spider-Man characters fight against crime in two different time periods.  
  • Positive role models2
    While Spider-Man is a "good guy" who fights back against evil, combat is the central gameplay element in this game, therefore some might question if he is a good role model or not. Overall, however, Spider-Man -- as a Marvel character -- is a clean, admirable role model.
  • Ease of play3
    Somewhat easy to play, especially if you follow along with the mandatory tutorial at the start of the single-player adventure.
  • Violence3
    The fighting is fast and furious in this game, with plenty of melee attacks -- such as punches and kicks -- as well as some web-based ranged weapons. Bad guys may be using guns. There isn't any blood, but without question it's a violent game. Some scenes show the combat in slow-motion for dramatic effect.
  • Sex3
    Most of the female characters in the game wear tight-fitting and cleavage-revealing outfits. Some suggestive dialogue includes a female enemy who says "Ooo, smack me around, big boy," which has violent undertones, too, as well as feeling "frisky."
  • Language2
    There is some mild language in the game, including "damn," "hell" and "piss off."
  • Consumerism2
    The game is based on Marvel's Spider-Man character -- with products that include comic books, movies, and toys, to name a few -- but there aren't any overt brand plugs outside of that (such as in-game advertising).
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

In Activision's latest Marvel adventure -- SPIDER-MAN: EDGE OF TIME –- gamers can assume the role of not one but two different web-slingers: the Amazing Spider-Man of today and Spider-Man 2099 of the future. Both Spideys need to work together -- across two different parallel universes -- to save each other from a mysterious villain capable of traveling back through time in order to change the future. Penned by acclaimed Marvel writer Peter David (co-creator of Spider-Man 2099), these two distinct timelines have a "cause and effect" impact as your actions today might trigger an event for Spider-Man in the future -- and the immediate effects can be seen via a picture-in-picture view. Each Spider-Man has his own unique abilities and fighting styles; the acrobatic Amazing Spider-Man enjoys a new "hyper sense" mode, for example, while the technologically-enhanced Spider-Man 2099 has an "accelerated decoy" capability to fool enemies.

Is it any good?

 

While Spider-Man: Edge of Time presents an interesting concept about time travel, the execution is just so-so. This single-player game has a few exciting moments and enjoys high-quality production (including sharp graphics and solid voice-acting), but the story is convoluted, environments are bland, and most enemies don't pose much of a challenge. Sure, the controls are responsive while engaging in combat against thugs, cyborgs, and mutant baddies, and the repertoire of moves between both Spideys adds some variety, but once you play for an hour or two the action grows repetitive. Plus, there aren't that many boss battles to look forward to either. For an 8- to 10-hour campaign -- with little incentive to play again and no multiplayer support –- it's hard to recommend this game as $60 purchase. Instead, Spider-Man fans should rent it for a couple of bucks over a weekend. A better gaming pick is last year's Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

Note: The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions are the same, while the Nintendo Wii game has a different control scheme and doesn't offer HD graphics.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about whether video game violence is more acceptable when it's good fighting against evil, rather than having the ability to hurt or kill innocent civilians. Does it matter?

  • This game is based on a comic book universe that has a lot of fantasy violence. How would you respond if the game had no violence?

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Kid, 11 years old
April 21, 2012
AGE
10
 
The EDGE of good.
To be quite honest I don't know where to begin other than this being a massive disappointment anyway I wouldn't recommend this to under 9s.
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This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Topics:superheroes
Platforms:Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:Activision
Release date:October 4, 2011
Price:$59.99 ($49.99 for Wii version)
ESRB rating:T for Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
This review was written by Marc Saltzman
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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