Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a beat-’em-up that borrows from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy but lands somewhere between parody and earnest action. Activision published it across Wii, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation Portable in October 2007. The game asks players to team up with famous heroes, defeat villains, and then turn those villains into sidekicks. It is a strange idea, and it mostly works as a light, occasionally funny action game, but it never quite earns its ambition.
The Helicarrier and Its Shards
The game’s central mission is simple. A mysterious villain has created P.H.A.N.T.O.M.s — creatures made from symbiotes and holographic tech — and is collecting meteor shards to strengthen them. Spider-Man, recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., must track those shards across the globe. Tokyo, Egypt and Nepal are among the locations players visit. Between levels, players return to the Helicarrier, which serves as the main hub.
Each level is a linear beat-’em-up stage. Players control Spider-Man and a sidekick, switching between the two at any point. A second player can join in as the sidekick. The boss battles, however, only feature Spider-Man as the playable character, and the sidekick is left out entirely. That is a strange choice, and it is one of the game’s clearest missteps.
Upgrades and Secret Rooms
The game rewards players with tokens, power-ups and DNA Helix collectibles. Tokens can be spent to upgrade combat abilities. Power-ups temporarily boost the player. DNA Helix items unlock additional content like character bios and concept art. Players can find secret rooms throughout the levels, which open into arenas for the two-player versus mode.
All characters can be upgraded via a technology tree, though Spider-Man gets the most extensive upgrades. He gains three entirely separate web modes — web line, web shoot and web stun — each of which can be unlocked and used. Every other character has a single unlockable special move. Hero Strikes, which wipe out entire waves of enemies, are available to both Spider-Man and his allies, though they require spending tokens or purchasing from the upgrade store.
Plot and Cast
The story opens with Spider-Man fighting the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, the Sandman and Venom, with assistance from the New Goblin. After defeating them, a group of symbiote-like creatures attacks. The villains and the New Goblin are teleported away by an unknown force, while Spider-Man is rescued by S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury explains that the meteor that brought the Venom symbiote to Earth broke into shards, and one has already been taken by the villain’s scheme.
Spider-Man’s allies include S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives like the Prowler and Silver Sable. Black Cat joins the team in Tokyo. Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin, under mind-control from the villain’s creation, join forces with Spider-Man after he defeats and frees them. Iron Fist meets Spider-Man on Tangaroa Island.
The plot is a curious mix. It borrows from the films but places them in a divergent timeline where the villains survive. The game’s approach is a humorous twist, but the execution often feels like a thin excuse to put Spider-Man in a group fight with other heroes.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The game’s strongest moments come from its co-op mode. Playing with a friend as Spider-Man and a sidekick is where the game feels most alive, and the boss battles that exclude the sidekick are a real problem. Some levels are built for two players, and those are the best.
The combat is competent but shallow. Enemies fall quickly, and the game rarely asks players to think beyond hitting a button. The upgrade system gives players something to chase, but it is not enough to hide the game’s modest ambition.
Here is a quick ranking of how well the game’s systems hold up:
- Two-player co-op
- Boss battles
- Token and upgrade system
- Combat
- Story
“A unique take on the film trilogy.”
That line, from the company report, is accurate but not flattering. The game is a distinct spin on the films, but it feels less like a refined vision and more like a game made to cash in on existing properties.
Final Word
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a mixed bag. It has a clever premise, a solid co-op mode and a globe-trotting adventure that offers a decent amount of spectacle. But its combat is weak, its sidekick boss battles are a mess, and its story is a thin retelling of its source material with a few jokes tacked on.
The game is worth a look for fans of the era’s beat-’em-up genre, and the multiplayer mode is a genuine highlight. But as a full package, it falls short of what it could have been. It is a game with a good idea and poor execution.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a game that tries to do something different with its license and mostly fails to pull it off. It is a good time with a friend and a decent solo adventure, but it never reaches the heights of its source material.
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