Spider, Man

So I'm at my local comic shop a few weeks ago buying some Green Arrow when I walk up to pay and the guy asks if I have an iPhone, thinking he might recommend a comic book app I answer that I do, he then tells me I should download his new game, one which has gotten some good reviews, is climbing up the download charts and is one hell of a game. I answer that I'll give it a shot, after all I've gotten enough discounts there that its time I returned the favor. He writes down the name of the game on my receipt, I walk to my car to search for the game and hope that it doesn't suck.

Even though the game had all five star reviews I was still skeptical as I had not bought a $2.99 game before, I said fuck it and went with it. Turns out it was quite a good investment. Spider: the Secret of Bryce Manor is unlike anything that I've ever seen in a video game, much less in an app. The main character is a spider, a real one, not some cutesy cartoon or anthropomorphic one, no, its a fucking spider. The main objective is to eat other bugs, to do so the spider walks, jumps, builds webs and traps dumber insects. The more insects you eat the more webs you can spin, the faster you get to the next stage.

Everything in this game is beautiful: the stages are basically paintings, done in a magnificent style, in which nothing but the greatly detailed insects move around. Each stage is a different room/location in a manor, an uninhabited one which reveals all its secrets via letters, tombstones, portraits and so on. Yes the game is about a spider but the location is just as fascinating, as the title suggests there is a secret but the only way to find out what it is is through careful exploration and attention to detail. As for the number of stages? I have no idea, I've played about 15 and have still not reached the end.

The game allows the user to play with their own library of music but there is absolutely no need for this as the in-game music is so good I wish I had it in my iPod library. Its ambient, it classical, it fits the game, I'd pay good money for the soundtrack. The sound effects from the web building to the insect munching and the walking around are also top notch. No bleeps and bloops here.

As I mentioned before the insects are as varied as they are detailed. There are moths, butterflies, mosquitoes, fireflies, ladybugs and so on. Whatever they might be they're all edible, all except for hornets which have to be tackled down. This is one of the most fun parts of the game, there is a certain satisfaction to jumping on a hornet and devouring it, I'm sure the developers (Tiger Style, great logo) knew this and thats why they added an all-hornet stage.

There is a lot going on in this game, the price tag now seems small especially when compared to other "games" which might cost less but are far from offering such an in-depth experience. Is it the best game on the iPhone? I dont know, I havent played all games and of the ones I have played I'd say its definitely in the same category as Civilization Revolution: they're both deep, have great art and provide days of fun. (ok that link wasn't for the iPhone version of Civ Rev but can you blame me? its Catherine!). If anything Spider is easier to pick up and understand, hopefully that helps it sell more and hopefully that keeps comic book guy and his buddies making great games.