Comic book adaptations haven't fared particularly well in their cellulose-to-Xbox transition, with the only exception being the outstanding XIII. Spawn, the most famous of illustrator Todd McFarlane’s comic creations, already has one movie adaptation and a couple of last-gen games under the belt of his living, symbiotic costume, so will Armageddon turn out to be the prophetic end of him?

Initially events seem quite promising. The backstory of our anti-hero is played out through some great-looking cutscenes, smattered with McFarlane’s customary dark and stylish flair. Spawn, previously an elite government assassin in life, is brought out of hell so he can see his wife once more, but must fight for the devil in the war between good and evil. A Necroplasm weapon has been fired on a near-future New York, and a portal to hell opened. Now you must fight for your survival, and that of the world...

Fans of the comics will immediately identify with the look of the game, as a suitably dark and gritty atmosphere is well conveyed, and having McFarlane advise on the development process has paid off. Your path is guided by green talisman waypoints, which, when touched, turn red and act as markers of your progress. However, these are made redundant by the linear gameplay, as our hero is limited as to where he can and can't go, and the old invisible-wall syndrome frequently curtails the potentially expansive environments.

Spawn has Necroplasm attack powers, which must be replenished by collecting plasm orbs. We're all for having some degree of help, but these are frequently laid out directly along the path you must take, like some hellish form of Hansel and Gretel. Whilst movement is mostly running and jumping, Spawn's chains come in handy as grappling hooks, allowing you to zip around the (admittedly small) area of a level, and his cloak provides a useful Glide option.

There are some winning touches. Hand-to-hand combat is achieved with his trusty axe, Agony, and although there aren't really any combo options, there is a liberal smattering of blood and gore. A large arsenal of weapons is at Spawn's disposal, including madcap machine-guns, brimstone cannons and a triple-barrelled rocket launcher, and these can all be upgraded with Soul Orbs, collected from slain enemies. However, your original chains are still the most effective weapons with the lock-on function.

The action never lets up either, and the bosses are huge and detailed, but the camera is an issue. How many times is a third-person actioner ruined by a camera getting stuck behind walls, randomly zooming in and out and limiting your view? Armageddon is guilty on all counts.

Spawn isn't the greatest comic book translation ever, but it's certainly fun for a couple of days. Unleash him if you dare.

Power
Nothing ground-breaking here. In fact, the animation sometimes looks a bit last-gen.

Style
Moody visuals, loads of gore and a Marilyn Manson soundtrack Great, if that's your bag.

Immersion
Surprisingly addictive once you discover the big guns, but levels get repetitive quickly.

Lifespan
Not a huge game, but fans will want to go back and unlock all the extra artwork.

Summary
A competent action game that stays faithful to the source material but is ruined by an awful camera.

1. Faithful to the feel of the comics
2. Explicit blood and gore
3. Satisfying weapons

1. Repetitive
2. Terrible camera hinders gameplay