With great power comes great responsibility, perhaps the most iconic line in the Spider-Man universe but I’m sure it crossed the minds of everybody over at Insomniac Games working on Marvel’s Spider-Man for PlayStation 4. It’s the first time the studio is working on a game that isn’t an original IP they created. Instead, they use the world created by Marvel to give it their own unique take. After spending some time with it, it’s clear to say that this is shaping up to be even better than first anticipated.
A different Peter Parker
Before we jump into the amazing game, it’s important to understand that this isn’t a game based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This Spider-Man is different and offers Insomniac Games’ own personal take on the iconic character. In the game, you’ll control the most experienced Spider-Man ever. Peter Parker graduated from college and has a job as a scientist in a lab. He’s been Spider-Man for eight years and he’s at his prime. This Peter Parker, this Spider-Man is more in control of what’s happening around him and straight from the start, he got an impressive set of skills. Since this is the most experienced Spider-Man we’ve seen to date, you might wonder if the game gets a bit too mature, losing track of that brilliant humor that makes Spider-Man such a loveable character. Well, after playing it, I can guarantee that the humor is still there. Spider-Man is still extremely funny and he doesn’t shy away from childish jokes.
I did spot a difference in the Peter Parker segments. Peter is way more serious and focussed on his job as a scientist. He uses his time wisely to discover new tools and mechanics while secretly working on the Spider-Man suits in his spare time. Peter got his life together but not everything goes the way he had planned it. His relationship with MJ is just one thing to prove this. During my hands-on, Peter and MJ crossed paths several times but they are far from the lovers I remember from the MCU. Their relationship definitely got some blows and I can’t wait to discover what’s going on. Peter Parker is clearly looking for new mentors while Spider-Man is searching for the best way to lead the city out of the chaos. This duality is extremely interesting, and right from the start, it’s a noticeable theme of this PlayStation 4 exclusive.
What an opening
During my hands-on with the game, I played the first couple of hours and I must say, I’m very impressed with the opening. Marvel’s Spider-Man doesn’t waste any time on a tutorial, it throws you straight into the action. The first big story mission is to take down Fisk aka the KingPin. Opening with such a strong and iconic enemy is perhaps the best way to go. During my quest to reach Fisk, I was introduced to this new powerful Spider-Man. Combat is extremely fast and reminded me of the Batman franchise. With just a couple of buttons, you’ll attack, dodge and sling in just seconds. This new combat is perhaps one of the biggest achievements of Insomniac Games. It’s extremely fast and you can even use objects from your environment to throw at your enemies. Everything you see is interactive and every wall you see can be climbed. The only thing I missed during my playthrough was the ability to lock a certain enemy. This would make it a bit easier to web so-called brutes instead of wasting my precious webs on normal enemies.
That being said, the combat is amazing and I loved every second of it. Ranging from me taking down waves of enemies on the top of a roof or me trying to survive the brutal force of Fisk, thanks to the combat, the game left an unforgettable first impression. After this insane combat, I got some time to breathe when I was introduced to Peter Parker’s side of the story. His segments are a lot slower and revolve around solving puzzles in the lab in order to create new things. That iconic white Spider-Man suit for example? Peter made that in his own lab after Fisk destroyed Spider-Man’s other suit! Although those segments were a bit slower, they do fit in the game and offer some needed variation. The first hour of the game feels like the opening of a new epic Marvel movie, including a solid soundtrack. I was simply blown away by it.
Discover the city
Now, we all know a Spider-Man game is more than just some kicking enemies and fooling around in the lab. A huge part of the game is the city. This one takes place in Manhattan where you’ll recognize some of the iconic buildings of our world and the ones found in the Marvel universe. The city never looked this good before and it’s clear to see that Insomniac Games is utilizing everything the PlayStation 4 Pro has to offer to deliver such a vibrant city. Although I focussed on the story during my hands-on, I couldn’t help but lose myself a couple of times, just swinging around in the city. Traversal is extremely important in a Spider-Man game and I think the team nailed it.
Swinging around felt extremely natural and after a couple of minutes, I was constantly swinging around the gorgeous city. Everything is physics based so if you played the older games, you can’t swing unless there’s something where you can attach your web onto. It’s way more realistic than ever before and it never felt this good. I was also amazed by the quality of the open world when I landed on the ground. Everything feels right in this virtual New York and the streets are as vibrant as the ones of the real city. Just like in the air, Spider-Man can move around extremely fluently on the ground. Insomniac Games used a parkours mechanic that’s similar to the one found in Sunset Overdrive to make sure Spidey won’t lose the advantage of his speed when on the ground.
I’m sure a lot of people will go for the story but I’m sure even more people will lose themselves in this mesmerizing city. There are tons of things to do ranging from stopping small crimes to collecting your backpacks all around the city. Although I loved every second of it, I wished that the team picked a different method to expand your city map. Taking pictures of iconic buildings or activating certain police radio towers are things that are done before. That being said, this is one of the most fun open worlds I’ve seen recently and I only saw the tip of the iceberg, I’m sure this Manhattan has tons of secrets to discover.
Insomniac Games is the best thing that could happen for Spider-Man
After spending some time with the game, there’s only one thing I can conclude. Insomniac Games is the best thing that could happen for Spider-Man. The company has a rich history of creating unique worlds filled with amazing gadgets. They used this experience to create one of the best open worlds I’ve seen in a Spider-Man game but they also give Spider-Man tons of new gadgets. Although I’ve only played it for a couple of hours, I’m sure a lot of gamers will instantly fall in love with this new Spider-Man. No, this isn’t the same superhero as on the movie screen, this might be an even better one.
Tested on a PlayStation 4 Pro during a hands-on preview event
Want to learn more? Be sure to check out my interview with Insomniac Games’ Ryan Schneider.
