A Spider For The Ages
Superheroes are all the rage. A constant stream of big-budget movies, television shows and video games satisfy armies of fans who always hunger for more. While it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what lit the fuse of mainstream superhero-mania, one likely culprit is 2002’s Spider-Man. It broke box-office records, and thrilled web-headed fans everywhere.
Since then, countless video games have given players the chance to play as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. 2004’s Spider-Man 2 was particularly good, embracing an open-world design and realistic web-swinging mechanics. Since then, Spider-Man games have been somewhat mediocre. Fast-forward to 2018: Insomniac releases Spider-Man for PlayStation 4.
The game immediately throws the player into the familiar spider suit, and out the window of a high-rise apartment. The web-swinging mechanic is easily one of the best parts of the game, something which is apparent even in the first few minutes. The combination of intuitive controls, excellent animations, and breathtaking environments creates a thrilling experience that doesn’t get old.
What A Beautiful Web We Weave
Visually, Spider-Man is stunning from start to finish. Every frame is a rich tapestry of cutting-edge graphics and exquisite attention to detail. The city itself is as well-rendered as it is well-suited for web-swinging action. From top to bottom, this city is a playground perfectly suited for Spider-Man’s abilities. Wall-running, then launching off of a ledge before swinging through a tight space (all triggering animations that have serious wow-factor), is exhilarating.
The visuals during cut-scenes are more than adequate. The faces of the game’s main characters are rendered in a way that achieves hyper-realism without being distracting. A very realistic recreation of Stan Lee even makes a brief appearance; a chuckle-worthy cameo that feels right at home.
The combat is a visually engaging experience, and the chaos never obscures the important visual cues. The spidey-sense mechanic works exceptionally well, and quickly becomes second nature. Spider-Man’s suit powers and gadgets have a visual flair that makes using them all the more entertaining. Experimenting with various combinations of abilities is a fun way to find one’s preferred play-style, and the intuitive interface makes swapping or upgrading said abilities an easy task.
The audio in this game is truly exceptional. The music follows the tone of what’s happening on screen flawlessly. The sound effects are gloriously bombastic, furthering the cinematic feel of the game. The voice acting is a shining example of good writing and good performance. As a matter of fact, some dialogue was recorded more than once for action-specific playback. In other words, there’s a calm version for if Spider-Man is standing still, and an out-of-breath version for when he’s swinging through the city. This level of attention to detail is impressive.
Man Beneath The Mask
The story is an engaging exploration of Spider-Man that isn’t afraid to focus on his life as Peter Parker as well. Peter has a lot on his plate, and there are numerous sections of the game which focus on the stresses of his life out of the spider suit. These scenes help fuel an emotional connection to the game’s events, and set the stage for scenes focusing on other playable characters.
The game has numerous villains and side-characters that fans will recognize, including the primary antagonist: Mister Negative. Without spoiling anything, I can say that he makes a fine villain; Negative is an insidious individual, and provides plenty of motivation to see him stopped. From his earliest appearance, the game gives his actions emotionally crushing consequences.
A Busy Spidey-Schedule
Progressing through the main story is only 10-12 hours of gameplay, but the number of side-quests is staggering. From backpack collecting to landmark photography to spontaneous crimes throughout the city, there’s a lot to do. The screwball challenge mission is a highlight; the humorous commentary on online streaming culture is very enjoyable.
Leveling up is how new abilities and gadgets become available, and the pacing is excellent. By simply swinging through the city, one passes enough missions and collectibles to level up at a brisk pace. While it’s possible to fast-travel through the map using the subway, I would not recommend it. Aside from the xp opportunities found while traversing the city, there’s a hysterical podcast by John Jonah Jameson that only plays if you swing to your destination.
More Than A Must-Play
Spider-Man is a masterful example of quality game design. The amount of detail Insomniac managed to cram in is astounding. Not just detail for fans of Spider-Man, but detail for fans of polished video games. Exploring their rendition of New York City is a treat unto itself. The web-swinging mechanics alone make this game a must-play, but the quality storytelling, combat, missions, voice acting and attention to detail make it a masterpiece. The replay value might not be very high, but this game is a thrill ride everyone should experience at least once. Spider-Man gets a high-flying, web-slinging 4.5 out of 5.
If you’d like to experience Spider-Man’s latest adventure for yourself, the game is available now exclusively on PlayStation 4. There is a standard edition and a Deluxe edition including additional missions, characters and suits available for $59.99 and $79.99 respectively.
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