There are a number of highly popular games and franchises that I have never played before. As a gamer, it’s almost sacrilege to say that you’ve never played Resident Evil or Final Fantasy. Marvel’s Spider-Man is also supposed to be a must-play (especially with the sequel coming up), but it wasn’t on my list yet.
Due to this blog, I have to somewhat keep up with what’s happening in the media world. That’s why I made the noble sacrifice of delving into these games. The first game I can scratch off my to-do list is Marvel’s Spider-Man. The question is: do I now understand the hype around this game? Find out in this Marvel’s Spider-Man Review.
A review from a non-Spider-Man fan. A non-Spider-Fan, if you will.
Before I continue with the review, it’s important to know that I’m not necessarily a Spider-Man fan. I saw a few movies with Tobey Maguire a long time ago, but that’s about it. So, this review is entirely focused on the gameplay and story of the game itself. It won’t be compared to the established worlds of comics/movies or other previously released material.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get web-swinging!
First Impression
My first impression is that I am immediately pleasantly surprised. Due to all the hype surrounding this game, I have seen some gameplay before. Web-swinging (or is it web-slinging?) looked entertaining in YouTube videos, but not much more than that.
However, when I swung through the New York skyscrapers for the first time myself, it felt amazing. The animations are smooth, and the pace is fast. The light shines and reflects beautifully on the buildings. When you swing at great heights, the sound fades, and you almost feel like you’re in a different world. As you approach street level, the busy city sounds emerge: sirens, honking, talking people. The city feels vibrant and looks beautiful. It won’t be a punishment to spend time here in the coming days!
Gameplay
We spend a lot of time swinging around the city. As stated, that gameplay element is spot on. Marvel’s Spider-Man includes a fast travel system, but I rarely used it.
But enough about that, the game isn’t called Marvel’s Web Swinging-Man. There’s more to being a superhero than just that. It doesn’t take long before we find ourselves in the first fight, and it doesn’t disappoint. Spider-Man bounces around at a high tempo and does what you tell him to do when you tell him to do it.
You’ll sometimes find yourself in the middle of a huge group of enemies. As a game developer, it’s challenging to balance this kind of scenario. It’s easy to cause frustration in players, for example, if they accidentally attack the wrong enemy. And how do you ensure that players keep track of what’s happening and have enough time and space to dodge different attacks from various, sometimes invisible, angles?
Developer Insomniac Games handles these challenges excellently. Thanks to Spider-Man’s agility and speed, you have all the tools you need. The Spider-Sense is a crucial aid. When you’re under fire, an icon appears above Peter Parker’s (Spider-Man, for my fellow non-fans) head. You then have a short amount of time to press O and dodge the attack. The hero then jumps out of the way like a graceful ballerina. If you time it right, he does it in slow motion, and it looks awesome.
Defending yourself feels almost as satisfying as attacking, which is no small feat. After all, defending usually feels like a mandatory routine in order to keep throwing these punches.
Nice and all, but you know what they say: the best defense is a good offense. Fortunately, you have plenty of options at your disposal for that too. The basics are simple; press the attack button and aim in the direction of the enemy you want to attack. Spider-Man then performs quick combinations. Do you want to shift your focus halfway to another threat? No problem. You can smoothly link the attacks together and easily unleash your fighting skills on anyone who is even remotely close and dares to cross your path.
You build up focus for different combinations and evasions, which causes more damage. It can also be used for finishers, which are once again visually spectacular in slow-motion.
The environment is full of objects that you can swing around and throw at enemies. These are things like crates, trash cans, and even motorcycles. You can also throw back grenades and rockets to where they came from. The entire world is at your disposal to deal extra damage. Non-lethal damage, of course..
Spider-Man has a wide range of gadgets on offer. In many cases, you have to unlock them by completing various side missions and activities. Gadgets like electric webs and the Spider-drone help you make short work of your opponents. These tools can also be upgraded.
In addition, you have the choice of different outfits. Most of these have a unique outfit power. Think of powers that prevent your opponents from calling for backup, or four extra mechanical arms to hit around with.
Story
The story begins when Spider-Man puts the Kingpin of Crime, Fisk, behind bars (with your help, of course). The heavyweight warns that his absence will leave a power vacuum that will turn the criminal world upside down. And the man is right.
A new criminal organization called Inner Demons emerges and terrorizes New York. Spider-Man must put a stop to this, while balancing his personal life with his superhero existence. He helps his Aunt May in the homeless shelter F.E.A.S.T, and has a complicated relationship with his ex MJ (no, not the singer). He also assists Doctor Otto Octavius as a research assistant. As true fans know, this last part plays an important role in our hero’s development.
In my opinion, Marvel’s Spider-Man doesn’t rely on the story so much. Again, I’m not a Spider-Man fan and not familiar with the Marvel world at all. With my limited knowledge, I assume this is a typical superhero story. You encounter typical evil enemies with superpowers, swing from one to another, and it feels like ‘just another day at the office’ for Spider-Man.
Without entering spoiler territory, just when I was getting more invested in the story, it ended. Towards the end, some more emotions started creeping in, especially with the hero Peter Parker. This was well portrayed and also well voice acted by the always reliable Yuri Lowenthal.
But Spider-Man probably shouldn’t be too emotional either. After all, it’s presented as light-hearted, and we can also count on Yuri Lowenthal in that area. Peter Parker’s Spider-Man fires catchy one-liners at you at a rapid pace. His character seems carefree and cheerful at first glance, but occasionally we realize that this is somewhat of a mask. Pun intended.
When Spider-Man takes off his mask, we learn more about Peter Parker’s true character. These were the moments that grabbed me and pulled me more into the story.
One of those occasions is the fact that Peter Parker clearly still cares about his ex Mary Jane. He is happy when he reconnects with her, and uncertain when things don’t go according to plan. This is undoubtedly relatable for anyone who has been in this situation.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. I truly wish Peter Parker all the love in the world, but personally, I would rather not play as his love interest Mary Jane. The journalist helps the superhero occasionally, but of course, she does not have superpowers. When we are put in her shoes, we are forced to work stealthily and without superpowers. I personally found these parts less enjoyable.
I am not someone who constantly needs action and I can appreciate detours that lead to more background information in a story. But in this case, I didn’t feel like these parts added much to the story, and they kind of dragged the pace of the game down.
Side-missions and Activities
Besides the story, the game is packed with other optional activities. You can choose to assist the police in defeating criminals at every turn. There are collectibles that are undoubtedly fun references for people who are more familiar with this universe. For explorers, there are also many photo opportunities where you can capture the highlights of New York on camera (think Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, etc.).
Usually, I leave these collectibles untouched. If I happen to come across one, great, but I don’t go out looking for them. Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of the few games where I did go looking for them, purely because of the enjoyable web swinging.
Peter Parker can also spend time in Otto Octavius’ laboratory. Here, you can solve various puzzles to earn extra XP. I found these activities all quite enjoyable, and they didn’t feel like a chore. I’ve completed most of these side-activities, which is something I can say about very few games.
Conclusion
Marvel’s Spider-Man is a true Spider-Man simulation. It clearly aims to put players in the shoes of the superhero (does he even have shoes?), and it succeeds brilliantly. You’re not just a player guiding a character through missions on the screen. You are Spider-Man.
Swinging around beautifully rendered New York feels fantastic and remains a great way of transportation throughout the entire playthrough. The fights are intense, fast, and spectacular.
The story didn’t quite grip me. It may be due to the fact that I’m not a big Marvel fan personally. The handful of emotional moments that are in the game are handled well. The characters are largely likeable and the enemies do their job.
The entertainment factor is incredibly high. I’ve rarely been so close to a 100% completion. I’m probably one of the last people to play this game, but otherwise, I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
After five years, I finally understand why this game was so hyped, and why the sequel is so highly anticipated. One thing is for sure; I won’t let Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 wait for five years. That one will be hitting my door mat on release date.
