Spider-Man review: The best of both worlds from Insomniac Games
Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man perfectly balances the world of Spider-Man, as well as Peter Parker. It’s the best Spider-Man game ever.
The biggest question prior to the release of Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man was whether or not it would deliver on the hype. Every small reveal, every bit of gameplay, and every glimpse at the same was simply spectacular. It was, without a doubt, one of the most anticipated games in recent years. Sadly, some games don’t always live up to the expectations some fans have. Spider-Man is completely different. In fact, it surpasses every expectation and then some.
Before we iron out the details, let it be known that this will be a spoiler-free review. We may discuss some character details, but we will try our very best to not touch on any of the plot points. It’s very important for most players to get the best experience by simply playing it themselves.
In reality, it’s been awhile since we’ve had a good Spider-Man game which exceeds in multiple areas. Many developers have tried to create the most well-rounded game possible based on this character. For example, Treyarch Studios (Call of Duty: Black Ops series) is one developer which has created multiple games in this universe.
Some standouts include Spider-Man 2, which is arguably one of the best Spider-Man games ever, and Ultimate Spider-Man. What made these entries so innovative is the web-slinging feeling so intuitive and fresh.
Then there’s other developers, such as Neversoft and Beenox, which took a more linear approach with 2000’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. Both of these games had fun storytelling and mostly focused on level-based stages with fun combat.
Along comes Insomniac Games. Known for the Ratchet & Clank series and Sunset Overdrive, taking on this project was a new venture for them. It’s safe to say they passed this test with flying colors. Spider-Man blows every other game in the series out of the water, delivering the most well-balanced experience on all fronts.
Gameplay (Open world, combat, skills, and customization)
Spider-Man introduces the most innovative open-world to date (at least in the series). What excelled in Spider-Man 2 with the side missions and the web-slinging, Insomniac Games has propelled this to the next level. Web-slinging has never felt this smooth and at times, you’ll lose track of time because of how fun it really is. You can swing through buildings using a variety of different acrobatic skills.
From jumping through small gaps in buildings and alleyways, to jumping through cranes, this is the game that helps you take the most advantage of Spider-Man’s abilities. This also transitions flawlessly into the combat and skills you can develop.
Before we discuss that further, let’s touch on the other aspects of the open-world. Other than web-slinging your way through the main story missions, you can perform a variety of other tasks. For example, taking pictures of different historical landmarks is an absolute blast. Throwing in selfies here and there is also pretty fun.
Other tasks include taking out waves of enemies at secret hideouts and taking care of the environment through research stations.
If we’re being honest, at first, it felt a bit repetitive. It seemed as if we were doing some of the same side missions over and over again. However, as the game went on, they each get a bit more original and in fact, fun to do. You’ll actually want to complete these since you get rewarded. As fun as it may be though, Insomniac Games could’ve taken more advantage of everything this world has to offer by adding a bit more to do.
The combat is very similar to that of the Batman: Arkham series. It’s very combo-based, the dodge mechanics are essential, and the animations are stellar. At first, it’ll get some getting used to since there’s a slight learning curve. However, once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature, and you’ll find yourself getting creative with all of the possibilities.
Combat definitely varies on how you use it. You can either be fighting one-on-one, which is usually against big time bosses or the last thug left in the group. But, the majority of the time is you switching off between one bad guy to another. You can keep it on the ground and throw hands (and kicks), use your Spidey abilities and take it airborne, or you can swing in the action and finish them off. There are also some slick finishers we still can’t get over.
Switching off to the skills portion, as you progress through the game, you’re awarded skill points, which you can use to improve your character. You can unlock skills based on hand-to-hand combat, known as Innovator, you can be defensive as a Defender, or you can be Webslinger. Each is unique in its own way, but they’re all essential to your success and when used together, things can get interesting.
You can also upgrade your gadgets and, one of the most entertaining parts of the game, unlocking all the suits.
Story and characters
This game delivers one of the best stories in the series and of the year. You’re emotionally invested the moment you start realizing what’s happening and, in some cases, that’s rare to find in a game. What’s so amazing about these Marvel games is how the company is giving the developers complete freedom to craft the stories they want to tell. That’s very evident in Spider-Man.
For the most part, the story takes inspiration from a number of topics in the comics. At the same time, it makes it its own as well. A couple of small details include Mary Jane now being a writer for the Daily Bugle. Another is J. Jonah Jameson, who everyone knows as Peter’s boss who despises Spider-Man with a fiery passion. Now, he is retired and hosts a radio show, where he continuously spews hate towards Spider-Man. Not much has changed.
By far, what makes this story so compelling is how it combines the best of both Spider-Man’s and Peter’s worlds. The majority of the game, you’re playing as Spider-Man, but there are various instances where you’re also playing as Peter. These parts of the game are brief, but they’re just as entertaining and deliver a different feel and experience in the game.
As Spider-Man, it’s all about the action. You’re swinging from building to building, taking out the bad guys, or exploring the world. As Peter, you’re engaging more with other characters in the game and you get a better idea of what his life is like outside of being a superhero. There’s no other Spider-Man game that has done this to this capacity and it’s refreshing to see. Spider-Man/Peter are two sides of the same coin and this game perfectly captures that.
Other than playing as Peter, there are also instances where you play as Mary Jane and even Miles Morales. No combat is involved, but they’re pretty cool stealth sequences where you’re sneaking around other enemies and trying not to get caught. A very cool addition, indeed. All this brings the story together in a unique way.
The only gripe we have about the story is the length. It clocks in at about 20 hours, which isn’t bad at all. We’re just being selfish, though. With the extensive lore of the Spider-Man comics, this story can easily be 35 hours or more. Then again, there’s a ton of side missions outside of the story, not including everything else that could be done in the open-world. So, it’s not that much of a negative.
You get to see a bunch of familiar characters from the series. For example, there’s Dr. Otto Octavius, which you can see pictured above. There’s also other popular villains, like Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, Mr. Negative, Shocker, Electro, Rhino, and so on.
This world has a ton of potential to bring in even more characters. Maybe with future DLC, we’ll see that happen.
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Verdict
Hands down, Spider-Man is one of the best games of the year and the best Spider-Man entry to date. It has the smoothest controls, the best visuals, the story is extremely compelling, and you’ll spend hours exploring this world.
We wish the story was a tad bit longer and the open-world had some more things to do. However, the variety and quality is definitely there, which trumps just about everything else. What stands out the most is how you get the best of Spider-Man and the best of Peter.
He’s a very complex character on both fronts and this game perfectly showcases that. It’s a well-rounded experience all the way through and you won’t be able to put the controller down.
Score: 9.5/10