Spider-Man PS4 – or Marvel’s Spider-Man to give it its official title – is exactly what you’re expecting it to be. Insomniac Games is not trying to reinvent the open world wheel with this hotly anticipated PlayStation 4 affair – rather it’s merely set out to refine it with web-slinging precision. Having played through the full first two hours of the title, we can confirm that it lives up to every superlative associated with Peter Parker’s alter-ego – Amazing! Spectacular! Superior! – but there’s a strong chance you’ll already know whether it’s for you.
There have been some solid Spider-Man games over the years: Activision’s uber-popular Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation 2 is the one that’s perhaps most tightly webbed up in most people’s spider-memories, but the simply named Spider-Man on the PSone was also a decent romp. This author has particularly fond memories of The Amazing Spider-Man vs The Kingpin on the SEGA CD, but mostly because of its cock rock soundtrack and unintentionally funny FMV cut-scenes.
We’re confident saying this Sony published attempt is already the best yet. The game opens with a slow panning shot across Peter Parker’s bedroom, filled with the kind of Easter eggs that will have comic book fans salivating within seconds. The lead character, despite being a bit older than usual, is irreverent and awkward in a light-hearted way; his wise-cracking will irk some, but it’s true to the character and enjoyable enough.
Less grating is the gameplay, which is spot on. The title’s opening mission, which runs for about 45 minutes and introduces all of the mechanics, sees you bringing down big-boned baddie Wilson Fisk – a major player in this particular storyline. It’s a masterfully designed stretch of gameplay, gradually layering on all of the systems and getting you up to speed with the controls. It ends with the aforementioned baldy in custody, which is only the beginning of course.
There’s a lot going on here, from traversal to combat and everything in between. The swinging – undoubtedly the most important aspect of any Spider-Man game – feels slick and satisfying; you can get about on a basic level with the R2 button, but leaping out at the apex of each swing and adding in little momentum boosting zip dashes is the secret to getting real speed. It’s rhythmic in a really entertaining way, and there’s clearly a skill-based element to it even though it’s very accessible.
The fisticuffs require less of an introduction because they’re essentially Batman: Arkham Asylum – albeit with a slightly more acrobatic spin. Spidey can punch bad guys until they collapse, but his spider-sense will tingle aplenty, forcing you to dodge out of the way of incoming attacks. You can zip towards enemies in order to close distances, and even launch foes up into the air Devil May Cry-style; environmental items add contextual spontaneity to the action, while different enemy types require unique approaches.
It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but the way Insomniac iterates in the opening hours holds plenty of promise for the full campaign. There are gadgets to unlock – we only got to try one, a kind of supercharged web – and new suits to collect, all of which add unique abilities and perks to the mix. The cool thing is that you can pair the cosmetics of a particular suit with the capabilities of another, meaning that you can play pretty much exactly how you want to.
Everything in the open world has a purpose, even if it is effectively cookie cutter stuff. There are radio towers to locate – stop us if you’ve heard this one before – which show areas of interest on the map when synchronised. Peter’s old backpacks can be collected from around New York City, each containing a collectible which expands upon Spider-Man’s journey thus far. There are also landmarks to photograph, earning tokens which can then be invested into evolving the hero’s arsenal.
But this isn’t a game about web-slinging alone: Peter Parker also plays a pivotal role. Working as a scientist (MJ Watson is the investigative journalist in this universe), the 23-year-old University graduate will go to work, where all manner of mini-games await. The main one in the opening couple of hours sees you connecting circuits in a Pipe Mania-esque manner, but we get the impression there’ll be much more variety over the course of the full campaign.
It’s a total change of pace gameplay-wise, but it makes sense: this is still very much a story-driven experience, and as the developer itself says, the series is at its best when Spider-Man and Peter Parker’s worlds collide. It may be pulpy rather than borderline pretentious, but you can feel the PlayStation blueprint at play here: characters are motion-captured and the cut-scene direction is great.
It looks and runs lovely, too. We played on the PS4 Pro, and while a sun-drenched demo room prevented us from admiring the finer details, it’s clearly an extremely handsome game. The scale of New York City is particularly impressive, not just in terms of landmass but also verticality: sky-scrapers pierce the sky, and the whole location feels “alive” with everyday people going about their business – many of which will stop to admire the web-slinger or give him a piece of their mind.
The bottom line is that, even this early, we’re confident in saying that Insomniac's made the best ever Spider-Man game here. It may well subscribe to every open world trope under the web-spinning sun, but when the end-product is this polished and consistent then that’s not such a bad thing. Frankly, you’ll already know whether you want this game, but we’re more than happy to confirm that it meets expectations with aplomb.
Are you sold on Marvel's Spider-Man yet? Is this the superhero game you've been dreaming of? Check out our interview with creative director Bryan Intihar through here, and swing into the comments section below.
Comments 58
I played two hours, so please feel free to send me all your questions. I'll do my best to answer as many as possible!
You know guys, you coulda invited me to play the game too. I would have gladly paid for a flight to the UK to play this
Anyway, my collector's edition is fully paid off now, so it's just a matter of waiting for September. It's probably gonna be harder than paying that preorder.
I cannot wait to pick up my collectors edition
Ubisoft towers aside, this sounds like just the Spiderman game I've been waiting for! Ooohhh yes!
Hype!
@get2sammyb Who's cooler, Batman or Spider-Man?
@ShogunRok
Also, excellent preview, @get2sammyb and I'm sure you've made a heck of a lot of folk jealous around here!
@get2sammyb i agree with u playa.the first time i saw the ps4 spiderman game.i say to everyone else.this is going to be the best spiderman game ever.and i know for a fact its going to be the best.just like france winning the world cup.and my pittsburgh Steelers will win the Superbowl.word up son
@ShogunRok Batman is cooler. Let's be honest, Spider-Man is really annoying.
@LaNooch1978 30 frames-per-second. It's not native 4K, but it uses the same technique as Ratchet & Clank and looks stunning. I'm actually not sure about HDR, I'm afraid. Maybe another reader knows.
i'm smelling lot's of 9 and 10's.
bring it on!
Charge jump confirmed. Best Spider-Man game ever.
@get2sammyb did you get a chance to see how it looks on standard PS4? That's what I'll be playing it on.
@Turismo4GT Nope, sorry.
@get2sammyb Thanks Sammy. Hopefully it's just as well optimized and beautiful on standard PS4, just running at a lower resolution. 1080p, locked but I'll settle for dynamic resolution, fingers crossed.
@Turismo4GT I'm certain it will be. Sony's been pretty good with this. God of War was great on the standard PS4 for example. As was Detroit!
Can’t wait!
I think I've heard of it
Sounds pretty decent. I'll be sure to pick it up next year if the open world gameplay is actually engaging.
Please tell me why are you doing this to me, Sammy? Why do you want me to suffer for another full month?
Radio towers to show points of interest? Why is this lazy mechanic still a thing?
Still the game looks like a very good Batman clone, I'm just hoping it has enough of it's own ideas to set it apart as I can't say it looks that different so far
@Ralizah Should be on Switch huh ?
Where is the Nintendo Switch port?
Man reading all the previews from various sites, this sounds like a masterpiece! Just a bit over a month left, can't wait!
@get2sammyb
I only skimmed through the preview because I am, indeed, that afraid of spoilers, so forgive me if this was answered, but...
Is the radio tower thing annoying? With the exception of H:ZD, I find it to be tedious. Also, it seems non-sensical. Peter Parker was born and raised in New York, and this Spider-Man has been swinging for eight years, so what doesn't he know about Manhattan at this point?
@Ron22 Not really. I think the "concept" is that you're tapping into radio signals and stuff, so it's highlight Crime mini-missions on the map, etc.
Takes about 15 seconds to hack the towers, and I think it's overplayed how much of an "issue" this sort of mechanic is. Like it's definitely eyeball rolling because it's in every open world game ever... But it's also in every open world game ever because it makes sense.
I haven't read a single comic or anything on Spiderman but I usually enjoy the movies... I'll pick this one if the story and game as a whole ends as it's shaping to be. The thing is I'll miss every little detail fans of the character will recognize from the comics and stuff. I'm sad there's no decent Transformers game : /
@get2sammyb i bet you give this is 10.. this game might getting at least 92 on Metacritic.
Gamespot : 10
IGN : 10
Game informer : 9.75
Playstation Lifestyle : 10
@PS4fan I don't know about that. Let's not get crazy!
Dang, September 7th gonna be very insane busy day for me to play two games : Spider-Man and NBA 2k19...
@get2sammyb lol i mean if you review this then you give it is 10..
@PS4fan Haha, I liked what I played a helluva lot but it didn't really scream "10/10" to me. Only played two hours though so who knows?
@get2sammyb i has only 5 most anticipated games : this, Red dead redemption 2, Days Gone, NBA 2k19 and Resident Evil 2 Remake
Another great preview, looks like that PS4 will have another masterpiece.
Pretty excited about this now
@get2sammyb Can you say already that Spider-Man will have the quality of the Arkham series? Many folks say that Arkham games are the best adaptation for a comic book superhero.
@DerMeister You could just go to Burbank and camp outside their office until they let you in?
@playstation1995 New York Giants for the Superbowl, son. Word up!
@AFCC The time will pass quickly, don't worry!
@carlos82 I'd hazard because it's a mechanic that works well. Spider-Man is all about traversal, so it makes sense they'd give you things to traverse.
@MattSilverado I'm more or less the same, but I think that's fine. You can enjoy it as a casual fan, but there'll be more there for hardcore fans as well. Which is the way it should be.
@PS_Nation It feels in the realm of the Arkham games to me. A very high quality production across the board.
@b1ackjack_ps No. There's one attack button from what I remember, but you can also use Triangle to "zip" in closer to enemies, and you use Circle to dodge. R1 controls your webs, and then there's lots of little juggling combos you can do mixing them all together.
@get2sammyb Thanks. I haven't played a single God of War until the PS4 one, and I absolutely loved it. So I'm thinking this will be sitting on the same table ; )
Thumbs up for the correct title Sammy
Did someone say Ubisoft towers?!?
Wheeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!
@get2sammyb I'd just rather these were delivered in a more organic way depending upon what game it's in. My post earlier seemed quite negative but it wasnt meant to be, I'm definitely not the biggest Spider-Man or indeed Marvel fan but the game does look great and is certainly one I'm looking forward to.
Tell you what though, after the brief swinging section on the VR experience I'd love to swing through this game in VR
@get2sammyb One question...do you feel like once you finish the story there are post story missions or are there any sidequests?
I'm scared there's nothing else besides collectibles...
The Mega CD game is still my favourite. SAAAAAAVE THIS CITY!
@get2sammyb Which suits did you have access to? Can you talk about them? How many are there?
@get2sammyb nah playa.pittsburgh Steelers.Superbowl champions 2018.we got the killer bees.we the greatest.word up son
@get2sammyb
So, is it worth a preorder please Sammy, in your opinion?
@adf86 Haha! I added it in the first sentence just for you, and then Sony emailed requesting we use the correct name.
@AFCC Impossible to say, as we only got to play the first two hours. I'm sure there'll be plenty to do once you've finished, but I couldn't comment on that right now.
@Worlock_ed SAVE IT FROM THE HANDS OF DESTRUCTION!
@Athrum So in the demo you started out with the classic Spider-Man suit. Then it gets damaged and you get the one with the big white spider. I had a poke around the menu and there were silhouettes of at least 25 other suits, so looks like there's going to be a LOT to collect, but I didn't get to try any of them.
@b1ackjack_ps Thanks! I like answering them!
@playstation1995 Big blue coming for you.
@Futureshark I mean... You could always wait for reviews if you're still on the fence. You don't really have to pre-order anything to be honest, I'm sure shops will have stock in launch week. But sure, I'll be definitely buying it.
The only downer I've heard so far was the boss fight shown at E3 was a bit underwhelming. I've still got everything crossed for a great game though.
Oh I want it, day one purchase then!
Eh, if it's following all of the open world game tropes, count me out on day 1. I'm beyond burned out on those types of games right now.
You had me at “every open world trope under the web-spinning sun”
Very excited to play this...I think it will be yet another big PS4 hit...
@get2sammyb Hahaha they have togo to the playoffs first.pittsburgh Steelers best NFL franchises ever.word up son
@get2sammyb How'd you describe the Peter Park parts of the game compared to the web-slinging parts? Are these fun and entertaining enough on their own or are they more like the Desmond Miles parts in the old AC games?
I really hated being pulled out of the Animus only to be forced to play some Desmond story snippets.
My concern is, that I'd rather have my fun with Spider-Man and not want to be forced to play boring story parts as Peter Parker or MJ.
Of all the games on PS4 this year, I think the wait for this one might be the hardest. Can't wait! Love that they've put a bit of a spin on Peter and Mary Jane's backgrounds and professions, looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds for all the characters as much as I am swinging about taking on baddies.
@Thrillho I wasn't overly keen on the Kingpin fight at the start either, but I think it's supposed to be really straightforward because they're still teaching you the controls.
@JoeBlogs I'm actually not sure. I don't think so. Webs seems to work like a pistol.
@SMKpaladin Just put up a new article specifically about Peter Parker: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2018/08/hands_on_peter_parkers_gameplay_is_a_massive_departure_in_marvels_spider-man_on_ps4
@SegaBlueSky I can tease that there's a little more to Peter Parker's job that Insomniac's keeping secret. But we're not allowed to say more.
@get2sammyb Ooh, intrigued! Just about to check out that other article now.
Will there be any pizza delivery missions?
I can just tell this will be the best Spider-Man game ever, super hyped to play after Black Friday, assuming I don't buy day one.
Tap here to load 58 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...