Marvel's Spider-Man Photo Mode PS4 PlayStation 4 1

Photo mode is an unusual phenomenon, isn't it? Who'd have thought that we'd warm to what is quite an involved, fiddly screenshot generator? The DualShock 4's Share button enables us to immediately upload our best efforts to social media, but we can spend an incredible amount of time fine tuning a single shot. I personally have enjoyed using the mode in games like Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, DriveClub, and Horizon: Zero Dawn, but while I've been able to produce some pretty cool images, it can be a painstaking process.

I think that's why I've warmed to the photo mode in Marvel's Spider-Man much more. On the surface, it's much the same as the offerings found in the aforementioned games, but Insomniac's take is more compulsive, at least for me. Part of the reason for this is that a lot of the advanced options found in, say, Gran Turismo Sport's photo mode are missing; things like exposure or shutter speed are excluded. Some photo mode fans might take issue with the slimmer selection of options, but for me, it's less intimidating. Field of view, focus distance, and aperture are your fancy sliders -- aside from that, it's filters, frames, and stickers.

In other words, the mode is far more accessible. The focus has been shifted off the tools and onto the fun side of things, and Insomniac wasn't afraid to throw in some excellent new toys to play with. The selfie camera is a stroke of genius; it plays into Spidey's lighthearted nature, and you can adjust his eye lenses to suit the scenario. Creative use of frames and stickers can also lead to some hilarious results. I love the fact that this photo mode allows you to be super silly or arty-farty, depending on what you're shooting for. Even the free camera's controls, which are usually quite finicky, are better here.

Aside from having to enter the pause menu to find it, the photo mode in Marvel's Spider-Man is easily the most compulsive example I've used. It helps that the photogenic web head himself is nearly always striking a cool pose of some kind, and that Manhattan is a richly detailed environment. You can pause the action almost anywhere and be able to create a snazzy snap. It's light on advanced features, but by keeping it simple and emphasising the fun factor, this is by far my favourite game to photograph.

Do you agree with Stephen? Have you been snapping Spidey shots in the latest PS4 exclusive? What's your favourite photo mode on PS4? Smile for the camera in the comments below.