When Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4 came out in 2018, I did not get a chance to play it. I never owned a PlayStation console before the year 2021 so I missed out on so many great games that Sony had to offer with their console exclusives. After getting my hands on a PS5 and a copy of "Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered", I can confirm that this is probably my favorite iteration of the “masked menace” in this medium. This game delivers the action, writing, and most importantly, the feeling of being Spider-Man.
I got really excited in the game’s opening act. Spider-Man was going to take down the Kingpin, a.k.a. Wilson Fisk, as was finishing some paperwork before the first boss battle and jokingly made sure he added the hyphen between “Spider” and “Man” as if he was writing him a letter. I know it is a bit of an exhausted meme in the Spider-Man fandom, but I think it set the tone for the rest of the game. An action-packed web slinging adventure that only the studio Insomniac could deliver. While it did have some serious moments, especially between Parker and Octavius, the experience was generally fun and full of life. Spider-Man faced some of his greatest foes and helped the good people of New York all while breaking the tension with his trademark quips. Side characters like Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, and Miles Morales made an appearance and served as a break from Peter Parker’s hectic double life. The story ended in tragedy, but important lessons were learned as well. It is a common theme for Spider-Man at the end of the day.
The gameplay was addicting and intuitive but it has its problems. The core gameplay loop is easy to learn and after a few fights, you can become a master at the Way of the Spider. That was the good, now comes the bad. It is no secret that Spider-Man is tech savvy but some of his gadgets just make the game too easy, even on spectacular difficulty. A few are fine but gameplay speaking, I never felt the need to think about what gadget to use on certain enemies. This made the gameplay a bit repetitive towards the end after you’ve unlocked everything, and the game didn’t award flashy combos aside from a few more XP. Now for the ugly. The stealth mechanics seemed lackluster even though there are so many stealth sections throughout my playthrough. It seemed optional with little downside except for a couple of parts through some story missions. All in all, the gameplay is solid but could use some improvements which I hope to see in the next game. Less gadgets, more enemy variety, improved stealth mechanics and I think Spider-Man will move like no spider ever has.
Despite its flaws, I believe the game’s greatest strength is making you feel like Spider-Man. New York feels alive, the combat is engaging, and the action sequences are amazing. There are tons of superheroes out there but there is a reason Spider-Man is on a lot of top 5 lists. He is the embodiment of the human spirit and never giving up no matter what life throws at you. I recommend all Spidey fans to experience this game 8/10.
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