If you haven't been following the hype train, then you might not have known that "Marvel's Spider-Man" was recently released as a PlayStation 4 Exclusive. For the past two years, Marvel fans all over the world have been itching to swing around Manhattan as the Webslinger. I personally obtained my copy the Thursday before the game was released and was up for hours playing it. The game is breathtaking with beautiful graphics and a well-crafted narrative. Others may not understand but "Marvel's Spider-Man" is a revolutionary take on the superhero genre. There are so many points that I could focus on however, I will stick with the basics.
1. Developers
Insomniac Games has been around for years. One of their earliest IPs, "Spyro the Dragon", released in 1998. Some of their other games include "Ratchet and Clank" as well as "Sunset Overdrive." For many years, Insomniac Games focused on their own IPs rather than working on established property. However, when Sony/Marvel came to them about making a Spider-Man game, the company could not turn down the offer. Insomniac Games loves interacting with the fans. Countless developers on twitter reply to fan comments and suggestions about the game. One example of this includes the "Charged Jump" ability in the game. The name tells it all, a with the press of a button a player can have Spidey jump high into the air and begin webslinging with ease. It had been in previous Spider-Man games prior however it originally wasn't in "Marvel's Spider-Man". After some fan criticized, the jump was added to the game and is definitely an improvement.
2. Details
GiphyNew York City is beautiful. And the amount of detail for the tiniest landmarks is outstanding. While the Manhattan Island is different in the game, Insomniac has done an incredible job making the city feel like a living and breathing city. One example of are the citizens that walk around the city. All over the internet, actual New Yorkers are praising how accurate the citizens are in New York. One example is how some citizens in the game wear timberland boots. As during the harsh winter months in New York, the height of snowfall is shocking. In order to avoid getting drenched, New Yorkers wear Timberlands. Such a tiny detail is remarkable for people of New York.
Another amazing detail is just how accurate the skyscrapers and districts are in "Marvel's Spider-Man". While Insomniac Games couldn't get the license to use the likelihood of Freedom Tower, other skyscrapers like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building look phenomenal. There are even some fictional buildings in the game, like Avengers Tower (Located on the Upper East Side District). Easter Eggs like that make my heart grow personally. I love how Insomniac are world building with this new Spidey-verse. While some comic book games try to stray away from it, Insomniac embraces it.
3. Character/story
GiphyInsomniac Games wanted audiences to be introduced to their own version of Spider-Man. While there are some references to past medias of the Webslinger (Movies, Television, etc.) Insomniac didn't want their story to be a rehash of another classic spidey tale. And thus, a whole new story was crafted. This version of Peter Parker has been fighting crime for 8 years. He is now a 23-year-old young adult worried about paying bills and securing a well-paying job. While this is a slight departure to the classic high schooler/early college Peter Parker we all know, the writers of the game have done an excellent job of keeping Peter Parker's wit and characteristics the same. I have chuckled at so many one-liners uttered by Peter. One of the writers for the game revealed there were over 1,000 quips and one-liners written down for the game. Truly remarkable.
4. Graphical enhancements
I have been playing "Marvel's Spider-Man" all weekend and my mod mates have occasionally past the living area television, glancing at my shenanigans as the wallcrawler. The game is beautiful, with one of my mod mates being taken back by the fact it was a video game and not a movie. The game is beautiful, especially in 4k Resolution. Insomniac Games have put so much work in the tiniest details. For example, with the game's photo mode, a player can pause the game and position the game camera to take wacky or stellar screenshots. If one zooms into Spidey's costume, you can see every single weave within the fabric. The amount of processing that takes for a video game is insane. That is why fifteen years ago, the technology to do that was imaginative. The facial mocap is absolutely amazing as well. You can pause any clip from the game and look at every pour, every hair and more on a person's face. It is truly incredible.
5. Universal praise
If you don't have a twitter you might not have noticed just how well-liked "Marvel's Spider-Man" is across the board. For one thing, FOUR twitter moments have been published on the game. That is remarkable, I have never seen a huge comic book property get this much praise in just one week. The reviews for this game are listing the game at 9/10s. The game is not perfect (Nothing is) but it Is really close to being it.
In conclusion, "Marvel's Spider-Man" is an excellent console exclusive that might even be the definitive version of the Wallcrawler. Insomniac Games is open to creating more games on Marvel characters, so the possibilities are endless. So, if you love wise-cracks and webslinging around the concrete jungle of Manhattan, then go get "Marvel's Spider-Man" today.
