Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man is among the few superhero video games that truly make players feel like the hero they're controlling.
- Marvel's Spider-Man, released in 2018, still holds up with its excellent graphics and gameplay, and it has paved the way for the superhero gaming genre.
- However, the true success of Marvel's Spider-Man lies in its dedication to the source material and a compelling story that keeps it relevant even five years later.
Superhero video games have been around almost as long as the medium itself, but in that time, only a handful of games have truly made players feel like the hero they're controlling. As video games have gotten more advanced, superhero titles have gotten steadily closer to providing that power-trip fantasy that fans are looking for, and in 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum finally delivered on that promise. And while the Batman: Arkham games had a monopoly on the superhero gaming genre for quite some time, 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man swung in to throw its own hat in the ring, and it made quite the impact.
Released on September 7, 2018, Marvel's Spider-Man turns five years old today, but it certainly doesn't look it. Thanks to a PS5 remaster, Marvel's Spider-Man still looks and feels just as excellent as it did back in 2018, and even with a sequel now right around the corner, the original is still worth diving into today. Not only did Marvel's Spider-Man lay the foundations for an excellent sequel, but also for the entire superhero gaming genre moving forward.
Marvel's Spider-Man Has Paved the Way for the Superhero Gaming Genre
Marvel's Spider-Man, by all accounts, is a great game. Though its side missions may have been a bit lackluster and repetitive, just about every other aspect of Marvel's Spider-Man was practically perfect, at least in the ways that actually mattered. With a clear passion for the source material, Insomniac Games delivered one of the most engaging takes on the Spider-Man mythos, perfectly blending familiar backstories with fresh new twists to keep even the most die-hard Spidey fans invested. Along with this came some of the best portrayals of some decades-old characters, with a showstopping performance from Yuri Lowenthal driving the game's story to new heights.
Of course, though it's definitely an integral element, a superhero game isn't just about its story, setting, or characters; it also needs to have good gameplay, and Marvel's Spider-Man certainly had that. While its combat borrowed heavily from Batman: Arkham's freeflow design, it used it only as a groundwork to ensure success, putting plenty of unique Spidey flavor into the final product with plenty of Web Gadgets and an emphasis on aerial combos. Marvel's Spider-Man also didn't disappoint in the web-swinging department, another vital component in any Spidey game. Though some fans prefer a more realistic, physics-based approach to web-swinging, Marvel's Spider-Man's struck the perfect balance between accessible and rewarding.
When it's all combined together in one neat and polished package, Marvel's Spider-Man is still a phenomenal superhero game, and it has paved the way for an even greater sequel. Much like recent sequels like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor or Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, all Marvel's Spider-Man 2 needs to do to be a success is continue to refine and improve upon its predecessor's already stellar groundwork, and it seems like it's doing just that. With new traversal mechanics, more combat options, a refined UI, a potentially darker and more gripping story, and Venom himself, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 looks like it could be the perfect sequel.
But Marvel's Spider-Man hasn't only laid the groundwork for its upcoming sequel, as it has also set up a formula and structure that the rest of the superhero gaming genre should follow for success. Marvel's Spider-Man teaches the rest of the superhero genre that the source material needs to be handled with extreme care, by a team that's incredibly passionate about it, and that this source material needs to be adapted closely but given some unique spins and twists to make it feel fresh. Marvel's Spider-Man also proves that while it's important to have satisfying and engaging gameplay mechanics, it's the game's heart, characters, and story that will elevate it to new heights and keep it just as relevant half a decade later.
Marvel's Spider-Man is available on PS4 and PS5.
