Spider-Man Preview – A Tangled Web of Surprise

Insomniac Games’ vision of Spider-Man brings the character to life in a brand-new and exciting way. Find out more in our PS4 Spider-Man preview!
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Set some time after Peter Parker’s origin story as the talented web-slinging hero, Insomniac Games’ take on the Spider-Man series aims to bring PS4 players a brand-new and exciting look at the well-known web-slinger. There’s a lot to love about the look of the new Spider-Man on PlayStation 4, from intense fight sequences to more realistic web-slinging mechanics, we can’t wait to dive headfirst into Insomniac’s take on the Spider-Man franchise when it releases this September. Let’s take a closer look in our Spider-Man preview.

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Developed exclusively for the PlayStation 4, Insomniac Games’ re-imagining of Spider-Man aims to bring the beloved superhero back to the forefront of superhero video games by diving deep into a complex fighting system that is easy for players to pick up but takes time for them to master. It’s a mixture of old-school Spider-Man meets the combat from the well-received Arkham series, which saw Rocksteady make Batman a household name in video games around the world.

On top of combat, though, Spider-Man also dives deep into the investigate side of things, with new gameplay showing off several sequences that have players looking around for clues, investigating crimes, and even coming up with their own conclusions. It creates a complex dynamic—even focusing pretty heavily on Mary Jane’s involvement in the story—that gives players a deeper connection to the series than previous Spider-Man games ever have.

Navigation is also a very big component in the game, and players who dive in will find themselves exploring a world that feels massive and alive. Swinging through the world via web feels realistic and more immersive, with the system relying heavily on players actually connecting Parker’s web to buildings and physical items throughout the world. This gives the swinging a more immersive feeling, while also giving players a more grounded experience that throws back to the older Spider-Man games.

As players fight their way through the city, taking on all of the threats that come up against Spider-Man, they will need to pay attention to their environment, making sure to use any advantages that they can find within the world to give them a leg up against the various enemies that come across their paths. Players can also look forward to seeing quite a few different threats throughout the city, as Insomniac Games has stated that the game’s enemies will not scale in level, instead the overall threats throughout the city will change and evolve, which should help the world feel more vibrant and alive.

Players will have plenty of ways to approach situations in Spider-Man, giving them a ton of options when it comes to dealing with issues. Players can take the direct approach, diving right into the combat system, or sneak their way around, taking out enemies one by one, never drawing attention to yourself. This will give players a nice variation throughout the missions that they undertake, allowing them more than one way to experience the story that Insomniac has to tell.

There is a lot to love about Spider-Man and we’re excited to dive into the game when it releases this coming September. Sure, it might not be the first superhero game out there, but after years without a proper Spider-Man game, it’s really nice to see a developer bringing the character to life in a brand-new and exciting way that promises to deliver one of the best experiences of the year. By focusing on Peter Parker’s later years as a crime-solving, masked vigilante, Insomniac Games has set themselves up for a homerun.


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About the Author

Josh Hawkins

Josh has been exploring fantastic worlds and getting lost in video games for as long as he can remember. Starting out on the Super Nintendo with Super Mario World, and ending up in the world of next-generation gaming. He enjoys digging into the story and lore of massive RPGs, as well as getting lost just trying to make that last jump in any platformers he gets pulled into, as well as everything in between. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Entertainment.