Sorry for the pun in advance but I’ve been dying to play an “Amazing” Spider-Man game ever since Spider-Man 2 released way back in 2004. Even though I have a very rational and totally justifiable fear of arachnids, the web-head still stands out as one of my favorite superheroes.
Here’s everything you need to know about Marvel’s Spider-Man:
How Rocksteady Paved the Way for Spider-Man
It’s always been a struggle to play superhero games. Most of them are uninspired titles that are just cheap spin-offs of the heroes’ films. That was until Rocksteady Studios got their hands on Batman. Rocksteady released a Batman game called Arkham Asylum in 2009 and it changed the genre’s standards forever. We no longer had to suffer through superhero games like this:
Arkham Asylum’s breath of fresh air combat and original story struck a chord with gamers and eventually, the studio decided to make a sequel.
In 2011, Arkham City was released and, like its predecessor, it exceeded expectations. This sequel was so good that it was actually in the running for Game of the Year and if it wasn’t for a little game called Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, it probably would have won.
Let’s fast forward four years to Batman: Arkham Tank Simulator. Sorry, I meant Arkham Knight. Yes, it wasn’t as good as Arkham City but it was still a fantastic send-off for the series.
What does any of this have to do with Spider-Man?
Chill out, I’m getting there. Insomniac Games, the same guys behind Sunset Overdrive and the Ratchet & Clank series, announced at E3 2016 that they would be developing a Spider-Man game exclusively for the PlayStation 4. It’s no secret that the Arkham series has heavily impacted the upcoming PS4 exclusive. The combat is strikingly similar to the Rocksteady Batman saga with various moves and gadgets to select from (just like Rocksteady’s Arkham games).
Gameplay Details
Although this game has taken some pointers from Arkham, it is still at its heart a Spider-Man game. The developers at Insomniac have stated that one of the most crucial parts of a great Spider-Man game is fun web-swinging. This is something that everyone who has had the chance to play Marvel’s Spider-Man said was one of the best aspects during their play sessions.
Check out this excerpt from an article by Chaim Gartenberg of The Verge where he explains how web-swinging plays out in the game:
“You really feel like Spider-Man is flying around as a weight at the end of a rope. And by chaining your swings correctly, you can build momentum and speed just like you’d expect in real life (if swinging around New York City were a possibility, that is).”
Gartenberg ended the article by saying:
“But the swinging is definitely the star of the show. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to soar through the streets of Manhattan like Peter Parker, you’ll definitely want to give Spider-Man a try when it comes out in September.”
If you didn’t care for the game’s E3 2017 demo and have concerns about quick-time events ruining your experience, I have some uplifting news for you. Community Director at Insomniac Games James Stevenson told GamesRadar that players will not have to indulge in these QTE moments too much:
“It’s a free roaming New York open world, so this is a set piece in the game. Even then, if you clock that nine minute demo there’s only about 20 seconds of QTEs, whereas the rest of it you’re in control of the combat, you’re in control of the traversal, you’re running through that building on fire. I wouldn’t even classify the helicopter because you’re climbing up the outside. And certain buttons do certain things. A lot of the time we try and match those button inputs to what they actually do. Certain sequences will have those moments.”
Along with those gameplay details, Stevenson also said that the map for Marvel’s Spider-Man will be four to six times larger than Sunset Overdrive (Insomniac’s last open-world game).
Story Details
Insomniac will also be developing an original story for the web-slinger. This is a more experienced Peter Parker who has been in the crime-fighting business for almost a decade. He has many allies at this point like police officer Yuri Watanabe, his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson, and Miles Morales. The young Morales’ role in is still unknown but there is a strong chance that he will indeed become a hero during the events of the story, maybe even donning a spider suit as well.
From the various trailers over the years (especially that E3 2018 demo), it seems that the main villains will be the Sinister Six (Electro, Vulture, Rhino, Scorpion, Mister Negative, and an unknown leader). Villains like Kingpin, Shocker, and Taskmaster have also been confirmed to appear as well.
(Possible Spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man ahead)
While we don’t know who their leader will be (yet), many have speculated that Doctor Octopus will be fulfilling that role. This comes from Chris Jai Alex, who provides the voice for Rhino. In an interview with Youtuber Drift0r, Alex talked about the challenges of creating a fight scene due to how all of the members of the Sinister Six scale differently.
The voice actor then name-dropped Doc Ock, who has yet to be featured in any promotional material for the game. Otto Octavius, or Doctor Octopus, was actually an original member of the Sinister Six so this news shouldn’t really come as a shock to most comic fans.
The game is also rumored to feature references to other Marvel heroes such as Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Daredevil.
Marvel’s Spider-Man will be hitting shelves September 7th, 2018 exclusively for PlayStation 4.
What are your thoughts on Marvel’s Spider-Man? Let us know in the comments and be sure to follow us here at The Nerd Stash for all of your nerdy news and needs!
