Spiderman (2018) (Review); Is Spiderman back to being amazing?

Hey guys, I'm back! With my first review in FAR too long. I'm trying to get back into the grind, and what a better way, than with Spiderman for PS4 right? We all know that Sony has been killing it with it's exclusive's year after year since 2015. First with Bloodbourne, followed up the next year with Uncharted 4, than Horizon Zero Dawn, now God Of War, is this next? Well let's talk about it, and I'll go over what I loved, what I didn't like as much, and what I think could be improved if Insomniac and Sony want to make another one. Let's begin!

So, does anyone know when the first Spiderman game was made? It surprised me to find out that it actually all started WAY back when in 1982 for the Atari 2600. It had you trying to disarm Green Goblin's bombs in a building as you were swinging around in all of your 2D glory. Since than, there have gone on to be 35 Spiderman releases, all from various developers. However, Activision, as publisher, has seen 18 of these released. Once upon a time Activision even cared! Giving the first game it published to Neversoft back in 2000, releasing the fantastic Spiderman (A lot of the games are just called Spiderman), which was one of the first released with 3D graphics, and a really compelling storyline about Carnage and Doc Ock. But the game that's most Iconic with Spiderman, is of course the Treyarch Spiderman 2 released in 2002, right before the 2nd movie dropped way back when. That game even had what Batman Arkham Asylum would later perfect, a "Spidey" sense and dodge mechanic. So there is a little food for thought going forward.

Moving on to this years release, Is this game more of the same with Activision's letdown of a game Amazing Spiderman 2, or is it a return to glory of the once proud license? Well let's start with this first, the graphics are amazing, and just like I figured, #Puddlegate is absolute nonsense. When you had a game come out just 4 years ago like Amazing Spiderman 2, look so terrible, it looked like it belonged on the PS2 era console, it's refreshing to see so much love go into a game like this. I mean look at this shit!

90 % ​SMLXL

It looks that good in game, maybe even better. All of it smooth and polished, without the framerate dropping. You can see into buildings, you can see where Spiderman has stuck his web when he is swinging, and you can even see guys you threw over the edge of building stuck to the building. The attention to detail is second to none, and we haven't seen anything like this in a Spiderman game in nearly 20 years. Facial animations are done so well here, just like so many of the other exclusives, which is as always, very important to telling any kind of story. It's important to see how your character is feeling throughout moments in the game, and it's expressed through not just the fantastic voice acting, but the phenomenal cutscenes and facial animations as well. You feel every moment, and there were even a few I felt the heart strings get struck. Everyone on their nonsense about this game getting downgraded is just that, nonsense. Honestly, the suit has it's colors pop out a bit more, but looking at the game as whole, it looks and feels like a design decision to both have Spidey stand out, while also making it feel a bit less dark and brooding like a Batman game. Fabric in general just pops, as you can see fine details in fabric, from Spidey's suit, to MJ's leather jacket.

Also on another note, I know I said it just a minute ago, but the Voice Acting is amazing! The guy who voices Peter even does his lines both in a calm state, and a tired one for when he's zipping around the city. It just sells the immersion, and it can't be understated that Insomniac and this VA did a great job. Hell, all the VA's did a great job, and they should be commended yet again.

The story is really strong, I don't want to give to many bits away, but it's a mature one in which you do see quite a few people die. It knows how to balance the jokes of Spiderman, with the seriousness and drama surrounding our star character. Peter Parker is 23, done with college, has left the Bugle, and is kind of in a weird place. I like that a lot of the characters in this universe are well established, Spiderman has already faced quite a few of the villains more than once. However, there are still some that haven't been "made" per say, but leaves enough doors open that a sequel COULD happen, but doesn't need to. The story very much starts and concludes with this game, so if Insomniac doesn't want to do another one, or Marvel just wants to bounce from studio to studio, you won't feel cheated. I think the strongest part of this story is actually Peter Parker, not Spiderman. I think the one thing that's overlooked is that even though you are very much Spiderman, this Spiderman spent his teen years and early adult years, learning to be Spiderman. He has taken his lumps as Spiderman, but he doesn't know what he wants to do as Peter. He thinks he does, as when we get first introduced, we find out that he is a scientist working with Dr. Octavious. But his relationships, and even his job, are in limbo as he struggles to find a middle ground with the two. It's reminiscent of Spiderman 2 way back when, when we thought Sam Raimi could do no wrong. Spiderman does still have a lot of doubts about himself still, but tries to brush it off the best he can. It's this kind of story that fits perfectly with a main villain like the likes of "Mister Negative". Also, there were two other playable characters, MJ and Miles Morales throughout the 20-25 hours of gameplay. It was cool to explore the world through their eyes as well, but I wish we could have free roamed more with them. To have completed a set of missions with them, that were not tied to the main plot, and not tied to instant loss stealth sections.

The combat, oh the combat! it's near flawless here. With the ability to not just kick and punch, but also zip from enemy to enemy, have aerial combos, and execute finishers. There are some RPG lite mechanics implemented that when you level up, you have skill points that can go to one of three branches, making combos longer, giving you more tools, and helping you feel more empowered. If that isn't enough, there are like nearly 30 suits from all the different comics, that all come with different "core" abilities that are just simply amazing. From Iron Spiders multiple legs, to getting electric gloves that will stun multiple enemies when you strike them near each other. There are just so many ways to play, and I haven't talked about the dodge and zip combos or the 6-7 gadgets you can get either. It's amazing to just watch combat unfold, like a gymnast just going to work, but it also gives you reasons to keep doing the "busy" work of the game. Trying to unlock that next suit or gadget is always rewarding in it's own way.

I haven't even talked about zipping through the city yet.

Webslinging is never better at this point, where it feels realistic, only able to attach to surfaces, if there are none, you fall. It's just so fluid and fun as you can even execute tricks while you are detaching one web, and attaching another. Spiderman looks like a damn ballerina in the air, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

There are also about a billion Easter Eggs everywhere, from the Avengers Tower, to Alias Investigations you will see so many things that will make you scream out "I know that reference!" You can also take selfies, you can high five people in the streets, there is just so much content for your money! Also no M/T's!

So at this point, you'd have to be going "So it's a 10/10 right?" I mean, I even admitted on social media that I got 100% on the game over the last week, so it has to be, right? Well, no. With all that is above, that's why I can recommend this game for sure to anyone that has a PS4, likes Spidey, and just wants to have some fun with a good story. However, there are a few missteps, but no gaping wounds by any means. First off, my biggest gripe would be the busy work. Now, I'm not saying there shouldn't be any at all, far from that. It's just that...there is so much of it. It's nearly daunting. While I went though it all because I loved the game that much, it could definitely be improved on. So while I loved about half of the Side quests, I kind of disliked the other half. While one revolves around you hunting down and sabotaging Tombstone and his plans, which was cool, another one was a FIVE part miniseries about wrangling up some college kids. Side quests have come a long way in many other games, with the Witcher 3, Skyrim, and even the fantastic Yakuza series (that I want to talk about in depth at some point this month) have shown us how to do fun, interesting, and sometimes even wacky side quests. I just feel like it was a bit of a missed opportunity to not explore more of the B and C villains in the Spiderverse, or it could have been used to see some other Marvel heroes. Now I'll admit, Marvel might not have held back Insomniac back from being able to do the latter, so I can't fault them there, but if they do want to make a second game, and are given the rights to do so, I'd love to see some cameos, even if it's for one mission, with other Marvel heroes. But I also could go for some wacky adventures with citizens, rather than trying to catch pigeons. There was a lot of fun with the Bases, Challenges (Which does feature another Marvel character, and I thought was done really well), and the Research Labs. Hell, even some fun to be had with like I said before, half the side quests. But catching pigeons, stopping 20 crimes in nearly every district, the other half of the side quests, weren't as interesting. The only other complaint, and it's a small one, is some of the QTE. While I didn't mind it throughout 95% of the game, I wish a bit less was used on one of the last boss battles. Hell, the less you have in any of the boss battle, the better. Most of the bosses were interesting as Hell, and I didn't even get to touch on them yet, but some felt cheapened, mainly at the very end of the game, by QTE. You guys did a great fucking job, let the player use their style and gadgets to take them on?

Lastly, the stealth sections as I mentioned earlier. While I don't mind switching up things, and seeing things through someone else's eyes, I don't think many people care too much for instant loss stealth sections. I liked MJ's last two stealth sections far more than the first 2, and it was mainly because there was less frustration about potentially being caught. I want to play as these two, or even others from the Spidey universe, but with less focus on stealth.

So that's it for this review, I could probably keep going on, but I should cut it off now. As I said before, if you have a PS4, and you love to have fun, you should pick up this game. It definitely deserves the praise it has been getting, and is probably going to be on a lot of Best of the Year lists for sure. My final rating for this game is... 9/10

With a resounding, "it belongs on your shelf". But, whether it's Insomniac, or some other developer that gets the Spidey license for a game, if the few points I put up are addressed, this goes to a 10/10 and isn't just on Best of the Year lists, but is talked about being just the best game of said year, period. Thank you guys from Insomniac for still giving us the best Spiderman game to date, I wish you nothing but the best on whatever you guys do next. With that, I'll see you guys, on the next On The Shelf.