Summary
TheSpider-Manfranchise has been around for decades and has captured the hearts of countless readers and viewers. The franchise has explored many video game options, from 2D side-scrollers to 3D action games. However, as open-world games became more and more popular, a handful of these games gave players full cities to explore as they completed missions.
A good open worldSpider-Mangame has many elements to expect. Players should be able to web-sling between buildings, chase down bad guys at high speed, and find crime happening around numerous corners to thwart them. However, this is not a formula that was perfected overnight, and many games on older platforms have had differing success in capturing what they believe to be the best experience they could provide.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2did not see favorable reviews due to a slew of issues present in the game. Some glitches cause enemies to not react, move through walls, or even have bosses that cannot lose health.
Web slinging will require players to be close to sources, while otherSpider-Mangames of the past let players just shoot their webs into the sky above and swing in any direction they pleased. Combat does give some variety, allowing players to juggle attacks, shoot off some webs, and even throw in some stealth elements.
This game acts as a successor toSpider-Man 2and is meant to be based on the film of the same name — with the film’s actors lending their voices to their respective characters. However, everything about it was a dramatic departure. It features awide range of villainsand characters never seen in the film.
The game lets players explore an open world, find random criminal activity, and enjoy aSpider-Mansandbox-style adventure. The game didn’t score as high as its predecessor, with a lot of the content feeling repetitive. It is a very mediocre game designed to capitalize on the film rather than capture the hearts of true believers.
Just like its sequel,this game isbased on the first in theAmazing Spider-Manfilmsand has a very enjoyable web-slinging experience — with it allowing players to whip around corners as the camera pulls forward before they launch up into the air. The game also provides fun stealth and combat elements, allowing players to drop from above, web up an enemy, and then pull them back up to the roof.
The game gives players plenty of side activities to do in between main missions to extend their playtime with the game. While it might lack variety, the game does provide genuinely fun combat and traversal.
Web of Shadows is a well-knownSpider-Manentry among gamers from the PS2 and Original Xbox era. Players will be able to utilize a wide range of symbiote abilities throughout the game’s combat portions, but they are also able to button-mash their way to victory for every combat encounter, including bosses.
Players will also have the ability to make moral choices by choosing the path they wish to go down. This can change the potential ending they get, with 4 possible endings. Choosing to go down the symbiote path will lead to the most villainous ending while choosing to go down the red-suited Spider-Man iconside will be the most heroic. There is also a pivotal moment where the player will need to make a choice of love interest, with the choice affecting which ending they could receive.
Ultimate Spider-Manis based on the events of the Ultimate Marvel universe — which takes place in Universe 1610. This game feels more like a comic book game brought to life than any of the other entities on this list, with comic panels appearing in cutscenes, heavily shaded and styled visuals, and even words that pop onto the screen. Players will also be able to play some portions as the character Venom, giving a different way to engage in combat —which can be quite challengingat times.
While the game does provide players with plenty to do in the city outside the main story, modern games have come a long way in perfecting this formula, leaving such an old entry feeling lacking in this department. Web slinging has a very arcade feel to it, with players being pulled forward and able to make tight turns with ease.
Spider-Man 2is based on the second entry of theSpider-Manfilms, starring Tobey Maguire. It follows the same plotline as the film, with the main villain being Doctor Octopus. Players are able to web-sling throughout the entirety of the game’s map, finding enemies to fight and enjoying a complete sandbox experience that runs adjacent to following the game’s story missions.
Due to this being such an old entry, modern players could find the game far too easy. This comes down to predictable enemies that allow large numbers to be whittled away with little effort. Most groups of enemies can be cleared by charging in and just brawling through them with stylish blurred-out movements and large flashes at a punch’s point of impact.
On top of featuring some of the best visuals of anySpider-Mangame before it,Marvel’s Spider-Manbrought with it tons of features that are expected in modern-day video games. Spider-Man’s movements in both combat and web-slinging feel very organic and fluid, with a wide range of acrobatics and visual flair. Moving around the city while making use of all the traversal mechanics is one of the most satisfying elements of playing the game.
Players can approach combat in many different ways and will have plenty of devices to cycle through to keep combat feeling fun and interesting throughout the entirety of the game’s story. This playstyle can be enhanced by making use of the different powers that come with unlocking different suits. There are alsoplenty of collectiblesfor players to seek out as they explore the city. The game also shares its Metascore with its remastered counterpart for those wanting the same experience with enhanced visuals.
The Story ofMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesfollows directly after that of the original game. It acts as the second, crunchier part of the origin story of Miles in the games. It is a shorter experience, but that works in its favor by making it a more digestible experience for players. Just like the previous installment, players will get to balance the heroic and personal lives of this Spider-Man, getting a dose of both action and emotion. Mile’s Venom and Camouflage skills allow for asignificantly improved combat experience— especially when developed in different ways.
TheMarvel’s Spider-Mangames just keep delivering a better experience than previous installments. It keeps everything that made the other games such memorable and enjoyable experiences, while bringing many new features to the table — such as perfect parries. Combat is a much more engaging affair, with the player encouraged to really get into fighting like a hero rather than trying more stealthy options.
Launching between airborne drones and whipping from one target to the next will also take combat enjoyment to new heights. Players will juggle playing as both Miles and Peter throughout the story of the game, and throwing in the symbiote powers adds a bounty of new features for returning players to become utterly enthralled in. The game also has some of themost impressive feats players have seen from Spider-Man.
