Spidey’s lookin’ good.
The results are in for the latest PS4 exclusive and it looks like Spider-Man is coming up aces. A lot has been made about the game’s combat and recreation of a spidey-verse that’s left a lot to be desired in recent attempts. So, if you want to see what the early impressions of Spider-Man are, look no further than our review roundup.
“Spider-Man’s battles are like a Randy Savage classic when going at full tilt” – VideoGamer (8 /10)
VideoGamer had pretty much nothing but praise for Insomniac Games’ realisation of Spider-Man. Complimenting both the original story, the choice to avoid retelling Peter Parker’s origin (we get, Uncle Ben is dead), and the use of characters like newshound Jameson.
The combat was a big focus as well, with VG praising the fluidity of combat and the variety of moves Spidey has to hand as he looks to put crime to bed, making each encounter
The review does suggest that MJ’s missions toe the line of being a little formulaic, with players having to sneak past guards or distract them with noises all whilst the looming threat of an insta-fail hangs in the air.
It seems the biggest mark the game left though was the freedom of roaming the city. Videogamer praised the fun players can have from swinging around New York, putting the momentum each swing gives you to use by parkouring on rooftops or bouncing off cars.
Read VideoGamer’s full review here.Â
“They take a game that is filled with borrowings and genre conventions and the usual suspect, and they give it a vital sense of real character” – Eurogamer (Recommended)
Again, it’s nothing but praise from the Eurogamer gang. They’ve taken Spider-Man as the next step in the evolution of superhero games. Commenting on how the combat, city, and movement are all things we’ve seen before – only they been polished and fine-tuned to fit the fast-paced and youthful actions of Peter Parker.
The way the game does a lot of the hard work for you is another focus for Eurogamer though. Not in a bad way either, with them praising the game’s intuition when you let a manhole cover fly or use your webs to latch on to a building – they cite a handful of other examples that all demonstrate how the game leans into making everything seem purposeful – and coincidentally making you look pretty suave when you’re playing.
And whilst the main campaign received a lot of positives, it was the side-quests that kept Eurogamer’s Christian Donlan busy. Littered around the city are a myriad of distractions and it looks like there’s enough there to keep you away from having to save the city, instead of spending your time collecting bookbags or taking some pictures.
Read Eurogamer’s full review here.
“Open-world traversal hasn’t been this smooth since Sunset Overdrive” – IGN (8.7/10)
IGN also focussed on the similarities between Spider-Man and the Btman games, suggesting that the main missions of Spider-Man follow the same style of game as the Rocksteady titles, with stealthy takedowns and use of gadgets and skills being a recurring feature in missions.
A lot was said on the animations of Parker as well; watching Spider-Man twist or slip through grates gave the impression that it’s a game where you fully interact with your surroundings, with IGN complimenting the feeling of moving around be it out in the city or indoors. They did mention that this movement falters a bit during boss fights though but these are apparently fairly sparse, with the game offering up QTEs at other times in the game instead of full-on boss battles.
And whilst the city looks stunning and the main cast has been bought to life beautifully, IGN suggested that the same attention couldn’t be passed on to the whole game, saying that bits and pieces of the game don’t necessarily look bad, but don’t hit the same mark as everything else.
“A fantastic experience that completely absorbs you” – Gamespot (9/10)
We’re getting a bit samey now but Gamespot also had high praise for the game, focusing on the treatment of the story for the majority of their review. It looks like those of us who want a bit more from the superhero story are on to a winner with Spider-Man, as Gamespot suggest we can expect a big focus on the human side of not just Peter Parker but also the surrounding cast, including the villains.
They cite Mary Jane’s missions here as well, suggesting that whilst the gameplay may not be anything groundbreaking, the sections offer up a host of tense situations.
Similar to Eurogamer, Gamespot notes how inspiration in combat and traversing is inspired by other games but ramped up and improved to better suit the nimble movements of Spider-Man.
The review also notes that the pace of the game offers players breathers in order to enjoy the city at their pleasure and deal with whatever craziness the main story has thrown our way by the sounds of it.
Read Gamespot’s full review here.
There you have it, a quick roundup of what some of the biggest outlets are saying about Spider-Man. But what about you? Have the reviews got you on board for picking the game up or are you still undecided? Let us know in the comments below!
Disclaimer: The scores listed above do not reflect our opinions at GGS Gamer (we don’t actually have a scoring system) and this is by no means a review of the game, it’s simply a breakdown of selected reviews about the game in question.
