Marvel’s Spider-Man
A super-human performance makes it your third best of 2018
Lara Croft’s stabbing a man in the throat, Kratos is crushing skulls, and even Spyro’s got in on the act, his fiery breath more fearsome than ever. Being a PlayStation gamer in 2018 was a grim business, which is why Marvel’s Spider-Man was such a breeze – a blue-and-red beacon in a sea of blood and thunder.
Within minutes of swinging across New York City Spidey’s quipping. He zips up The Avengers building as birds scatter against a soft blue sky and I can’t help but grin. The swing mechanics are perfect, the sense of freedom is life-affirming, and the constant drip of Marvel fan service proves Insomniac gets it; the dev understands why SpiderMan matters.
It’s no wonder then, that the game sold more copies than any other previously released title in 2018*. It also became the fastestselling Marvel-branded videogame of all time. In raw numbers it made $198 million in worldwide sales – that’s more than the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming, which earned $117 million.
It’s a PS4 exclusive that’s more than an amazing sales story, it’s a Marvel story. It wouldn’t be
Marvel’s Spider-Man without touching on the emotional notes that make us laugh and cry. The narrative takes in Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s on-off relationship, newcomer Miles Morales’ flirtation with heroics, and a cast of super-villains from across the comic’s history. It’s mature without being graphic.
Outside the main arc you’re encouraged to explore, collect, and save New Yorkers. The game does a marvellous job of making every foiled heist or kidnapping a thrill, and moving through this alive city rewards at every swooping web-swing. There are quick-travel markers you could use, but what monster would do that and miss out on these swing mechanics?
Every collectible and location name-drops a past Marvel adventure – a vial of Sandman’s granules, Black Cat’s next heist, The Wakandan Embassy, a Clone Saga reference, and much more.