If there's one thing the world isn't short on, it's adaptations of Spider-Man. The famed spider-hero has been the subject of countless movies, TV shows, video games, and more in the course of his career. However, not all pieces of Spider-Man entertainment were made equal.
In 2018, Insomniac Games released Marvel's Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4. The game immediately earned widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike for its impeccable graphics, in-depth narrative focus, open-world gameplay style, and unflinching dedication to the lore of its subject matter. Delivering unmatched quality, Marvel's Spider-Man went down as an undisputed fan-favorite.
10 It Explains The Origin Story Without Rehashing It Again
Spider-Man's origin story has been retold and re-adapted so frequently that even die-hard fans are growing tired of it. While Marvel's Spider-Man contains details linking back to Uncle Ben and his tragic demise, it isn't a plot point in the game itself.
Refreshingly, players can experience Peter's current perspective on those past events without having to witness them directly in a flashback sequence or a similar form of revisitation. Instead, they can see the past's effects on the present and how they've helped Peter build his personal morals and values.
9 It Exemplifies One Of Spider-Man's Core Values
One of the best aspects of Spider-Man has always been his unwavering compassion. Peter Parker cares for those around him who are in need, whether it be impoverished members of his local community or the villains who are violently lashing out because of their personal pain.
Marvel's Spider-Man emphasizes Peter's compassion. Whether it's the moment where Spider-Man convinces Gloria to try going to the F.E.A.S.T. Center by clueing her in to the joys of Aunt May's hotcakes or his ardent pleas to Li and Octavius that there are better ways for them to deal with what's happened to them, he never gives up on anyone.
8 It Offers Incredible Insight Into Peter And Aunt May's Relationship
Even though she's always depicted with love, Aunt May's role in adaptations of the Spider-Man stories often gets relegated to "family member in distress" or "secret identity complication." By including multiple cutscenes and dialogue sequences focusing on May's achievements in the community, Marvel's Spider-Man shows her as a well-rounded, complex person.
Aunt May has her own ambitions, desires, and a rich life outside of her interactions with Peter. Playing off endearing elements from the comics, Peter relies on Aunt May not only for physical and financial support but also to be his steadfast anchor in such a chaotic and difficult world.
7 It Lets The Audience Slow Down Without Losing Interest
In films, every event often needs to further the plot due to the time constraints on the medium. Since video games have much longer runtimes than movies, Marvel's Spider-Man can take the player through slower moments in time without the risk of boring their audience.
Gamers can enjoy the story at their own pace and ignore plot quests if they want to take a break from the action. Instead, they can focus on side-quests, collectibles, or just swinging around and enjoying Insomniac Games' spectacular rendering of New York City in all its glory.
6 It Takes A Step Away From Spidey's Teenage Years
While one of Spider-Man's most iconic qualities is his early entry into heroism, that's not the only story of his worth telling. Most Spider-Man-centric media focuses on that era of his life, choosing the reliability of a high school setting over exploring a fresh angle on his journey.
Marvel's Spider-Man asks what happens next and delves into what an adult with limited resources and a secret identity has to do to maintain their life. The game's complex look into what an adult Peter Parker may have to face is refreshing compared to further tales of high-school shenanigans.
5 It Creates The Perfect Balance In Tone
Spider-Man comics and storylines are best known for two specific tones: humor and emotion. Many adaptations fail to strike a proper balance between the two, either falling too far into one or the other. Marvel's Spider-Man crafts a perfectly harmonized tone, both silly and serious, depending on the moment.
The transition between the two tones never strikes the player with tone whiplash, either. Instead, the tension builds naturally over time, from quips and snappy dialogue to emotionally heavy narrative segments, followed by a proper denouement.
4 It Stacks The Villain Roster Without Crowding The Player
The concept of a single-player Spider-Man game featuring appearances by upwards of ten of his classic villains sounds busy at best. However, that's what Marvel's Spider-Man is at its core, and it never feels crowded.
The progression from one antagonist to another keeps the game feeling balanced rather than cramped. Although some of the more obscure baddies predominantly feature in optional sidequests, even the villains in the main narrative split up to work in combinations and areas that make sense for their powers and skill sets.
3 It Isn't Just About Spider-Man
One of the most pivotal details of Spider-Man stories has always been that the focus isn't solely on Spider-Man. The person behind the mask has always been just as crucial to Spider-heroes' tales as their masked exploits.
Marvel's Spider-Man doesn't just give players a taste of what it's like to be Spider-Man, it also gives them a taste of what it's like to be Peter Parker. The intricacies of his interpersonal relationships, struggles with maintaining a civilian identity, and passion projects are essential to both the narrative and the gameplay.
2 It Includes Obscure Lore Without Alienating Newcomers
Both lifelong Spidey fans and players having their first experience with the webhead can enjoy the lore woven into and sprinkled throughout Marvel's Spider-Man. Details like the unlockable suits, backpack items, and small inter-actable items in the environment are full of references to Spider-Man comics, movies, and stories of the past.
The most devout of Spider-Man's followers can enjoy references like Bombastic Bag-Man and Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit, while newcomers can revel in Peter's adorable childhood drawings on the wall of Aunt May's office. There's at least one object in the game to surprise and delight gamers of any knowledge level.
1 Its Medium Allows It To Do So Much More
While films are extremely limited in terms of time, and TV shows have to bend plots to fit into equally sized pieces, video games have more freedom when it comes to adapting already-existing media. They can include dozens of hours of content without anyone batting an eye and integrate minuscule details that would be missed in an exclusively visual environment.
Players can develop a deeply personal relationship with the characters simply by spending more time with them. Marvel's Spider-Man has the capacity to do things that all the Spider-Man films and TV shows preceding it couldn't, simply because it's a video game.