Everything We Know About Marvel's Spider-Man
Insonmniac Games has put down their alien space gun and picked up a web-slinger with Marvel's Spider-Man, coming exclusively to PlayStation 4.
Release & Essentials
• Release: TBA 2018
• Platform: PlayStation 4 (Exclusive)
• Developer: Insomniac Games
• Genre: Action / Adventure
Spidey Sense
One of the most iconic superheroes to grace the crime-riddled alleyways is now swinging its way through development at Insomniac, creator of Ratchet & Clank, Spyro, Resistance and Sunsent Overdrive. Marvel's Spider-Man tells an original story in the Marvel universe and ties into some fan favourite characters.
This is not to be confused with the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming as that revisits Peter Parker's origins as Spider-Man as a young teenager in high school. Insomniac are focusing on a 23-year-old Peter Parker who has honed his skills but continues to struggle to balance his life between citizen and web-slinger.
New York, New York
Naturally the other big character in the new Spider-Man is the city of New York itself and Insomniac promise it's a huge sprawl to explore as an open world. It will also be stocked full of cinematic set-pieces and interactable objects for Spider-Man to use in his fight against villains.
The recent E3 2017 gameplay playthrough included numerous environmental hazards the player made use of including a steel beam that swung around and knocked thugs out cold. There's also plenty for Spidey to leap to to traverse around and dodge incoming fire or fists. As for web-slinging through the city, it's got that iconic acrobatic swing that lets you get real close to the street with reactions from people below.
While Insomniac are still tinkering with all the game's code they are looking into the size of the crowds that mill around day-to-day. New York City is renowned for its crammed streets and sidewalks. Spider-Man was due this year but has since moved into 2018 - let's hope its for some exquisite polish.
Peter Parker's 'Arkham' Moment?
With Insomniac Games 'going their own way' with Spider-Man it seems they've been given a significant amount of room to tell their own tale of Spidey and New York. It has echoes of Rocksteady and their excellent Batman: Arkham series which took the core Batman lore and ran off with it to shape their own universe.
Spotted in the latest E3 2017 footage was Miles Morales, the future Spider-Man after Peter Parker's unfortunate end. Insomniac have teased that Miles has more than just a cameo appearance in the game - a "much bigger role" in fact. Elsewhere we had Norman Osborn (Green Goblin) running for mayor of NYC, and the lead bad guy in the E3 2017 video was Martin Li, who runs Aunt May's place of work. Who knows what other appearances the studio has planned?
Combat in Marvel's Spider-Man is all about agility and using his Spidey sense to avoid certain dangers like gunfire. Again the comparisons to Batman: Arkham are made for the melee combat and counter-moves to goon attacks. This isn't entirely fair as after all previous Spider-Man games have done similar things but its influence is there. Quick Time Events (QTEs) are also present though these are mostly during the more 'cinematic' encounters like trying to stop a falling construction crane smashing to the ground. Normal combat is more Arkham-like as you use webbing and agility to fight.
Be sure to check back often as Marvel's Spider-Man takes shape for release in 2018.
