The world of video games is chock-full of iconic series, and at the top of the list is the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar Games perfected the "open world" game, as each Grand Theft Auto protagonist travels through a different city while committing a range of illegal activities. Players could spend hours and only scratch the surface of what each game brings to the table. As a result, the Grand Theft Auto franchise remains one of the most iconic video game series in pop culture, but there's a recent series that's managed to beat it in the "open world" aspect: Marvel's Spider-Man for PlayStation 4.
Developed by Insomniac Games, Marvel's Spider-Man follows Peter Parker (Yuri Lowenthal) as he finally manages to take down Wilson Fisk (Travis Willingham), aka the Kingpin of Crime. Fisk's absence leads to the rise of criminal mastermind Mister Negative (Stephen Oyoung), whose Inner Demons start threatening New York. Spidey also has to battle the supervillain group known as the Sinister Six, led by his former mentor, Otto Octavious (William Salyers). What follows is one of the best Spider-Man stories of all time, as Marvel's Spider-Man and its two sequels craft an open-world experience unlike any other.
Insomniac's Take on 'Spider-Man' Gives Players The Perfect Web-Slinging Experience
Throughout Marvel's Spider-Man and its sequels, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, players will get the chance to explore all of New York. They do so through a wide variety of travel methods, including web-slinging, web-slingshotting through the air, and even catching trains throughout the city. This makes you feel like you're actually Spider-Man, and the experience doesn't stop there. Insomniac managed to capture the way that Spider-Man moves, whether it's gracefully swinging through the air or leaping from opponent to opponent and taking them down with a combination of webs and punches. The same goes for Miles Morales, as players can utilize his bio-electric "venom sting" and camoflauge to great effect.
It isn't just gameplay that makes players feel like Spider-Man, though. Insomniac's Spider-Man series also captures the dynamics of the comics perfectly, from Peter Parker's struggle to balance his personal and superhero lives to Miles Morales dealing with his own adolescent woes, including the death of his father in the first game. Spider-Man fans can also expect new takes on iconic characters, as Mary Jane Watson (Laura Bailey) is now a reporter instead of a supermodel, J. Jonah Jameson (Darin de Paul) hosts a podcast but still spews anti-Spider-Man rhetoric, and Norman Osborn (Mark Ralston) is the mayor of New York. Insomniac tapped comic book writers including Christos Gage and Dan Slott to work on the story, and creative director Bryan Intihar said that Insomniac picked Spider-Man because of how relatable he is as a character:
"When you’re writing Spider-Man and there’s something inside your heart, you’re bringing a lot of love to the character. There were a few key lessons. For example, whenever Peter [Parker] wins, Spider-Man loses; whenever Spider-Man wins, Peter loses, right? We wanted to make sure we hit those things when we were creating our version of the story."
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Spider-Man Isn't The Only Marvel Hero Insomniac Is Tackling
Image via Insomniac GamesWhile details on a third Spider-Man game remain scarce, Insomniac is set to tackle another Marvel hero this year when it launches Marvel's Wolverine this September. In the same vein as Marvel's Spider-Man, the developer is bringing everything that fans love about the clawed Canadian to the video game realm. Not only will Logan be battling iconic X-Men foes including the Sentinels and Omega Red, but it's as bloody and violent as you'd expect a Wolverine game to be. Insommniac also proves that it has a great eye for casting, as Spartacus alum Liam McIntyre is voicing Wolverine.
Grand Theft Auto may have developed the concept of the open world, but Marvel's Spider-Man perfected said concept. It's one of the rare video games, alongside Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham series, that makes players feel like they've actually stepped into an iconic superhero's costume. Whether you're a dyed in the wool Spider-Man fan or this is your first introduction to the web-slinger, this is a game that's more than worth your time.
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