3 – Development Team Are Fans, Just Like You and I
If I took anything away from my time with the Insomniac devs at E3 it was that they’re passionate about their subject material in Spider-Man and want to deliver to the fans in every way possible. They’re fans themselves and really know what balance they need to strike between not only the gameplay but the narrative and characters as well. In the game, we focus on a 23-year-old Peter Parker, and his struggles maintaining his home life and his superhero life. That’s core Spider-Man material right there. When Peter succeeds, Spider-Man suffers. When Spider-Man sees success, inevitably Peter’s personal life takes a hit. Proving that they’re fans of the comic book they’ve even taken the steps to include Miles Morales into the game. How he fits in just yet we don’t know but he’s certainly not the Spider! Having true fans work on the game can only garner positive results for the final release.
4 – Guys… It’s Pretty… Like Really Freakin’ Pretty
I get it, graphics aren’t everything. There are a ton of games out there that put graphics way down the list with gameplay right on top (which is alright in our books, honestly!) and they are unbelievably good experiences. Still, a pretty game is something we can all appreciate and seeing this gem run on a PS4 Pro in full 4K glory is glorious. Locked at 30fps it still ran buttery smooth in our demo with the high-speed combat flowing without a hiccup in site. Up close textures of Spidey show every tiny stitch in his suit and the skyline is vibrant and full of sights to take in. Once released, Spider-Man will easily take a spot on your shelf as a showcase title for the power of your PS4.
5 – Webs MUST ATTACH to Something
Ok, complaining about realism in video games is a small (or large, I suppose) bit of irony. I get that. I mean for the love of Galactus, we’re talking about a game where a guy gets bit by a radioactive spider and crawls up walls in brightly colored pajamas while saving the world from bad guys in even more elaborate pajamas. Realism isn’t something that games strive for at all times. Still, in a world where Spider-Man has previously been able to web sling across the rooftops with nothing but the clear blue beyond above his head, it’s refreshing to see Insomniac give this the attention it truly deserves. Webs must attach to something… they just have to, ok.
That about does it but we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or over on Twitter! What are you excited for?