This review contains spoilers
Yeah, definitely my favourite Spider-Man game.
There's definitely things I think that some other games do better I won't lie, but there's a strong passion behind this game that makes it clear that the devs wanted to create their ideal Spider-Man game. The respect to the mythos is clear with how much they get right about Peter and his dynamic with being Spider-Man. They set up future plot points well, teasing at fan favourite characters and concepts while not making the game all about fan service and "oh look we're doing THAT in the sequel" or "oh look THIS character is going to pop up".
It balances fan service with genuinely amazing writing for Peter, MJ, Miles, and every other character. Of course, the "fodder" villains of the sinister six don't get as much development, but they're still interesting and fun to encounter.
Side content can be lacking, especially with the over abundance of enemy bases and all the random crimes, but some of the content is very engaging and fun. Taskmaster challenges are fun and easy enough to do but still give a challenge. The stations can be a bit of a pain to do, but individually they all have quirks that make them interesting story or gameplay wise. And some side missions are fun and play into the friendly neighborhood aspect of Spider-Man.
Gameplay is a really great mixture of many elements that came before. Wall bouncing from Ultimate, elements of air combat and the web strike from Web of Shadows, and the dodge system from 2 alongside obviously Arkham inspired details. It's a great mixture and the game is definitely fun to play combat wise, especially when you're fighting the uncommon enemies that punish you for being in the air or outright block the use of some of your gadgets. It keeps combat interesting.
Swinging is certainly simple, but by no means is it as automated as some people say. It needs player input in order for it to be fun and engaging, simply holding R2 does nothing. I do wish that it was easier to mess up to encourage learning mechanics, but as it is now it's certainly not bad and is fun to use. Swinging animations are nice, they all feel good, and the point launch mechanic helps with the low buildings or when there's nothing to swing from. It's not as in-depth mechanically as Web of Shadows or 2, but it most certainly holds up and is engaging and fun.
The game is a strong love letter to Spider-Man, so while it may not exactly be the best at any category, other than story, the passion the team had for this game makes it my favourite, and I enjoy playing it over and over again, whether I'm trying to do side content or just swinging around with no aim or purpose. It's fun and an amazing base to build up from that Miles Morales, a side game, already showed can be improved with just a few minor tweaks and additions.
There's definitely things I think that some other games do better I won't lie, but there's a strong passion behind this game that makes it clear that the devs wanted to create their ideal Spider-Man game. The respect to the mythos is clear with how much they get right about Peter and his dynamic with being Spider-Man. They set up future plot points well, teasing at fan favourite characters and concepts while not making the game all about fan service and "oh look we're doing THAT in the sequel" or "oh look THIS character is going to pop up".
It balances fan service with genuinely amazing writing for Peter, MJ, Miles, and every other character. Of course, the "fodder" villains of the sinister six don't get as much development, but they're still interesting and fun to encounter.
Side content can be lacking, especially with the over abundance of enemy bases and all the random crimes, but some of the content is very engaging and fun. Taskmaster challenges are fun and easy enough to do but still give a challenge. The stations can be a bit of a pain to do, but individually they all have quirks that make them interesting story or gameplay wise. And some side missions are fun and play into the friendly neighborhood aspect of Spider-Man.
Gameplay is a really great mixture of many elements that came before. Wall bouncing from Ultimate, elements of air combat and the web strike from Web of Shadows, and the dodge system from 2 alongside obviously Arkham inspired details. It's a great mixture and the game is definitely fun to play combat wise, especially when you're fighting the uncommon enemies that punish you for being in the air or outright block the use of some of your gadgets. It keeps combat interesting.
Swinging is certainly simple, but by no means is it as automated as some people say. It needs player input in order for it to be fun and engaging, simply holding R2 does nothing. I do wish that it was easier to mess up to encourage learning mechanics, but as it is now it's certainly not bad and is fun to use. Swinging animations are nice, they all feel good, and the point launch mechanic helps with the low buildings or when there's nothing to swing from. It's not as in-depth mechanically as Web of Shadows or 2, but it most certainly holds up and is engaging and fun.
The game is a strong love letter to Spider-Man, so while it may not exactly be the best at any category, other than story, the passion the team had for this game makes it my favourite, and I enjoy playing it over and over again, whether I'm trying to do side content or just swinging around with no aim or purpose. It's fun and an amazing base to build up from that Miles Morales, a side game, already showed can be improved with just a few minor tweaks and additions.