Playing the PS4 release of this game for the first time a couple years ago reminded me why I love this niche genre of superhero action I was introduced to by the Arkham games. Spider-Man delivers on making you feel like the protector of New York with barely a dull moment.
I'm mainly going to compare this to Arkham City, because I think it's a decent way to illustrate the strengths of this game. By nature Batman's mobility is much heavier, it's definitely fun in its own right but swinging through New York in this game is hard to beat. It's so damn fun to chain together swings, wall runs, and zips to move through the city, and everything looks and feels so smooth.
The second main advantage I feel this title has over Batman is the storyline. I find Peter's story in this game very human and heartwarming, and the main antagonists play a huge role in how compelling the whole thing is (although I do think Batman has a stronger overall cast of villains). There are moments in this game's story that get me feeling a certain type of way every time I play even though I know they're coming from a mile away.
Otherwise, I don't have much to say. Combat is smooth and fun, although I did find myself getting bored of it by the end of this replay. I wish there was a better way to use the variety of gadgets you have than the wheel, it feels pretty clumsy in a fight and kinda discourages me from using stuff other than the web shooters. The amount of side content is just about perfect, and most of it is pretty fun to complete (except maybe waiting around for the last few crimes you need to occur). This version nicely comes with all three short expansions, which tell a cool story when played in succession and even have some side content of their own.
I'm mainly going to compare this to Arkham City, because I think it's a decent way to illustrate the strengths of this game. By nature Batman's mobility is much heavier, it's definitely fun in its own right but swinging through New York in this game is hard to beat. It's so damn fun to chain together swings, wall runs, and zips to move through the city, and everything looks and feels so smooth.
The second main advantage I feel this title has over Batman is the storyline. I find Peter's story in this game very human and heartwarming, and the main antagonists play a huge role in how compelling the whole thing is (although I do think Batman has a stronger overall cast of villains). There are moments in this game's story that get me feeling a certain type of way every time I play even though I know they're coming from a mile away.
Otherwise, I don't have much to say. Combat is smooth and fun, although I did find myself getting bored of it by the end of this replay. I wish there was a better way to use the variety of gadgets you have than the wheel, it feels pretty clumsy in a fight and kinda discourages me from using stuff other than the web shooters. The amount of side content is just about perfect, and most of it is pretty fun to complete (except maybe waiting around for the last few crimes you need to occur). This version nicely comes with all three short expansions, which tell a cool story when played in succession and even have some side content of their own.