Now that video game tie-ins are no longer really a thing, we haven't been able to take control of a superhero on consoles for quite some time (aside from Batman, of course). However, Spider-Man looks set to change that and the signs are all pointing to it being nothing short of amazing and spectacular!
While you may think that you're already well aware of everything there is to know about the game, we've now come up with an in-depth guide telling you all the secrets which have been revealed and what you should expect from the combat, characters, map, and gameplay. Story details may be scarce but we touch on those too and all of this adds up to a game which promises to be a real must-buy.
So, to check out this breakdown, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button down below.
There's One Key Similarity With Assassin's Creed...
If you're at all familiar with the Assasin's Creed video games, you'll know that you have to scale massive towers to unlock certain parts of the map. It's a somewhat tedious gameplay mechanic but one which is going to be included in Spider-Man as the wall-crawler will have to do the same thing if you hope to explore every New York neighbourhood. However, this information leaves us with a huge question.
If Peter Parker has been Spider-Man for eight years, why do we have to unlock various parts of the map when he must have surely crossed into them all the years he's been serving as a superhero in NYC?
...But New York Will Be Huge (If Not Quite Perfect)
New York is pretty much to scale but don't expect to swing by your favourite sandwich shop because we're not getting a photorealistic replica. Instead, a real effort has been made to make this version of the Big Apple faithful to the world of Peter Parker and the Marvel Universe and that means getting to see iconic locations which don't necessarily exist in real-life but obviously do in this universe.
Tracking Down Collectibles Will Actually Be Fun
If you're a video game completist, then you're someone who no doubt wants to track down every single collectable, right? Well, don't start getting stressed out about having to walk across every single rooftop for tokens because Spider-Man will make use of Peter's Spider-Sense to alert you to their presence. These webbing backpacks (which Peter lost and somehow haven't dissolved) will be full of Easter Eggs for fans to pore over as well as tokens which can be used for upgrades and new suits.
Get Ready To Take Some Spidey Selfies
If you were Spider-Man and could climb to the very top of the Empire State Building, you'd snap a few selfies or take some photos, right? Well, the game is going to feature a photo mode which will allow you to not only do that but to also take shots of yourself in action and even post with pedestrians!
No, It's Not Set In The Marvel Cinematic Universe
When it was revealed that Marvel Games would finally start developing titles for consoles rather than just mobile devices, there was a lot of speculation that those could end up being tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe somehow. Well, while the New York we see in the game may bear a resemblance to the one on the big screen, this version of the wall-crawler actually exists in his own little world.
That gives Insomniac the opportunity to tell a story with complete freedom and this Spider-Man is set to make his comic book debut in the upcoming "Spidergeddon" event which launches this October.
Insomniac Is Working To Get Web-Swinging Right
Spider-Man 2 is still heralded as the best Spider-Man game of all-time and the pressure is now on Insomniac to top that. One element the developers will have to get right is web-swinging and when creative director Bryan Intihar was asked if webs will stick to buildings - a real, ahem, sticking point for fans - he replied, "They better if I want this game to sell at all." See, he really does get it!
According to those who have got hands-on with the game, there's a proper movement system in place which is easy to learn and offers players plenty of options, while the fact webs will stick to real points in the world means that Spidey's momentum is impacted by the way you control him and it's going to take some getting used to in order to master the system, thereby making it as realistic as possible.
The Avengers Might Make An Experience
By now, you're no doubt well aware that Avengers Tower is going to be part of the New York City skyline but will Earth's Mightiest Heroes actually make any sort of appearance? We don't know but there were some hints at E3 which confirmed that Avengers Mansion exists and what will be really interesting is finding out whether Spider-Man will tie into Square Enix's planned title for the team.
Spider-Man Is An Experienced Superhero
While you might think Insomniac would have taken the opportunity to tell Spider-Man's origin story and have players follow his story from the very beginning, it's been confirmed that the game will completely gloss over that. Rather than telling us a story we already know, we'll pick things up with Peter Parker around eight years after he first became a superhero and he's going to be aged 23.
There Will Be A Lot Of Alternate Costumes
I mentioned alternate suits a little earlier in this post but brace yourselves because there will be a lot of them to track down! We're not only talking about all of the wall-crawler's suits from the Marvel Cinematic Universe but also a plethora of options from the comic books, including Spider-Punk and Spider-Man Noir. There are even some new creations and you can find the entire list right here.
Spider-Man Isn't The Game's Only Playable Character
This version of Mary Jane Watson is an investigative reporter and it appears as if she'll also be investigating the Inner Demons and their mysterious leader. As a result, she's going to be a playable character for stealth missions which will run in conjunction with those featuring the wall-crawler.
While she's the only other confirmed playable character for the main storyline, we know that DLC is on the way which will put players in control of the Black Cat, something which promises to be a lot of fun (it's also reminiscent of those additional Arkham missions featuring both Catwoman and Batgirl).
You'll Get To Play As Peter Parker Too
We haven't seen a huge amount of footage of this but we do know that players will be given the opportunity to ditch Spider-Man's suit to play as Peter Parker. Apparently, we'll not only get to interact with the hero's family and friends but also missions revolving around his job. This should make the story feel even more personal and it should be novel spending time with the man behind the mask.
The Combat Could Be Up There With Arkham Asylum
Something that made the Arkham video games truly special was the combat and while we can't say for sure whether or not Spider-Man will match that trilogy, things are looking pretty good right now.
Everything we've seen points to a very fluid system which doesn't rely on perfect timing to chain moves together; this game will be a lot more fun while also requiring some skill to pull off Spidey's most spectacular manoeuvres. There will also be a focus bar which allows players to heal or pull off special moves which you unlock as you progress through the game which sounds like the right approach.
We're Going To See A Lot Of Iconic Comic Book Villains
Spider-Man will be crammed full of bad guys and the story trailer released during E3 confirmed that we'll see the wall-crawler square off with the Sinister Six (the sixth member has not been revealed but I'm willing to bet that it ends up being Doctor Octopus). There will be lot of supporting characters from Spidey's world as well and if you'd like to check out a full breakdown of those, simply click here.
When You'll Be Able To Play It
If you're anything like me, you'll have already pre-ordered your copy but if this feature has got you excited to check it out, then you'll be glad to know it reaches stores on September 7th! Not long...
Are you excited to play through this new Spider-Man game? Do you think it will be an instant classic or is your Spidey-Sense tingling? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts down below.
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