This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Spider-Man remastered. It’s certainly not the first time I’ve written about the Spider-Man game from Insomniac. Having played and reviewed it on PS4 in what, 2018?
I’ve written about Spider-Man: Miles Morales, too. But…..things have changed! Looking at the remastered version is one thing. Looking at it now I’ve upgraded my CPU and GPU, which is something else. Talk about the optimal experience.
This week I rolled credits again, and I’ve not gone through the DLC content again yet. I’ve found my Spider-Man thirst satiated for a little while. Especially thanks to the recent release of the incredible “Across the Spider-verse” movie, too. Well done to Sony for letting proper artists use the property that they hold so dearly, away from Marvel.
Graphical improvements
Let’s be honest, a remaster usually means some new shiny bits. With Spider-Man coming to PS5 last year, that was obviously going to be the case. I mean, why try and change core gameplay when it was so good in the first place? So yeah, the PS5 version was released with Ray Tracing, more frames than you can shake a stick at and higher 4k fidelity.
Now, a game as fast and fluid as Spider-Man absolutely deserves more frames per second. Creating that seamless movement, whether web-slinging or fighting baddies.
But oh my….that Ray Tracing is something else. I’d not been able to really witness it in the past, but thanks to my RTX 4060, I’ve seen the light. Literally.
In a city with as many skyscrapers and towers, coated in glass, there’s potential for a whole lot of reflections, right? Well, Insomniac clearly recognised this and implemented ray tracing. It’s been my first real experience of it, and it’s blown me away. Watching the skyline and sun/sky naturally reflected on the glass as if it were real life. It’s gorgeous, and whilst it adds a clear improvement when you’re looking for it, I honestly think it adds a depth and realism that games have never really seen before.
Add the fluidity and upped textures, and holy shit, Spider-Man is looking fantastic, especially for a game knocking on 5 years old.
Spider-Man
Nobody needs an introduction to Spider-Man, but if you’re like the rest of the world, we’re all a little burned out on superheroes now, right? Having been so prescient over the past 10 or so years. I can understand why people maybe haven’t bothered yet.
But it’s incredibly rare for me to play a game that takes 20+ to finish, more than once. More rare still, I’m going back to do the DLC. Graphical upgrades are a massive part of my re-engagement with it, sure. But at its very core, Spider-Man is just a bloody good game. Taking the best bits of the Arkham series, adding fluidity and depth in movement and combat, then mixing it all up into a fully-realised world.
It’s what the Spider-Man brand deserved. Because damn, superhero games aren’t always great, are they?
A benchmark for the genre. A high-point for Playstation/Sony/Insomniac and now PC, too. I highly doubt you’ll find a game that hits the sweet spot for a superhero game.
If you’re sick of open-world games, and checkpoint chasing, I feel you, I do. But again…..Spider-Man does it better than 99% of the games you’ve already played. I promise it’s worth your time.
Spider-Man 2
Just around the corner is the sequel to this and Mile Morales. Seeing Peter Parker and Miles Morales team up. I can’t wait. Although it won’t come to PC for a while, I suspect.
It’s looking cracking, though, take a look:
It looks to me like another, ahem…..Marvel of a game. I’ll be anxiously waiting for a PC release and likely playing Miles Morales to console myself while I wait.
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