When Insomniac Games first showed off that crane sequence at E3, people were skeptical. We’d been burned before. The history of web-swinging in video games is basically a graveyard of "almost got it right" attempts. Then 2018 rolled around, and Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 didn't just land the jump; it redefined what a licensed superhero game could actually be. Honestly, it’s kinda rare for a game to live up to that much hype without crumbling under the weight of expectations.
It’s been years since launch. We have sequels now. We have a PC port. But there is something about that original PS4 experience that sticks. Maybe it's the way Peter Parker's back cracks when he stretches, or the specific orange hue of a Manhattan sunset reflecting off the Avengers Tower. It felt lived-in.
What Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 Got Right About Being Peter Parker
Most games want you to be the mask. They want you to be the power fantasy. Insomniac decided that being Spider-Man is actually a giant pain in the neck.
You start the game in a messy apartment with an eviction notice. That is peak Spider-Man. Bryan Intihar, the creative director, famously leaned into the "mentor" relationship with Otto Octavius, and that’s where the emotional heavy lifting happens. It isn't just about punching Shocker in the face for the tenth time. It’s about watching a good man—someone Peter genuinely loves and admires—slowly lose his mind to neurological decay and bitterness.
The combat system gets compared to the Batman Arkham games a lot. It’s a fair point, but Spider-Man is way more kinetic. While Batman is a tank, Peter is a pinball. You’re using the environment—pulling down scaffolding, webbing mailboxes, and launching yourself off walls. It feels improvisational. If you’re just standing there mashing the square button, you’re doing it wrong. You have to flow.
The Traversal Secret: It’s All About the Physics (Sort Of)
The web-swinging. Everyone talks about it.
The secret sauce is that the webs actually have to attach to buildings. If you’re in the middle of Central Park and try to swing, you’re going to have a bad time because there’s nothing to grab onto. This sounds like a small detail, but it changes how you navigate the city. You find yourself hugging the corners of skyscrapers to take tight turns.
It’s rhythmic. Thwip. Release. Dive. Thwip.
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Once you unlock the Point Launch skill, the game transforms from a traversal simulator into a high-speed parkour masterpiece. You aren't just moving through the world; you're playing with it.
The Narrative Risks That Actually Paid Off
Writing a Spider-Man story is a minefield. Do you do the origin story again? No. God, please no.
Insomniac skipped the spider bite. They skipped Uncle Ben. By the time we start Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4, Peter has been doing this for eight years. He’s experienced. He’s tired. He’s broke. This allows the writers to play with our expectations of established characters.
Take Mary Jane Watson. In this universe, she isn't a damsel or a supermodel; she’s an investigative reporter for the Daily Bugle. Some people hated the MJ stealth missions. I get it. They slow the pace down significantly. But narratively? They’re vital. They show that Peter’s "protection" is often patronizing. It humanizes the stakes. When MJ sneaks into a mercenary camp with nothing but a camera and a lure, she’s arguably braver than the guy with super strength.
And then there's Miles Morales.
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The decision to introduce Miles early, before he even gets his powers, was a masterstroke. We get to see him as a kid dealing with the loss of his father—Officer Jefferson Davis—before he ever puts on a suit. It makes his eventual transformation feel earned rather than like a marketing gimmick for a spin-off.
The Technical Wizardry of 2018
We need to talk about the loading times—or the lack thereof.
On a standard PS4, the fast travel system was basically Peter riding the subway. It was a clever way to hide loading screens while adding world-building flavor. Seeing Spider-Man sitting next to a guy sleeping on his shoulder is objectively funny. But even without fast travel, the engine managed to stream high-res assets of Manhattan at breakneck speeds.
The "city that never sleeps" actually felt populated. The NPCs react to you. You can drop down to the street and high-five a random civilian or take a selfie. It grounds the superheroics in a reality that feels worth saving. If the city felt like a cardboard cutout, the threat of the Devil’s Breath virus wouldn't have felt so dire.
Why the Sinister Six Felt Different This Time
The boss fights in Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 aren't always revolutionary in terms of mechanics, but they’re spectacular in terms of scale.
The prison break at the Raft is a high point. Seeing Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, and Electro all team up to absolutely wreck Peter is a sobering moment. It shifts the game from a "friendly neighborhood" vibe into a legitimate crisis.
- Electro and Vulture: A vertical battle that forces you to master mid-air combat.
- Rhino and Scorpion: A chaotic mess of environmental traps and dodging poison hallucinations.
- Mr. Negative: A surreal, black-and-white dive into Peter’s psyche.
- Doctor Octopus: The final fight on the side of the Oscorp building is purely emotional. It’s messy. It’s tragic.
By the time you get to that final confrontation with Otto, the game stops being about gadgets. It’s about two people who failed each other. The voice acting from Yuri Lowenthal (Peter) and William Salyers (Otto) in that final scene is genuinely some of the best in the medium.
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Real Talk: The Stuff That Didn't Work
I'm not going to sit here and tell you it’s a perfect game. It isn't.
The "Towers" system is straight out of the 2010 Ubisoft playbook. Having to fix radio towers to reveal the map felt dated even in 2018. It’s busywork. Similarly, the research station missions from Harry Osborn vary wildly in quality. Some are cool environmental puzzles; others involve chasing clouds of smog that feel more like a chore than a heroic feat.
And the screwball challenges? Painful. Absolute nightmare.
But these are side activities. You can ignore most of them. The core loop—the swinging, the combat, the story—is so strong that it carries you through the repetitive parts.
The Legacy and What to Do Now
If you’re just getting into this now, you have choices. You can play the original on PS4, or you can get the Remastered version on PS5/PC.
The Remastered version changed Peter’s face to look more like Ben Jordan (and arguably more like Tom Holland). It was controversial. People got weirdly attached to the original "puffy" Peter face. Personally? The new face allows for much better facial animation and emotional nuance in the sequels. It’s worth the trade-off.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
- Master the Air: Don't just stay on the ground during fights. Use the "Air Launch" (hold Square) and stay up there. Most enemies can't hit you if you're four feet off the ground.
- Focus on Gadgets: The Web Bomb paired with a Concussive Blast is an instant win button for large groups. Use it when you’re overwhelmed.
- Read the Backpacks: There are 55 backpacks scattered around the city. Each one has a piece of lore. If you actually want to understand this version of the Spider-Man universe, read the descriptions. They explain everything from his first fight with Crusher Hogan to his failed chemistry experiments.
- Suit Powers Matter: Don't just pick the suit that looks the coolest (though the Vintage Comic Book suit is tempting). The "Web Blossom" power is essentially a "clear the room" move that saves lives on higher difficulties.
- Wait for the Ending: Stay through the credits. The post-credit scenes in this game set up the entire future of the Insomniac Marvel Universe, including the arrival of Symbiotes and the evolution of Miles.
Ultimately, Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 succeeded because it understood that Peter Parker is the most relatable hero in fiction. He wins, but he loses his job. He saves the city, but he loses his aunt. It’s a game about sacrifice, and that’s why it’s still the gold standard for the genre. If you haven't revisited it lately, do it. The web-swinging feels just as good today as it did on day one.