Spider-Man Remastered

Image Credit: Sony

Spider-Man Remastered breaks traditional video game genre mold and swings to new heights not often visited by its spandex-clad peers. The exhilaration felt from traversing New York City and fighting familiar foes is unmatched. Spider-Man Remastered is the definitive edition of the 2018 game, including all DLC of the original and providing technical upgrades like 60fps and ray tracing options. These performance upgrades are some of the best examples of the PS5 capabilities and Spider-Man Remastered is an excellent starting point for new PS5 users.

Previous Spider-Man games struggled with making New York City feel alive. Spider-Man Remastered breaks this tradition of mediocre worlds and provides players with a sense of loyalty to the citizens of New York. As you’re swinging around the city you may encounter a mugging, carjacking, or even a shoot out with a private military organization. These random events occur at a reasonable rate and they create a sense that New York City is alive and needs your help.

In addition to random events, the world is filled with other rewarding tasks like enemy hideouts/outposts, taskmaster challenges, research stations, black cat stakeouts, backpacks, and many more. These activities off the beaten path result in various tokens that allow Peter Parker to unlock new suits and upgrade his technology. The variety of side activities and the rewarding tokens distract players from the main story in the best way, resulting in a living New York City that is enrapturing.

One of the biggest critiques of the 2018 version was its tedious stealth missions. I have the unfortunate duty to tell you that those missions are present in this version. Swinging through a vibrant city and fighting iconic villains is broken up by...sneaking through a museum as Mary Jane Watson. This contrast in gameplay is one reason why stealth missions feel out of place in a Spider-Man game. These stealth missions cycle between Mary Jane and Miles Morales. They are mainly used as storytelling devices, but they overstay their welcome and I began to question if this narrative piece could’ve been better explored in a 30 second cut scene.

In addition to stealth breaking up most players preferred Spider-Man gameplay, Insomniac also included puzzle sections. These puzzles are also used as narrative devices to show that Peter is smart and has a strong relationship with Otto Octavius. This message is already well delivered in cut scenes but it is emphasized further through puzzles that are not satisfying. It’s clear that Insomniac understood this frustration by the time they released the remastered version because they included an option to skip these segments completely. It’s hard to fault the game for the puzzle inclusion since it’s the players choice to partake in them, but it’s clear that Insomniac had a mission to break up the traditional Spider-Man action with various narrative mechanics.

The narrative is one area that Spider-Man Remastered doesn’t lack. Beyond a slow start to the story and some obvious “twists”, the journey Peter Parker embarks on is an exciting one. It is full of loss, betrayal, and the heroic themes you would expect in a Spider-Man story. The writing has depth and it tells the best story I have experienced in a Spider-Man video game. The writers take the story to some dark places which result in complete investment in the characters. This Peter Parker might be my favorite iteration of the character and I look forward to his story in a sequel.

Spider-Man Remastered is the ultimate Spider-Man experience. It integrates iconic Spider-Man feats into fluid and organic game mechanics. The variety of missions and costumes creates a fresh and inviting experience. Though there was some filler in the form of puzzles and stealth missions, this game is an exhilarating experience. Swinging through Manhattan in your favorite Spider-Man suit has never felt better. Spider-Man isn’t just one of the best superhero games I have experienced but it transcends the genre and it is one of the best offerings of the PS5. Busch League Gaming gives Spider-Man Remastered an 8.5 out of 10.

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Buy this game if you enjoy:

• Batman Arkham Series

• Spider-Man

• New York City