Spider-Man's Gaming Homecoming

Spider-Man PS4 2018

As we are a mere four days from one of the biggest games of the year, I realized just how special this game could be. Not just for how "amazing" it looks, but the fact that it is going to be a return to form for a series, that has long roots within the Sony gaming platform. 

As I sat down to get hyped for the latest Spider-Man game, I thought back to some of my first, and still among the best of my gaming memories. Slowly I realized that the Spider-Man games were something much more than I ever thought. So let's take a look at some epic moments in Spider-Man's gaming history, and what they meant to me. We will not be covering ever Spider-Man game, but the ones that meant the most to me, and also the ones that truly set the bar for gaming as a whole.

One of my first gaming memories is experiencing the first level of Spider-Man and the X-Men Arcade's Revenge, over and over again on the Super Nintendo. Yes, little gamer me could not ever seem to get past the first level of this game, still I never cared as I had so much fun swinging as one of my favorite Super Heroes. 

The music featured in the first level, yes forgive me for only have knowledge of the game's first level, was supremely memorable and catchy, to this day I can still here that beautiful 8-bit tune. Not only was the music wonderful, but the game had a stunning presentation, that at the time was some of the best visuals I had seen in a game. Yet, what came after is by far one of the most special games within my memory. 

Spider-Man for the PlayStation, which was also available for the DreamCast & N64, was one of the first games that I played from start to finish. Never had I been more immersed in a game's world. From the opening level swinging through New York's skyline, and then rescuing hostages at the Bank was exhilarating. 

Being able to swing, climb walls and various other surfaces was incredible for it's time. The game's combat was no slouch either, the combos and web gadgets were an absolute joy to use. 

Being able to beat up an enemy then zip to the ceiling, was something I had never before experienced, the fluidity was simply unbelievable again for it's time. We are talking the Year 2000 after all. 

Never before had I beat an action game like this, the varying degree of challenge both in the game's design and difficultly selection was something I had never seen before. Few games manage to provide a level of challenge that pushes the player to think fast and stay on their toes, while at the same time staying accessible and never frustrating the player. This was also one of the first games that I played, which had an engrossing and fully acted and animated story to go along with the incredible gameplay.  This was the game that cemented for me, that gaming was not just a pass time hobby, oh no gaming is an art, just like the films and animations I loved before it. I was not the only one to think so highly of this epic game, for those old enough this is still remembered as the game that truly proved Super Hero games could work. 

If Spider-Man for the PS1 was the birth of my days as a hardcore gamer, Spider-Man The Movie Game for PS2, Xbox, PC and GameCube was the start of my real growth as a gamer. More complex combat and gameplay as a whole, while still being incredibly close to the classic PS1 Spider-Man, this was a game where you would go from mission to mission, experiencing the story of the film, with added scenes. 

Was it anything new? Not really, it did however improve nearly every aspect of the best Spider-Man game that came before it. 

The story was told through extremely detailed cut-scenes and voice acting by the likes of Tobey Maguire, Willam Dafoe and Bruce Campbell. Not only was 2002's Spider-Man film the best Superhero film of its day, its game was one of the best movie based games until another game peeked its head through the curtain two years later.

Yes this is the game I am sure you were all waiting to hear about, after all until Arkham Asylum, this was the definitive Super Hero game. 2004 was one hell of a year for gamers, and this was surely one of the best of the year. I still vividly remember renting this game from Hollywood Video the Friday after it came out. I ordered in an amazing Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, got cozy in my bedroom, kicked off my shoes and proceeded to experience a game I have yet to forget. Spider-Man 2 for PS2, Xbox, PC and GameCube is one of the most enduring moments in gaming. 

I remember seeing the game reviewed on Judgment Day, which was on the glorious channel known as G4 TV for Gamers. I was shocked when I saw that you were able to freely explore New York as Spider-Man, Being able to go to the tops of sky scrappers and then diving down and experiencing combat was unlike anything on the market. 

You may be asking yourself at this point, what the hell does this have to do with a homecoming? Well, if you were paying attention the best Spider-Man games land on a Sony console. While most of them have been multi-platform, I have found that most people talk about the PlayStation versions, they also have the highest scores of those games.

That tells me that when people think of Spider-Man in gaming the PlayStation also comes to mind. They have hosted more of Spider-Man's adventures in total, than any other gaming platform. They also are the platform with the absolute best Spider-Man games to this day. With that said the PlayStation did see the same duds as other consoles, and I am sure that a great deal of other gamers will remember playing on the DreamCast, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Wii or even PC.

But it seems almost prophetic that a game looking to finally dethrone Akrham, who once dethroned Spider-Man, would become a PlayStation exclusive. It is no surprise either that this game is looking to not only recapture the magic of Spider-Man 2, but the combat and gadgets are a clear call back to Spider-Man PS1, which includes Spider-Man the Movie Game, as it was a clear evolution of the PS1 classic. While I am sure Insomniac Games was inspired by many if not most of Spider-Man's gaming outings,  I can not help but think of those three games specifically when I look at Spider-Man 2018. I am sure that us gamers with fond memories of the wall-crawlers gaming antics, will be taking a stroll down memory lane with glee when Spider-Man finally swings into PS4 later this week.