Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast - Spider-Man PS4 Review - Kinda Funny Gamescast Special

Episode Date: September 4, 2018

Tim and Greg have beaten Insomniac's Spider-Man -- Greg's even Platinumed it -- so let's have a spoiler-free discussion about what the studio got right and wrong! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Miller. Let me ask you one question. Yeah. Wait, hold on. How did you know it was Greg? Is it September 7th yet? It's finally September 7th, everybody. Almost. It almost is. By the time you're listening to this, it's a couple days away. I was going to say, by the time you listen to this, no, it's not. Still not September 7th for us for a while, though. Yeah, we've had Spider-Man for a long time. Beat Spider-Man on PlayStation 4. We sure did. I platinum did. I plattomed it. Yeah, platinum day.

There is a chance, ladies and gentlemen, that I'm the first platinum in the world. Now, we won't know all the trophies are live and I can sink and we can do all that stuff. If not, the first, I'm definitely in, I've done it. I've got to be like, if I'm not in the top three, that'll be the heartbreaker. You know what I mean? Yes, Tim, we have had Marvel's Spider-Man from Insomniac Games, courtesy of PlayStation. That's right, FTC, they sent us, hashtag game provided by PlayStation. They sent it to us for reviews because we're influencers.

Tim, you're a big Spider-Man fan. I'm a big Spider-Man fan. Comics, movies, TV shows, games. All of the above. Of course. Serial. I'm sure at some point I've had a Spider-Man

that I was a fan of. What did you think of Spider-Man on PlayStation 4? What a damn great game. I am in love with this. I feel that it is everything that you love about Spider-Man. It nails so many elements

about what makes Spider-Man special. Can I say one thing before you go further? Yes. We forgot to put this out there. Spoiler-free review. No spoilers here. You're free to watch and at your leisure and not worry about it.

I feel it nails so many elements of what makes Spider-Man special as a character, Peter Parker special as a character, the supporting cast, the enemies, what makes a Spider-Man game special as a Spider-Man game, how it feels both in combat, both in swinging and just traversal.

And in story, which I think is the most important thing when it comes to a Spider-Man game, is to give people things that they're familiar with, but have a creative twist on it that always keeps you guessing. And I think that the smartest call that this game did was take place eight years in the future of Spider-Man.

being Spider-Man. He's already, it's not an origin story. He's been Spider-Man already for a long time. Which is a time period we don't often see in Spider-Man. Sure. Law and stories, because it kind of, you know, in comics and in a lot of the shows, time, there's no real relativity. You don't know how long it's been happening, right?

Or it is a very specific thing. And I think that this is an example of that done really well, where you're introduced to characters and throughout the game as a viewer, as somebody that knows, Spider-Man so well, you're constantly surprised at his relationship with different characters. And you're wondering what happened in these eight years? Yeah. You know, like what, what is the Spider-Man world? What is New York now that we're seeing? And I feel like they do a great job of keeping you wanting to move forward to the plot. Oh, my simultaneously distracting the living hell out of you. Right. With some of my favorite collectibles I've ever had to do. Oh, 100%. I, you know,

when we were playing through this and you and I were texting about it on our first blush of it, right? The thing I took away from it was a comparison to God of War. That when I finished God of War's story, which was so good and so compelling and so amazing, I wanted to jump right back in the game and go do all the side stuff. In Spider-Man, I saved the story so I could go out and do every one of the collectibles, every one of the side missions, everything they gave you because it's designed so brilliantly. The gameplay loop is, of course, explore New York, web sling, it's open world, go do all the stuff. The traversed. personal alone is enough to play.

Like, right? Like I platinum the game and obviously there's DLC coming, but I'm not, I wouldn't, even if there wasn't, I wouldn't delete this game. This is a game that I'm going to feel like, man, I just want to swing around today. I just want to go see something cool

or see what's happening in this world. When they start dropping the side missions, it was, or the side, even the collectibles, right? Like when, you know, this isn't a spoiler, obviously been talked about before in preview coverage,

when backt pecks pop up for the first time. It was like, okay, cool. Like, granted, I've wanted to, I've been hyped for this game for so long. and all I want to do is exist in that New York, right? So I just want to do everything. The game is so brilliant with its collectibles, making you a better Spider-Man,

making you more powerful, giving you a new suit, the carrot on the end of the stick, as you level up, seeing that you're one level, I'm going to have the ability to unlock whatever, this suit's going to be, what is this suit going to be?

I constantly was stopping the story, not because I didn't love it, but because it was like, well, clearly, whatever I've just unlocked is going to, and if I go do all the kingpin and hideouts or whatever, right, it's clearly going to, to make me better and enhance my story and make it that much more fleshed out.

And I think that's the key to tell what makes these collectibles so special is not only does getting them make you feel stronger and make you feel like a better Spider-Man, it opens up the world I was talking about of filling in that at your gap of understanding. Yeah. What villains has he faced before? How did he beat them? Like what relationships does he have with, you know, Mary Jane or whoever it is? Yeah.

And of like filling that in. But I also think that the collectibles have such a great sense of progression where the Backpacks don't overstay. They're welcome. There's 55 of them or whatever it is. And by the time I got all of them, I'm like, oh, man, I wish there were so many more. But I'm glad there weren't. Like, I'm so happy there weren't because by the time you get them, there's another collectible that you want to get that has a different twist to it. And I feel like the game introduces different collectibles to get at the perfect time. Right before the thing that you're doing starts to feel like it's getting tiresome. Sure. Well, that's the thing you start to feel like you're getting better at it, right? Like I think for me, there's only one.

No spoilers, obviously. There's different groups of enemies you fight, right? And not that many. But the final group you unlock, I found them to be annoying. And so taking on their bases, it was like, that was one of the final things I had for my platinum. It was like, all right, cool. But it wasn't horrible. And it was very much that by a guy, Tom had like three or four left.

I was like, oh, I should be doing it this way. Like, you know what I mean? There is a strategy to fighting these things, right? When you swing in and it's just thugs, whatever. But then as you progress, it's like you start to know, well, that guy. is a high value target, for lack of a better term. He screws me up. I know I need to take him out first, so then the goons can be taken out this way.

And so then to come into these new areas, these different areas, it was like, oh, well, that kind of type of enemy before was my trouble. But in this instance, it's these guys over here, right, that are doing all these different things. It does a great job of that. I echo what you said, right? I think the game's brilliant. Like, I think it's amazing.

Like, you know, I think it is the best Spider-Man game we've ever had. It is. And that's saying something. because like you and me talk about this all the time never soft game me my love affair with the Genesis game people's maximum car obsession ultimate Spider-Man web of shadows there's been great Spider-Man games

I didn't think Web of Shadows once but I do digress I know the internet doesn't agree with that Greg Miller review this one does such a great job of combining all the elements we love and giving us a realized New York and like what you're talking about and I can't say enough a realized Peter Parker life

where like I you know when I went through and I did, the backpacks popped up. I went through and did all the backpacks immediately, right? And I did this with every collectible or every like side mission that popped up. There's a backpack, you know, you'd get something and like they're, you know, these collectibles or not collectibles. Of course, collectibles, but little things that are, you know, mementos of Peter's life, right? Of like his corsage or this or blah, blah, blah. And I don't want to spoil them anymore before you because I think this is such a thing.

They're also fun. And every one of them I listened to the story about, right? And there was one that got it and it was like a throw away to an MJ date that had gone wrong. It's like, oh, that's cute or whatever. And then later on in the story, hours later in the story, like she brings that up. And not because I found it, because they've woven a real story here. There is clearly an insomniaic, this is the Peter Parker Spider-Man Bible of what the universe is here and what dates must be important and what, you know, characters were and what the relationships were.

So that I'm sure not all the same designers touch that. And I'm sure not all the same writers wrote the exact same things. But they all weave it together where it is like, okay, this is a cohesive world. And I feel like that is so important. I think a reason that why that is so important is you were talking about like this being the best of a man game ever. I totally agree. I had such a soft spot for the Neversoft game on the PlayStation 1.

And I feel a big reason for that is it was our first real experience with a game that was unabashedly a comic book game where all the collectibles were comic book covers and the suits. There were so many of them. And every level had a different custom comic book loading screen. Yeah. And Stanley did the voiceover. And they really were just like, what would just be cool things for us to do? And I feel like there was a lot of twists in that game that just constantly kept you feeling,

oh, I'm living in this world. That's not the animated TV show world, but like it feels equally complex. And it's its own world, its own universe. I feel this game does what that game did for comic book TV. Yeah. This did for cinematic Spider-Man. From the moment you start the game, the soundtrack, the script. the score. It having its own unique score and you know we are doing the Spider-Man

and review series for the movies for the movies and we just finished the Sam Ramey movies and you know those movies have a lot of issues but them having a cohesive score really helps and really kind of creates this like epic feeling of the scale of Spider-Man and New York and swinging around and I feel this game every single time that you are doing something it feels correctly cinematic whether it's a fight scene where the camera comes in or it's you You just see the city and you're swinging between the buildings. Sure. The music is just swalling.

When you run up one of the tall buildings, the music changes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So satisfying. Yeah, I mean, and that's a great way to put it as satisfying, right? Like, to give you a window into me platinum in this game, right? We got a review copy on a Friday. I played from three to midnight. Then Saturday, pretty much all day with a few breaks for, you know,

Jen's like, get out of the house. Let's walk around or something. Sunday all day. It's very similar. Monday night and then platinum it's Tuesday morning. And I don't want that to make it sound short. I wanted to make you know that I devoured it. Like I was,

this is all I wanted to do. And you and I had the same conversation, right, that Saturday morning where you went to go do something and I was doing something. And you were like, man, I'm doing something else and all I can think about Spider-Man. I'm like, exactly.

Exactly. And I think that this is a testament to people that are, you know, religious kind of funny viewers that know us personally very well. Yeah. You are the trophy guy. You want a platinum. Of course you're going to platinum's game.

Yeah. I am not the trophy guy. And I feel the collectibles are so good and feel like such a, part of the game that it's not just a thing to tick off that I oh sure I already put it in most of the work put in most of it yeah I'm getting really close to getting the platinum which is surprising for me but I feel motivated to to do that because the game is just so good at like not just making things feel like you know the great example for what we're talking about here is like when I 100% of it when I platinum it when it was like oh god it's done right it was like

I can't wait for more like when they were like hey you know you're getting DLC every month October November December this black hack thing's ticking off October. I was like, thank God. I want more of this so bad. And it's an interesting thing. And to transition a little bit into cons, I guess, or my hangups with the game. My over, when I've talked to people, don't worry, Sony, off the record, you know what I mean? People have played before, right? I'm talking to them about it. What I kept saying is, I love this game. This game's amazing. It's all I want to do. Yuri Lohenthal, holy crap. Great. What an amazing, and like, I've known Yuri tangentially. You know what I mean? He's not like Troy, who's here all the time or

whatever, like I'm hanging out of Travis's house or something. I know Yuri piecemeal here and there. And he is such a great Spider-Man and such a great Peter. So fucking good. You know what I mean? Nailing Peter is so damn important. That is the really crux of what Spider-Man is. Spider-Man is nothing without that other half. Especially because the stories and villains and everything are so intertwined. In a way, most comic book villains aren't. I feel like Batman's an exception to that. Like Batman is very much like, you know, Bruce Wayne and they always have relationships, but Spider-Man, that's the core of who it is. It's why all this stuff works.

And so one of the cons I have is that I feel like video games still haven't nailed the gameplay elements of non-superpowered superheroes. So when you're playing as Peter Parker in this game, it always kind of just feels like a walking simulator in a bad way. And I get that it's just like to show a story. The other option is literally just showing a cutscene. Yeah. But in some cases, I almost would prefer that because there are many moments in this game where I'm doing things and I'm like, I wish I wasn't doing this right now.

They're always brief enough that it's not a pain in the ass. But it's just like, uh, I don't go. Where did you come down in the puzzles for Peter, right? Like in the lab he works in, there's these two stations where one is like it's kind of like a very basic bioshop fuse game of like get the electricity over here. And eventually they add in as you get higher and level. It needs to have a certain voltage. And then over here, it's matched these lines kind of like a DNA. sequencer. Yeah, there's a lot of things like that that are kind of exactly what I'm talking about. Yeah. It's just like I get that they're trying to build a story and show that he's like this technical thing and how do you show that? It's a hard thing to show. And I just feel like it's just not the worst thing ever. It just reminds me of a lot of my least favorite parts of a lot of my favorite games. It reminds me of the puzzles in ony moose show, which it sucks. It reminds you know, it just kind of slows things down. And I do feel this game does a better job than most because it is story related. Like there's never a weird gimmicky different types.

of gameplay that you have that isn't explained and like building a mythos around it. But I just still feel like puzzles aside, like there's parts where you're like it's the stealth missions. It's like video games are so cyclical where there's always the things like nobody likes escort missions. Yeah. You know what I mean? And not this game that has those, but I feel like there's a lot of sections of the game

that are reminiscent of that where it's like. See, I for me that one of like I started into a con and they never got to it. But like for me, that wouldn't ever do it for me. Like I know what you're talking about. Obviously, we're not spoiling stuff here, right? But when you are playing these parts where you are Peter Parker or, you know, what you're talking about, you have to be a normal person, right? I liked it because it broke it up. I like that it gave it.

I don't think, with all due respect to insomnia, I don't think it's ever as good as like Arkham City when you were about Bruce Wayne. I thought that was cool. I liked that. But that was so brief and you were done. Whereas this is, it's multiple days. So much is happening. You need to get out of the suit at some point. And I liked getting out of the suit and having it shake up.

and I never thought any of the things overstayed they're welcome. I never was annoyed that I was trying something again or somebody got caught. I guess there was one part towards the end of the game. There's a couple parts where it, I mean,

it never goes on too long, but it does go on long. Like I feel like with a lot of those puzzles where it's like, I would have been fine if there was one to move on to get the thing. See what I like, I like the,

so let me put a pin in the puzzles. My con to this game and not even a big one is that I feel it's just two predictable as the Spider-Man story. That was the, and I made, when we were talking about it, and I was feeling it out and talking to other people who are playing the game for reviews, I would say that and then immediately, and be like, I like how the Arkham series took chances and did different things with these characters. But the more I reflected on it, really Arkham Asylum didn't. Arkham Asylum is a Batman story. You understand where you're going to get to. You sure, the Joker takes Titan Syrian at the end or whatever. But it's still, you beat the Joker and all as well. You know what I mean? And so I feel I'm being unfair when I say that to an extent. I just feel like maybe what they thought the big twist was or what the kind of they've hyped and stuff.

Just I saw it coming a mile away But it's also them building their universe and establishing this universe and doing something I really like I'm torn between it It's really hard to talk about because it is a really great Spider-Man story like Fantastic Spider-Man story. It's not a perfect Spider-Man story Yeah, I don't know what is though and I think that's the thing is like this game is so ambitious and does so much and introduces so much Well yeah That like the characters that I do have issues with the twists that I do have issues with

It's totally like you know what? I get it like as an overall experience this is really fantastic. Yeah, and that's my thing about it. I guess as I wrestle with it. I guess here's my thing is I knew from pretty early on, and if you're a Giant Spider-Man fan, you will too, what our final destination was. And for me, I guess, I was like, oh, that kind of sucks.

But as you look back on it now and we review the game, right? It is that I enjoyed the building blocks to the destination. I enjoyed what you're talking about, the chances they took and the relationships we had and, like, taking the pin out, what those little puzzles, even when I was doing them and I knew what I was. was doing, I knew what they were leading to. And I was like, that's still cool. You know what I mean?

That's still a cool thing. And I think part of this does play into the, you know, the woe is me of preview events and having to be up on it and talking and like knowing certain things were going to happen. So that kind of takes the wind out of their reveals and their sales. And I can only imagine being a, I've been radio silent. I've been blackout on this. I'm going to jump in and not know something and getting some of these moments. I feel like the game actually does a really good job.

And like shout out to PlayStation's Insomniac. I don't think that the pre. marketing stuff spoils much. I think they did a good job having suspense because going to the game, I was like, there's a moment where you're like, who is it? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they show that.

And it's like, I like that. I like that the game answered a question. Like, they used the, knowing that they had to spoil things in marketing. Like, they used that to their advantage. Sure. And so it did create a good experience for me. Yeah, it's interesting because I feel like we are just so privileged that we've gotten

such great Spider-Man stories and Spider-Man media. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. to get a came this good. But I feel like if all the things that we're bitching about storyline wise, if they didn't happen in this game, we would be complaining that they didn't. Well, again, and what I think's interesting is that,

okay, cool. So they've built this baseline world. You know what I mean? That I would have liked something crazier to happen in. But I like how they got there. I like the relationships I established. I like the way there were, there are characters in there that I thought might do something that didn't do it.

And it's like, oh, that's interesting. So then to get to the end and see what they do with that information. Now that when they get to, the end, and no spoilers, some of their Easter eggs and things like that, it's like, huh, that's gonna be really fascinating. Yeah, no spoilers, the end's fantastic. Yeah, oh, exactly. And not even the end end, like, you know what I mean, the end. And like, awesome. Yeah, like, I told you, no spoilers, but I told you, right, that like, I thought it was funny that,

we're talking about God of War, Spider-Man, these two Sony first-party games. And, like, obviously one of the most infamous things in a good way. So famous things I ever said about God of War, right? It starts with, like, one of the best superhero battles I've ever had, right? For me, and I don't know how you feel about it, the final, final battle, the final part of the final battle in this game and what it leads into, I thought was like one of the best superhero battles I've had in the game in terms of, oh, wow, what a neat thing we're doing, and oh, wow, what a cool narrative you're giving me as it happens. Yeah, no, there's a lot of really cool, really cool stuff, stuff in there. And I feel like the, the, one of my other, most of

criticism I have of this game is complaining that it's not what I, wanted. There's things that I would have done. I would have done or what I would have expected. And that's kind of unfair to put on to this. Of course. Of course. It is such a great package and there's so much good going for it and it's so fun and it just feels right. Yeah. But I

feel the game lacked in uncharted moments in these over the top giant set pieces. And it's like maybe I was wrong to be expecting those. Like Insomniac is not naughty dog. Why am I kind of putting that there? Yeah. But I didn't feel like there was

any moment that really was that, like, oh my God. I can't believe I just did that. I just got to do that. No spoilers, but I mean, that original E3 demo, right? I thought that was awesome. In playing that, I thought that was awesome. Very cool. And there's like changes they make too that I think kept it pretty, pretty interesting.

I didn't know exactly what was happening when. Yeah. There are moments in this game that are very, very cool, but there was never a moment that my heart was pounding. And again, like, if that is. The biggest problem? The biggest problem I have. This game is great.

I feel it doesn't overstay. It's welcome. I feel there is... Are you kidding me? I mean, I would die for another 20 hours of this. I'm so... I would... I want to go home and play it again and play more of it.

And I know, you know, there's a day one patch with, like, photo mode and new game plus and stuff like that. Like, there's reasons... Awesome. Yeah, I know, right. Can you imagine if we would have that? I'd probably still be playing it. But, uh...

Yeah, no, the game's great. And it does all this cool stuff. And I... Yeah, the complaints we have? So me, it's like, I wish the story took more chances. However, I love that they've set up a world now that I care about and I'm invested in. There are history. There are meaningful consequences, the things that happen.

And it really does mean, wow, what's going to happen next? My other one would be, I wish, and I'm not sure to be a hater. I don't, the suits, we could, I didn't love the suit selection. Yeah, it was, it was an interesting choice. The ones that they went with and the ones that they didn't include. Yeah. We live in a world of DLC, and I know that's not a fun answer, but like they They'd say there's going to be more suits.

And that's the thing. And it's, I guess it's just, you brought it up earlier, the NeverSoft one, right? I've just like, remember how crazy they were and so many obscure things and comic book references? I feel like this one does a little bit too much of just doing like, all right, here's this thing that's happening. And here's this kind of suit. And it's like, well, that even looks like this other suit that I want, but you're not giving me that suit. That's weird. That said, there are.

Great suits. Four or five suits that speak directly to me that I cycled between all the time to screw around. And it was, it's super easy. It's in and out. like, you know, they all have different things. The abilities they unlock are really cool. Upgrading and getting stuff for Spidey, I thought was awesome, you know, going to a different fighting style.

So it's like, I guess it's similar to what like Adam Boys used to say when we worked at PlayStation about like a PSX press conference of like, we're going to give you 11 things, 15 things, and we hope that everybody walks away with three things they really care about. I know it's impossible to make a suit selection everybody's going to love. Yeah. I just feel like this game knocks out of the park for what it was trying to do. And I think that the sequel is going to be even better.

Oh my God. Yeah. They really set up a great world. And I'm very excited for it. Like, that's always a good sign when you beat the game and just want more. You just want more. Yeah, I hope the DLC's long. I hope these episodes.

And I know, I'm just saying a couple hours. I don't mean like another 10 or anything. But like, it's more to do. More challenges. Keep coming with some content for it. I also feel the game does such a good job of giving like the radio transmissions he hears. Like there's a brilliant thing that this isn't a spoiler. They put a trailer out for this.

J. Jonah and Jameson and having this like podcast. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Spider-Man is constantly listening to as you're flying around. And it's building the story. And like, man, it just, and all the, the Yuri stuff, I think is great. The banter that she and Peter has is fantastic. And that was the thing, you know, this relationship with Yuri that is something that, you know, when they introduced the game and the character and all the stuff, they were very much like,

yep, you know, he works with the NYPD, he's got the person on the inside, Yuri and stuff. And it was like, oh, this is weird. Am I, like, they're like, the relationship they have, I was like, this is actually awesome. It's really great and I feel like there's all the other characters that do talk to Spider-Man as the game goes through It makes the world feel a lot more alive than it actually is Yeah, I think that that's awesome because they'll react to things that just happened like you're you'll there's a random Crime that pops up yeah as you're going through and they're not side quests they're not even collectibles It's just like things happen

You can stop some thugs from stealing something you can like stop a car from being stolen and whatever And if you avoid that then eventually as you're swinging through like blocks later Jay Jonah Jameson will be on the podcast. Oh yeah. And he'll be like, we got a caller coming in and the call and be like, I just saw Spider-Man totally swing by this thing without stopping it. Like what's up with that? And it's like, that just feels so cool. That's interesting. I never saw it.

I heard that because I stopped at everything. So mine was always Jay Jonah Jameson taking a collar and the caller being like, yeah, Spider-Man just saved me and my friends from this. And he's like, well, don't you mean he actually started it? And, like, arguing. And there are so many things in there. Like when I beat the game and I was now, well, just collectibles or whatever. And like I was knocking out things. I would be swinging and just getting whatever collectible I needed.

And they would still be talking about other random things I had done previously, catching everything up and having Jay Jonah spin it and stuff. Like it's really, really well done. And it makes you want to swing and have those conversations with people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. The combat is super fun. Of course.

They did a great job of making it feel never too quick timey. But also quick timey enough that it looks cinematic and, you know, Well, I mean, I think having those finishers, right? That was the biggest part of it is coming in and having the finishers that you're able to do when you get your meters up. And that was that was where it got really cinematic. And I do think that it was engaging enemies is different based on what type of enemies they are. And so that kept it interesting where, especially because I feel like, you know, they've shown in so many demos the gadget wheel, your different web gadgets. And for so long, I really wasn't using them.

And then towards the end when it started getting, oh, man, it was all of a sudden like this new breath of life to the combat of like, oh, man, what I need to do. is electrify them, do this, get that, you know what I mean, really get in there and mess it up. Super cool, man. I'm so happy the game come out as well as it did. Me too. No, no. No. And yeah, I really feel like people are going to enjoy it a lot. And I think the game's going to get shat on a lot because it's not God of War, you know, and it's not this revolutionary title that like changes Spider-Man games forever. But it is a really damn solid Spider-Man game. And I think that we're in such a great place. 2018, there's going to be a debate over like, is this game that good?

Yes, it's that good. If we just didn't have all these games that are like completely changing the game, this would be game of the year. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, this could have been game of the year and years past, is I guess what I'm saying. I got you. I got you got you.

But we just out of point that like, there's the standards just so high. Well, that's the thing, right? It's like you play this game and it's great. And what it is is what you always want Spider-Man games to be? Yep. You know what I mean? If that makes sense. I guess this game has to settle as being the best Spider-Man game.

And I know it's so crappy to talk about it, but it's like it is that thing of what you probably remember Spider-Man 2 being this game actually is, right? It's like up on, it's doing. It's that whatever rose-colored glasses you have for a Spider-Man game, this game is doing that. And it does it without, and I know that we're just kind of going in circles now. But I love that when we talk about Spider-Man 2, no matter how much we love it, no matter how nostalgic we are for it, we still are like, oh, those fucking balloons. Oh, like the pizza delivery. It's just like, there are the things that we're like, yeah, that shit sucks. This game really answers those questions.

I feel like the star of this game show are the collectibles and the side things because of how well integrated they are. And they don't suck. None of it sucks. You know what I mean? That's the thing. It's like none of it sucked. I was happy to get any of this. That's why I'm going to admit. Oh, something's happening? Sure, I'm down. I want to be a part of that. I want to know real quick. I know we're wrapping this one up. I want to point out too. Obviously, this has been spoiler free. We're working on doing a spoiler cast. Hopefully knock on wood next week with Brian from Insomnia. I get him up here and see. But if that doesn't happen then later on down the line, they're definitely. will be gloves off let's talk about everything uh what did you think from top level obviously of mj i know this is not going to be a popular opinion i really did not like what they did with mary jane's character really and uh the reason for that being i feel like they they kind of didn't know what to do with her from a like kind of character perspective and they're just like we're just going to make her peter's partner and we're just going to make her peter light essentially and there's story beats and stuff where they kind of talk through it all.

Yeah. But to me, it just feels very, very sure. Like, I don't know what I can and can't say. So it's, okay. So is it story stuff? It's story stuff of what they decide to make her do and like how she's doing it. And whatever. I'm just like.

I liked her character. I liked the performance from Laura Bailey. I liked that stuff was great. Her relationship with Peter and I did like the way they play off each other as partners. And I think you said earlier, right? She's like his guy in the chair a lot of times, right? In a similar fashion, how Yuri is. Yeah.

And I feel like that to me is a disservice. to what this character could have been. And again, like, just my opinion. Right. I feel like so many different characters were done so well. And I just feel like Mary Jane was kind of like a missed opportunity because being just the guy in the chair for Spider-Man, we already have so many guys in the chair for Spider-Man. Yeah.

just a plot device. You know what I mean? Using the simplest of terms. I liked here that she had motivations. I like that she expressed them. I like that I got a window into what she was doing and why she was doing it. I did too. Totally.

I think that that's why I have such a problem with it. I wanted more of her to give her a character, not to just give her Peter's character. I got you. Like that's my issue with it. Is it just like, I'm okay with Mary Jane. I mean, not only okay. I prefer Mary Jane to not just be this damsel in distress. Let's give her something to do.

Yeah. But let's not just make her Peter light. Yeah, you know. She's literally like, whatever, I don't want to. I know, I know. We're getting it. Another thing I like, I want to bring up is I like Spider-Man working with New Yorkers. Again, I don't want to spoil anything or get into anything.

But it was cool to see there's so many times that it's, you know, I read Superman comics and there's like a great one going on with Bendis now, right? Where he's like, oh, we're all the same team kind of thing. But it's like to see Spider-Man actually working with other people, whether they be like police officers or whoever, anything like that. Like, that's cool. I like that he is like, he is still the friendly neighborhood. Spider-Man. You get that. And you like, they've shown this before, obviously, in their gameplay

is, walking around the streets of New York and high-fiving people. You know what I mean? And having them say, oh, Spidey, we love you and stuff. Like, it's cool that he's still that guy. And I love the amount of fan service and just like the, we saw, we've seen the Avengers Tower in. Oh, yeah. And moments like that, where you come across stuff. And you're like, oh, that's cool. Yeah. And he's referencing and stuff. I don't think all that are handled perfectly. Like, I think that, uh, it's so, like, going back's what I was saying, it's so hard with the game like this that's so ambitious and especially when you have an eight-year gap that we're not sure where things fall where the more you give the audience the more questions

the audience is going to ask and and I feel like with the story of this game 90% of it they really nail and then 10% and by story I mean lore characters everything in there there's 10% that I'm like this doesn't add up to me like there's certain things that I'm just like well if you introduce that then what about this and and things like that but um whatever they like you can't expect all your answers and one thing. Oh, no, of course not. This is going to be a franchise. Hell, yeah.

Thank God. Thank God. Any closing thoughts? Man, I love this game. It's a joy to play. Can't wait to play more. Very stoked for the DLC. Yeah.

I think they're handling a lot of things correctly. And I guess at the end of the day, I love, from the first time we saw this trailer, this game delivers on what the promise was. It nails it, right? And it really nails it. And I feel there is my big worry going in was that from a story perspective, they weren't going to include enough characters. that they were going to try to keep it small and try to keep it focused on just Mr.

negative. And I feel that my worries are totally unfounded. Great. Yeah, I think the one thing, I agree with everything you're saying. I think, you know, what I love about it is that, yeah, I mean, it's a joy to play. It is magnificent to play. And that's what we want from games, right? I think the one thing we haven't touched on in a roundabout way is that it's funny.

Like, it's funny in the way it should be. It's funny in the way a Spider-Man comics should be funny or a cartoon or whatever you want to be. like the amount of times I left out loud the way Peter talks to people and that's why I like the different people being in his ear here and there because it is a chance for him to do that and I thought that was so well done

like from the jump it feels like Spider-Man and that's all you want. Totally. So this has been a spoiler-free review. There is one disclosure I want to give here that probably should have done in the front but I kind of forgot because we moved on or whatever but it's like I didn't remember

halfway through the review. And I don't think it would stop anyone from being like, ah, but I do want it on the record in our review. So there's, I need to spoil a little thing for a disclosure. And if you want to turn it off here, remember that we're full disclosure for the FTC. They sent us this game or PlayStation sent us this game for review. That's not the disclosure.

So this is your final chance for a just a disclosure thing that you can come back and see later on that I'm sure when it. As many of you know, I am friends with shirtless Spider-Man. We have been horsing around with shirtless Spider-Man since last year at October when I bought that stupid mask. Yeah, since he was first revealed, I think. since the world first saw us shirtless Spider-Man he's been working with us Exactly exactly

There is a shirtless Spider-Man Easter egg in this game I didn't want to do I honestly I should have said this in the front But I totally forgot about it Because it's not life-changer Anything like that But I wanted it in here

As a disclosure statement So that if you think That disqualifies us From having an opinion of the game You know it while you're watching The review For full disclosure It's not like

No money changed hands Or anything like that Obviously they own the fucking They own Spidepresser Spider-Man. So I'm really the one I'm always in the trouble or would be in would be trouble

with it, right? Whatever. So I just wanted you to know there is a shirtless Spider-Man Easter again there. I encourage you to find it and tweet about it, do all that cool stuff

and have fun with it. But just a heads up in case that for you would sacrifice our editorial integrity of what we think of the game. Not that it should. Yeah.

But I want you to know. It's a good thing to know. Yeah. Good thing to know. Go buy this game. Okay. You're going to enjoy it. You're going to have a great time with it.

Until then. Keep on swinging. Keep on swinging. Do whatever you do. Go to Patreon. We got the shirtless Spider-Man cover art. It's true. Put it off and put there.