The first Spider-Man reviews are in! The brand new, PS4 exclusive title from Insomniac Games lands today and – if you’re on the fence – the, ahem, “web” is already hosting a range of opinions to aid your decision-making. I say “a range of opinions” – actually they seem fairly consistent. The general flavour du jour is that the latest superhero console title is a good one, with Metacritic giving Spider-Man a “generally favourable” Metascore of 87 (as of September 7th, anyway.) Moreover, the user score is the same, standing at a very healthy 8.7.

Possibly the most dazzling of these reviews comes from Impulse Gamer, who has given the game an overall score of five stars, describing it as a “joy from start to finish,” adding that it is “not only one of the best games to be released this year, it is one of the defining games of a generation.” Nice.

Meanwhile, GameSpot awarded Spider-Man 9/10, and they were particularly keen on the protagonist’s athletic abilities, explaining that the process of swinging around New York city is “endlessly fulfilling.” GameSpot notes that it’s a “relatively straightforward system that isn’t overly demanding on inputs,” but it asks just enough of the player to make you feel as if “it’s all on you.”

Combat-wise, PlayStation Universe described the experience as “utterly sublime” and “greatly satisfying,” adding that Spidey’s moves can easily be chained into “combos of punches, kicks, flipkicks and throws,” with an agility that “lends a frenetic and wholly satisfying violence to each and every encounter.”

And what of the dreaded graphics? Has there been a downgrade?? Well the consensus seems to be that Insomniac has built a great-looking game. Digital Spy awarded Spider-Man four stars, stating: “Marvel’s Spider-Man creates a beautiful iteration of New York, which looks its best basked in the glow of golden hour as the sun sets. The weather flits from glorious sun to heavy storms and seeps in neon nights, which will all undoubtedly be harnessed by fans for the dedicated photo mode.”

However, there have of course been some criticisms amid the plethora of Spider-Man reviews. The Guardian, for example, wasn’t too keen on some of the game’s boss battles, noting that “the superhero-versus-supervillain set-piece fights are confused, messy and ultimately disappointing.”

The Metro also had a few reservations, most notably the difficulty curve, with the publication feeling that there was perhaps a bit too much hand-holding going on. “It’s enjoyable,” the reviewer says, “but no matter how many extra moves and abilities you unlock it never gains any real depth. You also never feel Spider-Man is in much real danger, especially given how easy everything is on normal difficulty.”

Despite this, one thing that most of the reviewers seem to agree on is the story, with many describing it as being immersive and engaging and successfully drawing the player into the unconventional life of young Peter Parker. Personally, I’d be very interested in buying this game if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m watching the pennies, and also Shadow of the Tomb Raider is out next week, which is going to take a significant chunk out of my wallet… and my free time!

What do you think of these Spider-Man reviews? Have they swayed you one way or the other? Have you already played the game? Leave all your opinions in the comments below!

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