5 reasons why Marvel’s Spider-Man is worth playing in 2025 (and 3 reasons why it's not)

Marvel's Spider-Man was released in 2018 on the PlayStation 4, much to the excitement of the gaming community. Insomniac Games, the developers behind the iconic Ratchet and Clank series, threw their hats into the ring to create an original story based on the iconic superhero, building a new shared universe through this interactive medium.

This article highlights why the first entry in Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise is worth revisiting this year along with a few reasons why you shouldn't.

Disclaimer: This article is purely subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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5 reasons why Marvel’s Spider-Man is worth replaying in 2025

1) The original story

Marvel's Spider-Man wasn't overshadowed by other adaptations (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Insomniac Games had complete access to Spider-Man’s rogue's gallery and knew how to utilize each villain perfectly. Unlike the character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe counterpart, this version of Peter Parker is already a struggling young man and an established hero for the past eight years.

Hardcore fans can spot iconic comic book moments recreated or references to older films. Insomniac Games had a clear vision for this new universe and crafted a familiar premise but entirely original.

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2) Web swinging and traversal

Web swinging was somewhat therapeutic in Marvel's Spider-Man (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The developers spent time perfecting Marvel’s Spider-Man’s main traversal method: web swinging. Players could spend hours swinging across different districts without feeling bored.

While it can get tense during chase sequences, the traversal system was designed to give players complete control.

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3) Cosmetics and customization

Spider-Man has a suit for every occasion (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

One of the best parts of being a superhero is having a large wardrobe of outfits with special perks and modifications. Peter is a resourceful inventor who can create gadgets and new suits to give himself an edge against his opponents, and the developers intelligently integrated decades’ worth of history as cosmetics.

Players can explore the open world to accomplish certain side objectives for resources necessary to craft new suits, web shooter upgrades, and suit mods. To that end, Spider-Man is constantly on patrol, fighting crime while gaining resources to improve his gear.

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4) John Paesano’s original score

John Paesano's music is a work of art (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Web swinging becomes infinitely better when paired with composer John Paesano’s powerful soundtrack. Players can perform a dive off a tall skyscraper and listen to the score build up, then flourish as they swing away. The score makes for a few emotional moments, especially in powerful character moments.

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5) Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is best played on PC and PlayStation 5 Pro

The developers didn't settle for less and wanted to provide Spider-Man with the treatment he deserved (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The original version launched on the PlayStation 4 in 2018 and ran smoothly even on the base model. However, that didn’t stop the developers from making something even better thanks to the PlayStation 5's impressive hardware — especially with the Pro model — which possesses even more powerful specs.

Insomniac Games released a remastered version of Marvel’s Spider-Man with improved graphics and visuals. The game was later ported to the PC platform.

There is no word about when the final chapter will be released. For now, though, fans can replay the original game either on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, or PC. That said, Marvel’s Spider-Man is a great game but does have its share of problems. Let's look at some of them.

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3 reasons why fans should move on from Marvel’s Spider-Man

1) Chasing pigeons

Spider-Man's greatest nemesis is high-speed pigeons, not supervillains (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The open world is filled with side activities: however, some can be time-consuming. At one point, players will encounter another side quest given by Howard to find and collect all of his lost pigeons scattered across the city, which can be a massive chore. Completionists must find all lost pigeons to gain 100% of the game and unlock the platinum trophy.

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2) Repetitive combat

Performing the same combos can get old fast (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Marvel's Spider-Man isn't a difficult game, especially on lower difficulties. While his gadgets and special skills give players an advantage, it will likely end in the same button-mashing pattern. One can take down outposts belonging to different enemy factions by facing them head-on or via stealth. However, this will feel repetitive after some time.

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3) Sneaking as Miles and MJ

No powers? Major problems (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The pacing will fall short, especially when the game lets players walk in the shoes of Peter's powerless companions. Although their stealth sections are brief, MJ and Miles do not share the titular hero's gameplay and combat mechanics, which can prove disadvantageous.