The highly-anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home has been released to much critical praise and added a further spike in the superhero genre’s mainstream popularity. As such, Spider-Man merchandise will surely surge as a result, with the video game community likely looking to scratch that adventurous itch that the Wall-Crawler does so well to incite.
One of the biggest types of games to dive into to do so would naturally be Marvel and Insomniac’s acclaimed Spider-Man games, but there are other superhero games for fans to play and immerse themselves in the genre outside of the titular character. Unsurprisingly open-world formatted games are also great candidates for capturing that grandiose and exhilarating feel of traversing vivid sandboxes.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Undoubtedly the best option for fans to get their next Spider-Man fix is Insomniac’s blockbuster PlayStation exclusive. It’s unsurprisingly the best Spider-Man game by both fan and critic reception given the near-immaculate execution of every aspect of the game. The graphics and art direction are visually stunning, and the combat system takes some inspiration from Rocksteady’s celebrated Batman: Arkham series while still standing on its own feet.
And in terms of gameplay mechanics, it gets right what is arguably the most important element of a Spider-Man game: the web-swinging. The open-world traversal via web-swinging is seamless, feels fluid, and makes fast travel seem irrelevant. Similarly, the game’s story is perhaps one of the best ones ever written for the superhero icon. Players can get the game on PS4 or the PS5 remastered version.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The next clearest candidate would be Insomniac’s most recent endeavor back in the Spider-Man sandbox. Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a spin-off/semi-sequel to their series opener, as it takes place after Peter Parker’s story in that game and focuses on Miles’ iteration of the superhero. It was also released to a great critical reception and served as a good appetizer for the upcoming PS5 exclusive Spider-Man 2. Miles Morales scales things down to tell an intimate side story away from Peter and succeeds in fleshing out the high potential that the new young hero has.
Though not necessarily groundbreaking, the game adds tasteful new features to things like the combat to make Spider-Man: Miles Morales feel like a worthwhile entry in what’s sure to be a special and wider universe crafted by Insomniac. It was released in 2020, but it’s certainly one of the best PS4 and PS5 games to pick up for those who have yet to test the waters. The Ultimate Edition is a great deal to get Miles Morales for PS5 as well as the aforementioned remastered version of the original.
Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy
Eidos-Montréal’s Guardians of the Galaxy game may have been one of gaming’s most welcome surprises of 2021. E3 2021 was a major disappointment for most fans, so seeing publisher Square Enix announce another Marvel game right after their failed attempt at Avengers in 2020 seemed like adding insult to injury.
The game demo presented wasn’t particularly impressive despite the extended look, but upon release, received strong reviews for being a charming, fun, and refreshing change of pace in the gaming scene. Guardians of the Galaxy was praised for executing the linear action-adventure style story well in a sea of bloated open-world games, as well as likable renditions of the cast that stands tall next to the popular MCU take.
Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
Capcom’s popular crossover fighting game series has certainly seen better days, but Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 remains a fan-favorite among the fighting game community. Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite was the most recent entry but was seen as a disappointment by comparison to its predecessors, with critics citing the stiff, cheap art style and smaller and recycled roster of characters as the biggest low points.
However, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, which makes accessibility a non-issue. This version of the series’ third entry was acclaimed for its comic-book-inspired and cel-shaded art style along with excitingly kinetic action. As expected, the massive roster of characters from both IPs gives the game immense variety and longevity, providing fans to pick from many of Marvel’s best superhero characters.
Sunset Overdrive
While not a Marvel game (or a superhero game in general), the Xbox One console-exclusive Sunset Overdrive has been regarded as the last generation of gaming’s most underrated titles. One of the most comparable features of this action-adventure game to Spider-Man, despite lacking the subgenre, is its vibrant world, fast-paced and satisfying traversal mechanics. and light-hearted comedic elements.
Sunset Overdrive‘s combat system was equally praised, as well as the colorful and upbeat take on the post-apocalyptic setting that drives home the marketed “playground” atmosphere. The game unabashedly embraces its wonderfully ridiculous premise and refuses to take itself seriously, which turns out to be another one of its most charming assets. Along with the Xbox One version, players can also get Sunset Overdrive for PC.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Though its sequels left something to be desired, the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is one of the best classic superhero video games. The Ultimate Alliance series takes an action-RPG spin on the superhero genre, paying homage to beloved old-school isometric games like then-Blizzard’s Diablo series, which helped popularize the looter-intensive brand of RPGs.
Praise expectedly went mostly to the simple but well-executed combat mechanics and varied cast of iconic superheroes to choose from. It also was released during a time where couch co-op multiplayer was a norm, and the way Ultimate Alliance implemented its 4-player system provided endless replay value. The top-down isometric perspective also served as a good complement to its stylized art direction.
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