An interesting outcome of the continuous advance of technology and society is the effect on video games and video game culture. This readily apparent when comparing games from the early 2000’s with more modern releases – even when they are spiritual successors or extensions of an existing franchise. One franchise that shows a marked difference while still retaining much of the same gameplay ideals is the Spider-Man video game franchise for Sony PlayStation console.
Spider-Man 2 for the Sony PlayStation 2 released in 2004 was a darling of the critics and received a 9/10 score from IGN.com. Inspired by and loosely based on the Spider-Man 2 movie, it was a successor to the 2002 Spider-Man game which only garnered mediocre praise from critics. Spider-Man 2 sought to fix issues with the fluidity of the game by introducing smoother camera control mechanics and redesigning the map. Spider-Man 2 expanded upon the open world sandbox style map popularized by the Grand Theft Auto Vice City game released only 2 years prior. The introduction of tall skyscrapers and an innovative web slinging/building climbing mechanics allowed the game developers to make a small map (by today’s standards) feel larger than it really was.
The large map which was modeled on Manhattan was praised for its innovativeness and graphic detail. The swinging web animations were praised for its fluidity and the cutscene animations were among the best of its time. The main story is largely linear broken into 17 chapters which generally begin immediately after completing the previous one. Each chapter has a small cutscene which is accompanied with a task list for that chapter. While roaming the map in free play mode small “petty crimes” (mini-objectives) would pop-up. These could be from one of eight different types which proved a novel if somewhat repetitive addition to the story. Completing these would earn hero points which were often a chapter requirement making these mini-missions mandatory to progress. The overall length of the main story was rather short with an experienced gamer able to complete it in an average of 6 hours or less.
The game begins with a detailed introductory mission that explains movement and combat mechanics. The game walks the player through the wall climbing, jumping, web-swinging, movement, and camera controls having the player test out all of the buttons in an easy, low pressure situation to familiarize themselves with the controls. Compared to a more modern games which like to throw the player immediately into an exciting action scene that sets the tone for the game, the introduction might have been viewed as too overly detailed and relatively slow-paced.
The combat was largely simplistic and lent itself towards button mashing an attack button to quickly deal out large amounts of damage to enemies. The game introduced a spider sense mechanic that allowed the players to make perfectly timed counters if they pressed the dodge button as a visual indicator around the character’s head flashed. In practice, the window for a perfect dodge was rather lenient, which when combined with the one button attack scheme made combat more of a repetitive chore than an exciting challenge as the game went on. Progressing through the game allowed the player to unlock combos that involved using your web shooters in innovative ways. Even with the introduction of combos, most enemies could be defeated without bothering to use your web-based powers making them all but redundant.
The game’s combat animations while considered competent for their time do not age well with minor character model clipping issues that sometimes resulted in Spider-Man’s hand going through supposedly solid objects or hits registering on the player when in fact, they were near misses. The combat auto lock-on system also lacked the polish expected from a modern triple-A release with attacks sometimes missing their intended enemy. These issues however, were not uncommon in games of this era where the focus of games were a fun time pass than a truly polished work of art.
In contrast, Marvel’s Spider-Man which released for the Sony PlayStation 4 in 2018 which borrowed many of the basic gameplay elements exhibited far better polish as an end product. The main story in this game was longer (over 20 hours of gameplay) with a greater focus on story telling. Instead of merely using cutscenes to introduce new enemies or new tasks to complete, they served to flesh out the character of Peter Parker to make players actually invested in progressing to find out what happens next in the story. While the game has strong ties to the Marvel universe, it follows a new story blending suits and characters from both the movies and comics.
The combat system was far more advanced with numerous enemy types that each required different strategies to defeat. As the player progressed through the game, they could complete small mini-objectives to earn tokens which then traded for suit upgrades, new combo maneuvers and new gadgets. While these mini-objectives were completely optional unlike the PS2 game, players could quickly find themselves under-equipped and under-leveled if they completely neglected this aspect of the game. By introducing so many different types of web gadgets, gameplay managed to feel fresh and combat did not feel like a chore. Boss fights as well felt more unique and memorable when compared to the PS2 game where many bosses featured little to differentiate them from run of the mill enemies save for increased health. The PS4 game required different strategies for every boss encounter often using the environment or quick time events for visually stunning combat.
Small tweaks to the web swinging and climbing system allowed Spider-Man to move through the map allowing him to keep speed and retain momentum with ease. The game used this to its advantage by introducing an aerial combat system that allowed skilled players to challenge large numbers of enemies using your superior speed and mobility without fear of being overwhelmed. This likely is a reflection if a more mature target audience than its PS2 precursor. As an increasing number of adults play video games, developers are able to create complex game mechanics that require a higher skill floor but result in a much higher skill ceiling rewarding players who spend time honing their skills.
Graphically, the PS4 game is obviously far superior with the option of 4K HDR resolution and a fan-favorite photo mode that shows off the visual polish of the game. The map is incredibly detailed and gives players the impression that they are actually swinging around New York City with famous landmarks and buildings rendered in fairly realistic detail. The game does also benefit from the advances of technology with game updates that can address bugs resulting in a very smooth-playing end product. It also features an autosave system which is a marked improvement over the old manual save with 3 save slots.
The PS4 game also departed from the traditional Spider-Man storyline between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson opting to portray MJ as more of a platonic friend that a one-dimensional love interest. By allowing the player characters to control her and supporting character Miles Morales, the game introduced variety and diversity to the gameplay. It also featured a stealth mechanic that seemed largely inspired by games like the Metal Gear Solid and Assassin’s Creed series. This gave players the option to assess combat situations and gave them the freedom to engage enemies as they see fit making encounters seem less formulaic and cookie-cutter.
Overall, this is but one example of how video games have changed significantly in the last 10-15 years to provide a more diversified and polished experience reflecting the ever-increasing demographic of gamers.
The first thing I noticed was that you don’t have images. Other than that, the material you bring up is used effectively and communicates the differences between the games. The only improvement I suggest in the layout of your essay is to add headers so the reader can easily navigate through this information.