Insomniac’s Spider-Man PS4 exclusive is out now and it has been pretty successful. Topping God of War‘s week one sales to become the fastest-selling games of 2018 in the UK (US sales figures are still to be determined), a lot of people are currently swinging through its open-world New York. While Insomniac has been widely praised for its interpretation of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, does it stack up against the first entry in Rocksteady’s Dark Knight trilogy, Batman: Arkham Asylum?
Arkham Asylum was critically acclaimed upon release and is regarded as one of the best superhero games ever. With Rocksteady providing a fresh spin on the iconic Caped Crusader’s Rogues Gallery, not to mention bringing in the voice talent from the beloved Batman Animated Series, Arkham Asylum was a game-changing for Batman fans and set the standard for licensed games.
Spider-Man looks set to be a similar launching pad for a series based on the web-slinger, with Insomniac going to great lengths to make players feel as though they’re the ones ziplining through Manhattan and pirouetting between its skyscrapers. It’s proven to be a big hit with critics and players alike, though is it comparable to Rocksteady’s transformative take on the World’s Greatest Detective?
Though Arkham Asylum was widely praised, it’s not without its flaws. Some criticized it for being too short, while it’s universally accepted that its boss fights are not befitting of the franchise’s infamous villains. Similarly, Spider-Man has been criticized for being too repetitive, and for not making better use of the cast of the characters that surround Peter Parker. But does it achieve the same end goal as Arkham Asylum? Do you believe it’s set to launch a hugely successful Spider-Man video game franchise?
As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
