Review: Spider-Man Remastered for PC and Steam Deck

marvelof spiderman (2018) already got a remaster for PlayStation 5 in 2020 and is now also remastered for Windows PC, including a spin-off game. Miles Morales It is set to release on PC later this year. And since its release, it hasn’t aged well despite its glossy sheen on the two new platforms. In fact, praising both the police state and the surveillance state is downright humiliating today. Newcomers may expect a twisted ending in which Spidey uncovers and unravels systemic corruption.However spiderman Still as surface level as the new paintwork this remaster offers. There are criminals, there are civilians, there are heroes, there are supervillains, and nothing in between.

probably the biggest perk spidermanhas arrived on Steam storefronts and is also playable on Steam Decks. I played it three ways: native install, streaming via Steam, and streaming via Moonlight (an app that works better than Steam’s streaming service). All worked well — even Steam’s streaming option wasn’t as reliable as other games I’ve tried on Steam Deck since I received it a month ago.

Most of the time I chose to play the installed version of the game directly from the Steam deck so I could play in offline mode and not have to worry about maintaining a good connection with my desktop PC for streaming. (The Steam Deck doesn’t have an ethernet jack, so he uses a USB-C adapter, but he only has one USB-C jack on the Steam Deck, and that’s for the power cable.) Few people would be surprised to know. I guess.that spiderman This device can consume a lot of battery. I mostly plugged it in and played. Also, the game heats up Steam decks quite a bit, and fans have to make up for that. With headphones on, though, I barely noticed the loud fan pulsation.

I noticed audio sync issues on both Steam Deck and PC. I’m not talking about consistent audio delay. It suggests a problem with the hardware, not the game. Instead, audio issues were occasional, but frustratingly frequent. asked. In another example, seeing Otto Octavius ​​quietly yell in frustration, then hearing his voice actor yell a second later made me laugh out loud at a serious moment. Almost every cutscene had at least one audio issue he had along those lines. The game received multiple updates during the pre-review period. The update released on August 7 included a fix for “audio sync, stutter, and performance issues in cut scenes” and we haven’t noticed any issues since.

Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Another bug I experienced only in the desktop version of the game involved a watchtower that Peter unlocked throughout Manhattan. button prompt to decode was not triggered. The third time, instead of giving up and trying another quest, I reloaded the save to see if that helped. After reloading, the entire tower glitched out, becoming a terrifying work of abstract art in the process. The only thing that fixed it was a full restart of the game, luckily given that unlocking these towers is the core of the progression mechanic, this bug caused the save his It didn’t corrupt the entire file.

Aside from these minor issues, spiderman Plays like a dream and looks good doing it. Just like in 2018 (and 2020), 2022 will see Spider-Man fly around the streets of virtual New York in breathtaking sensations. It’s incredible to see places I visited in real life recreated here in detail, with some fun alterations (such as Fisk Tower instead of Time his Warner building). On my desktop PC, with all graphics settings enabled, the city skyline shines just as beautifully as the real thing, with sunlight reflecting off reflective surfaces and skyscrapers. There are also differences in details, such as the high-definition sweat on Miles’ forehead and the tears that roll from his eyes during key scenes. (Unfortunately, Miles’ hair is Miles Morales, but its remaster is still on the way. )

Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Even some bugs I’ve encountered are spiderman It’s a great way to play it, especially with the Steam Deck. spiderman An overwhelming collection asson, with markers placed throughout the map to indicate side missions, collectibles, and enemy strongholds related to various Marvel villains, vying for control in a vast criminal underworld. . I’ve fallen deep into the collection rabbit hole, postponing crime-fighting in favor of collecting all the Peter Parker backpacks around town. It’s a great quest to do while you’re on the go, or socializing with your roommates between each in-game task. Maybe — if you’re running story missions, the desktop version will highlight those cutscenes — but in between dramatic episodes of Peter’s life, your superhero to-do list is just as good on your handheld. is satisfactory.

Insomniac Games could clean up some unpolished aspects. Marvel’s Spider-Man on your computer. However, one big part of the game remains the same. Beginners may be surprised. In 2018 on Deadspin “They turned Spider-Man into a damn cop and it sucks“:

Not only does Spider-Man help the police by catching armed robbers and putting deranged supervillains in jail, but he also helps them maintain a high-tech, city-wide surveillance network. […] This is game mechanics familiar to anyone who has played an open-world RPG in the last decade. What the tower does functionally is reveal areas of the game map to the player so that the player can find additional missions and collectibles. But it’s not strictly a game mechanic, it’s also a narrative choice, one with some pretty obvious real-life parallels. and software, allowing them to monitor and collect data on their citizens is a dystopian yet clever video game plotline.and What Happened in Real New York City, Literally.

When Ley wrote this post, he had only played the game for a few hours, so he didn’t know how thematic this aspect was. spiderman right. It’s not just a side his mission or a throwaway gag (although there are plenty of gags about Peter pretending to be a die-hard police veteran who calls himself “Spider-Cop”). Spider-Man works with the police throughout the game, and the police’s extensive surveillance of the city is presented as a useful resource. This was strange in 2018, and critics noted it at the time, but four more years have passed since then, and public scrutiny and criticism of America’s police force has increased even more. In 2022, Marvel’s Spider-Man It feels even further removed from the actual version of American cities.

Also, people keep calling Peter.Above phone! In 2018! anyway.

Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

A crisp new paint job is a definite upgrade, but Marvel’s Spider-Man I can’t help but show it’s age.remind of brooklyn nine nine — cute, funny, and ultimately spreading a series of comforting lies about the NYPD. have spent a lot of time on I have visited every Harry Osborn research station. There, Peter uses both his superpowers and scientific know-how to clean up chemical spills and give the environment a chance to put things right.

More than once I wished the whole game was as satisfying as these research stations. But these little side quests don’t advance the plot and offer little to no hints of the story or how to develop characters. But they do get a glimpse of what happened — using his own eyes, ears, wits, and web, rather than the power of a mass surveillance state, to provide a version of Spider-Man that could be anytime, anywhere. Masu — Archer. Maintaining this illusion with a Steam deck is much easier. You only pay half attention to the plot as you make your way through Central Park to rescue a homeless man’s pet pigeon. Spider-Man should stay small. After all, he’s the friendly neighborhood type.

Marvel’s Spider-Man It will be released on August 12th Windows computer. This game was reviewed on PC using a pre-release download code provided by Insomniac Games. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.