PlayStation Studios PC ports have been impressive so far, but Marvel’s Spider-Man takes it a notch higher. It feels like the PC port has reached its full potential now that it’s unrestrained by PlayStation hardware. The previously PlayStation-exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered was first launched on the PS4 in 2018, followed by the launch in 2020 on the PS5. Insomniac Games has finally released the most-awaited “Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered” for PC.
Graphics, Tech & Audio
New York is represented in a stunning panorama with the 21:9 or 32:9 display and, of course, your friendly neighbour, Peter Parker the Photographer. It’s Steam Deck verified too, though performance is still a work in progress. However, the same core issues persist even on PC, no matter how high the frame rate goes. But are its problems easier to ignore when you’re flying 90mph down 5th Avenue at 120 FPS in super ultrawide? Oh, yes!
The visual and performance benefits of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC are beyond compare. The ray-tracing enabled software and new tech like DLAA make swinging through Manhattan an enthralling experience, while the framerate increase from DLSS and a better GPU make it feel ever more smooth and even more exhilarating. With all the graphics settings turned up, the city’s skyline sparkles beautifully, as if it’s the real thing, with sunlight dancing off reflective surfaces and between skyscrapers. It’s a visual experience for sure.
Similar to God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn, Marvel’s Spider-Man has been exceptionally well-optimized for PC. While you’ll need a robust setup with an RTX 3080 and the latest-gen i7 processor to get the full 4K at 60 FPS experience, it works well on the lowest settings. The detail level is noticeably higher, thanks to true 4K resolution whilst still offering ray tracing and 60+ fps.
Similar to God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn, Marvel’s Spider-Man has been exceptionally well-optimized for PC. While you’ll need a robust setup with an RTX 3080 and a latest-gen i7 processor to get the full 4K at 60 FPS experience, it works well on the lowest settings. The detail level is noticeably higher, thanks to true 4K resolution, whilst still offering ray tracing and 60+ fps.
One minor downside, however, that’s noteworthy is that, compared to the PS5 version, the load time, according to Digital Foundry’s test, takes longer. Loading from the menu into the regular game on the PS5 was 1.92 seconds, while on the PC (12900K w/3.5Gb NVMe drive) it was 3.03 seconds.
Also, this game really demands a controller as opposed to a keyboard and mouse, though it is playable on those as well. Some have been having issues with third-party controllers, with instructions for a fix available here.
The PC version of Spider-Man: Remastered had several issues with audio syncing. It’s not like a consistent audio delay, which may suggest an issue with the hardware. Instead, the audio issues were occasional but just frequent enough to be irritating. Almost every cut-scene had audio hiccups, mostly delays in the sync. The game received multiple updates over the course of the advanced review period; and the latest update, released on August 7, included a fix for “audio sync, stutter, and performance issues in cut-scenes.”
The Remastered Gameplay
Fight scene from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered on PC
On a surface level, Spider-Man has been coloured with a new coat of paint, but the remaster offers up the same: There are criminals and there are civilians, heroes and supervillains, and nothing in between. Newcomers might expect some twist ending in which Spidey discovers and unravels systemic corruption.
Outside of main story missions, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered is a collect-a-thon, with markers all over the map denoting side missions, collectables, and enemy strongholds associated with various Marvel villains competing for dominance in an extensive criminal underworld. It seems like a gigantic mess of a collectable rabbit hole where you are busting crimes in favour of collecting all of Peter Parker’s backpacks around the city. Insomniac Games will likely clean up the few unpolished aspects of Marvel’s Spider-Man on PC.
As in the comics, Spider-Man works with the police throughout the entire game. The cops’ widespread surveillance of the city is presented as a useful resource. And Spider-Man ain’t no do-gooder kid from Queens helping out his community so much as a willing tool of the state.
While the game hits the nail on the head with the physicality and iconography of the character Spider-Man, it sort of fails to add anything meaningful to the mythos. It’s as if Spidey has been made into a unique hero, borne out of the shallow end of socio-economic issues, and the developers seem to be content with it. For example, Spider-Man’s late on rent and stretched thin by his many personal and professional responsibilities. The plot avoids any commentary beyond this being an occasional motivating factor.
Over and above, Marvel’s Spider-Man is a big rehash of the already familiar Spider-Man stories, which makes it feel like a bit of an imitation in the end. However, in terms of the ultra-wide graphics, it is an exceptional imitation to be sure, but it could have been so much more.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is currently available on Steam, Epic, and more PC platforms. It marks the fourth major formerly exclusive PlayStation title to come to PC, following Horizon: Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and God of War, joining titles that are exclusive only to consoles, such as Death Stranding, Journey, Heavy Rain, and Detroit Become Human.
Upcoming Launches
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Last of Us Part I, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, are all expected to be arriving on the PC soon, while users are hoping numerous other exclusives will make the jump in coming years including Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part II, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Infamous Second Son, Shadow of the Colossus: Remastered, Until Dawn, The Last Guardian, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Bloodborne among others.