Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist review for PS4

Marvel’s Spider-Man has been a critical hit and it?s currently my game of the year, but now it is time for the first of three planned DLC. I think it?s fairly obvious, but I will state it anyway; I will avoid spoilers to the best I can, but I would advise you finish the main story before playing this DLC. I had 100% on the main story when I played this and there were some phone calls Spidey received that would give away story spoilers. I don?t know if these phone calls are tied to your story progress or not, but I think for the best all around experience, finish the main story as well as the Black Cat side missions. The Heist DLC is selectable via menu selection once loaded into your game, so while you will be exploring the same NYC, you will not be able to complete other side missions or objectives while playing it (besides landmark and secret photos).

The Heist story is anchored by the Black Cat getting mixed up with the Maggia crime family and your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man getting involved. The story isn?t too long so I don?t want to give too much away, but the missions included in The Heist give a good variety of things to do, while introducing some new missions and not overstaying it?s welcome. The inclusion of ?gangster? style villains was a great idea and I?m not sure how I didn?t even realize they were missing from the main game. While most of the villains are just rethemed villains from the main game, they did introduce a new brute toting a mini-gun, who can be a pain to deal with at times. While you will be exploring the same NYC map as I stated earlier, Insomniac made the right call of not forcing you to do things in every single district. Most of the story and its side missions take place midtown, which makes the handful of districts feel like they each have more to distract you while trying to complete the main story.

Speaking of things to do, your old friend Screwball is back. This character and her missions in the main game were rather annoying to me (which I think was the point), but it was funny to see her return for the DLC. What?s interesting about her missions is that they unlock Challenge Tokens, which they did not in the main game. Many people had trouble with getting the Challenge Tokens in the main game via Taskmaster missions; some to the point of restarting the game (which I didn?t understand). So for those who are short on some Tokens for costumes or gadget upgrades, this is a great (easier) opportunity to get more Challenge Tokens. All of your Tokens from the main game still work within the DLC so Crime and Challenge Tokens are unlocked throughout The Heist.

Speaking of costumes, The Heist includes three all new suits to unlock. Unfortunately the suits are purely cosmetic and do not unlock any suit abilities, like most of the suits from the main game. The suits are also unlocked throughout the DLC, so you don?t get them all at once. The very last suit, Scarlet Spider II, is unlocked following 100% completion of the DLC, so for me that was kind of useless. Considering I already 100%?ed the main game, I guess it will wait in the spidey closet until the next DLC. While the addition of more costumes is great, the chosen suits are not really any of my favorites (where is the Amazing Bag Man or Cosmic Spider-Man?).

Overall if you?re looking for more Spider-Man, The Heist is a great beginning to the DLC storyline that will continue over the next two months. It?s critical that you know that you are playing DLC one of three when you play The Heist because it leaves you with a bit of a cliffhanger and it?s not a self contained story, as some might have expected. With the arrival of Red Dead Redemption 2, it?s going to be tough to escape the old west to finish out this story, but Spidey?s latest leaves you wondering where they will go next and what trouble New York is in for.

Note: SIEA provided us with a Spider-Man PS4 code for review purposes.