Many times single player DLC is made to tie up loose ends, but with The City That Never Sleeps, Insomniac is opening up new possibilities and showing that there are far more stories still untold in the world of Spider-Man. The City That Never Sleeps is separated into three chapters, and while each chapter is marked by a different character (Black Cat, police captain Yuri Watanabe, and Silver Sable respectively) the story is unequivocally focused on Maggia boss Hammerhead. On their own, these chapters are a little underwhelming but when sewn together they make one great batch of DLC with plenty of reasons to revisit Marvel’s take on New York City.
Since the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man last year, one of the highlights of players’ experiences with the game is the awesome suits you can don as New York’s favorite web slinger and the DLC definitely doesn’t disappoint. While Insomniac’s original suit is still my favorite, there were plenty of new outfits that I couldn’t help but use while I swung around skyscrapers and took down the variety of challenges provided in the open world. There are two suits that I enjoyed so much I put a couple extra hours into swinging around an empty New York just to see them in action.
There is a good deal of new content to dig into as well as some recycled content that still safely kept itself from ever feeling like a chore. The main change is the addition of new enemy types which, similar to the foes from the base game, can feel overwhelming until you learn the appropriate tools to take them on. There are definitely points where the variety of enemies did seem like too much (particularly in encounters where they felt clumsily thrown all together) though the story does a good job of justifying anything that might feel unfair.
The real highlight from my time with The City That Never Sleeps is the story missions which included some of the best set-pieces and boss fights from any Spider-Man game to date. Hammerhead is a truly terrifying villain worthy of the mantle of Maggia boss and with this DLC Insomniac proved its writing and animation are still second to none. During a late game boss fight I sat in awe of all of the components they were able to get working in a single cohesive encounter. Most of all, the story missions expertly walk the tightrope of having moments feel tense and dangerous while still allowing the player to feel capable of overcoming any obstacles thrown their way.
Another notable addition is the new Screwball challenges, which follow a common trend of games having open-ended DLC based challenges. These feel varied between all three chapters and the new “Photo Bombs” are a great way to laugh at the ridiculousness of beating up escaped convicts or diffusing bombs for internet views. The other side missions have a tendency to feel a little repetitive but successfully instill a sense that there is always something for Spider-Man to attend to.
In terms of storytelling, the side missions hit a lot higher notes. In any iteration of a comic book story it can be difficult to properly introduce such a large number of characters and their motivations. In this regard, the side missions are a great vessel to remind the player that there are a lot of other heroes and villains (and maybe even an antihero or two) whose stories are developing all around New York. The ending of the main storyline is fairly underwhelming, though the characters and stories introduced throughout the rest of the world show that the ending is less important than all of the new beginnings hidden in plain sight.
All together, The City That Never Sleeps stands out as a fantastic example of what superheroes have to contribute to the world of games. Everything that made the base game such a joy is still here, and those parts are used to craft something equally amazing. Next to the ending, the storytelling is well-paced and kept me eagerly awaiting the next twist or hidden plot line to discover. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Marvel’s Spider-Man though after completing this DLC, I can’t help but buzz about what’s next.
Final Score: 9/10
-NSL
Nathan S. Lewis 