Spider-Man Games With The Best Stories, Ranked

While exciting action, swinging through the city, and impressive visuals are important, the truly memorable Spider-Man games also tell good stories that stay true to the spirit of the Marvel comics. Over the years, these games have often tried to capture what makes Spider-Man special – his personality, his wit, and his history – while featuring iconic villains. A solid story is enough for a good Spider-Man game, but a truly great one needs a story that really stands out.

No matter which Spider-Man you play as – Peter Parker, Miguel O’Hara, or Miles Morales – you experience life as a hero, facing challenges, overcoming hardship, and taking on incredible responsibility. So, let’s explore the many Spider-Man video games and highlight the best stories they have to offer.

10. Spider-Man (2000)

Cheesy In The Best Possible Way

I still love the original Spider-Man game on PS1 because it just feels so good to play – it’s tight and really enjoyable! The story isn’t super deep, but it’s fun enough. But honestly, the best part is watching Spider-Man and Venom team up. They’re this hilariously awful, mismatched duo, like a buddy comedy – it reminds me of movies like Midnight Run or even the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s a really fun dynamic!

Even though it’s a straightforward action game, Spider-Man feels like a true Spider-Man comic book – packed with villains, funny conversations between Spider-Man and Venom, and plenty of Marvel characters. This game is still a PS1 classic for many reasons, and its surprisingly engaging (though admittedly over-the-top) story is a big part of why.

9. Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Dungeon Crawling & Great World Building

Even though the title doesn’t say it, Spider-Man plays a big role in Marvel Ultimate Alliance. This traditional action RPG feels like a true comic book adventure, letting you choose four Marvel heroes to battle the villainous Doctor Doom and his Masters of Evil.

While the story in Ultimate Alliance isn’t particularly deep, the game does a great job of creating a believable Marvel universe. It’s obvious the developers were passionate about the source material, as players visit numerous locations and interact with a wide variety of characters, making the world feel vibrant and dynamic. Even heroes like Spider-Man have unique conversations based on who they meet.

8. Ultimate Spider-Man

A Faithful And Ambitious Attempt To Tell A Canon Spider-Man Story

While most Spider-Man games draw ideas from the comics, they usually create their own separate worlds, allowing for creative freedom. Ultimate Spider-Man, however, did something different – it stayed true to the ‘Ultimate’ universe from the comics. The game’s unique, cartoon-like art style fits this setting perfectly, and the story picks up a few months after the ‘Ultimate Venom’ storyline in the comics.

This game clearly aims to feel like a true Spider-Man story, even though the events it portrays weren’t heavily featured in the comics. Beyond that, Ultimate Spider-Man offers a good, though fast-paced, story for both Spider-Man and Venom that fits nicely into the larger Spider-Man universe. It’s a shame the game is so short, as it doesn’t fully explore its ideas, but what’s there is enjoyable.

7. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

Four Legacy Spider-Men Together

These days, stories featuring Spider-Men from different universes are popular, but before the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was one of the first to bring together multiple versions of the hero. The game teams up Spider-Man, Ultimate Peter Parker, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Man 2099 to defeat Mysterio and his dimensional chaos.

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I was so excited to see Josh Keaton, Neil Patrick Harris, C.D. Barnes, and Dan Gilvezan – all Spider-Men from previous animated series – lending their voices to this game! The story isn’t super complicated like some games, but it’s really good and kept me hooked as these Spider-Men teamed up to fight a bunch of villains and protect the Web Of Destiny.

6. Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows

Choose Between Light And Dark Destinies

Spider-Man comics often challenge the hero with difficult moral choices, and the game Spider-Man: Web of Shadows does a good job of bringing those to life for players. While it doesn’t offer quite as many branching paths as games like Detroit: Beyond Human, your decisions still impact the story and determine the fate of characters.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows was a groundbreaking game, offering a level of story depth never before seen in a Spider-Man title. It featured a dynamic open world, appearances from other Marvel heroes, and unique gameplay options based on whether Spider-Man wore his red suit or the symbiote suit. It’s clear why Insomniac Games drew inspiration from it when developing their own Spider-Man games years later.

5. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Marvel’s Civil War In Video Game Form

Spider-Man returned in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 alongside a huge team of heroes, but this game had a more complex story based on the ‘Civil War’ comic event. Following the events of the original Ultimate Alliance, a law called the Superhuman Registration Act was created, causing a split among Marvel’s heroes – some supported it, while others opposed it.

Ultimate Alliance 2 really emphasizes characters and conversations, because the game tells the story from the perspectives of both sides of the conflict with two separate campaigns. The story is noticeably darker, showing the strengths and weaknesses of each side. It highlights how damaging it is when heroes can’t put aside their differences and work together.

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Twice The Power Comes Twice The Responsibility

While the story in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 sometimes feels rushed due to juggling both the Kraven the Hunter and Venom storylines, Insomniac Games still manages to tell a deeply moving story about the burdens of responsibility faced by Peter Parker and Miles Morales.

Both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities, which strains their lives. While villains like Kraven, Venom, Mister Negative, and Sandman deliver exciting action, they also drive the story forward, developing the individual arcs for each Spider-Man. Despite being a strong sequel overall, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 attempts to do a lot at once, leading to a somewhat confusing, though still fun, narrative.

3. Spider-Man: Edge Of Time

A Great Sequel, Too Often Forgotten

While some might miss the multiple Spider-Men of Shattered Dimensions, Spider-Man: Edge of Time doesn’t suffer from having a smaller roster. This game brings together Peter Parker and Miguel O’Hara from the year 2099, tasking them with repairing a fractured timeline – a story that often gets overlooked by fans.

Spider-Man: Edge of Time focuses heavily on developing the personalities of both Spider-Men. Miguel begins as a more distant hero and grows into a better person thanks to guidance from the original Spider-Man. The game’s story is also noticeably darker and more complex, building on the strong gameplay of the first installment with plenty of surprising twists and turns.

2. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Growing Pains During The Holiday Season

Even though Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales features exciting superpowers and classic villains like Prowler and Rhino, the game tells a more realistic and personal story for Miles. It focuses on the challenges he faces protecting New York City while Peter Parker is gone, and balancing that with his responsibilities to his friends and family as he grows up.

The winter holiday backdrop in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is key to the story, highlighting Miles’ strong relationships with his community, both as a person and as a superhero. The storyline involving Miles and the Prowler is a standout in the world Insomniac has created, and their fresh interpretation of the Tinkerer is arguably even more compelling than the comic book version.

1. Marvel’s Spider-Man

A New And Sensational Universe

Insomniac Games delivered what many Spider-Man fans wanted: an open-world superhero experience similar to the Batman: Arkham games, but reimagined with the Spider-Man story. Marvel’s Spider-Man stars a Peter Parker who has been Spider-Man for eight years, letting players jump into a well-established world without needing to see his origin story again.

Packed with villains, a fresh look at Miles Morales, and a lot of heart, Marvel’s Spider-Man quickly became a fan favorite. It features fantastic combat and web-swinging, but it’s the story, characters, and excellent voice acting that really connected with players, making them laugh, smile, and even cry. While Miles Morales has its share of emotional moments, Marvel’s Spider-Man is perhaps the definitive Peter Parker story, capturing the hero’s personality and charm almost flawlessly.

2025-12-25 18:07