Is Spider-Man Better on PC or Controller? A Deep Dive
The simple answer is: for the best experience with Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PC, a controller is overwhelmingly recommended. While both games offer keyboard and mouse support, they are fundamentally designed with analogue input from a controller in mind. This design choice influences everything from movement and combat to the fluidity of swinging through the city. Let’s explore why.
Why a Controller is the Preferred Choice for Spider-Man
Designed for Controller Input
The core mechanics of Spider-Man games, particularly the swinging, rely heavily on the analogue sticks of a controller. The subtle variations in pressure and direction offered by these sticks allow for precise control over Spidey’s movements. This is far more intuitive and natural than the digital, on/off inputs of a keyboard. The button layout is also carefully designed for actions, allowing for a streamlined and intuitive combat system. While keyboard controls are available, they often feel less fluid, and it can be more difficult to pull off complex combos or move with grace.
The Swinging Experience
The iconic swinging mechanic is where the controller truly shines. The ability to subtly adjust your trajectory mid-swing, use momentum to perform tricks, and seamlessly transition between web zips and wall runs is much easier with the analogue control. Trying to achieve the same level of fluidity with a keyboard can feel stiff and awkward. It’s often the difference between feeling like Spider-Man and feeling like you’re controlling a rigid character in a 3D space.
Combat and Movement
While precise aiming might seem like an advantage for mouse and keyboard setups, the combat in Spider-Man games is more about fluid movement, combo execution, and web gadget usage than it is about pinpoint headshots. The controller’s layout is perfect for quickly accessing these actions. The analogue triggers, which provide a level of pressure sensitivity, can be a valuable addition for charging web attacks or precisely controlling your gadget usage.
Genre Conventions
The action-adventure genre, especially with a third-person perspective like Spider-Man, is traditionally better suited for controller input. Similar games almost always feel better with a controller. This design trend isn’t arbitrary; it stems from the natural feel and intuitive control a controller provides for this style of gameplay.
When Does PC Gaming Shine?
While controllers are the clear winner for Spider-Man games, it’s crucial to recognize the advantages of PC gaming in general, particularly with these titles.
Performance and Visuals
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC offers significant visual and performance upgrades over the console versions. Higher frame rates, support for ray-traced reflections, and resolutions exceeding 4K are all benefits that can enhance your gaming experience. For gamers with a powerful PC, the difference is readily noticeable. The PC platform allows players to adjust graphics settings to fine-tune the balance between visual fidelity and smooth performance, which is something that console users do not have as much control over.
Customization and Flexibility
PC gaming offers unparalleled customization opportunities, with the option to use various controllers, remap controls as desired, and tweak graphics settings to match the capabilities of your hardware. Steam Input ensures almost any controller can be used, and even remapped if needed.
Conclusion: Embrace the Controller
Despite the versatility of PC gaming, a controller is the best way to experience Marvel’s Spider-Man games. The gameplay is designed with analogue input in mind. While a mouse and keyboard can function, the flow, combat, and, most importantly, swinging, feel much better with a controller.
Ultimately, while the PC version enhances the visual fidelity of these titles, it doesn’t change the fundamental fact that the design philosophy of the gameplay leans heavily towards the usage of a controller. If you want to feel truly like Spider-Man, it is the way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I play Spider-Man on PC with a keyboard?
Yes, you can absolutely play Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and Miles Morales on PC with a keyboard and mouse. The games fully support this control method, but it’s often considered less optimal for the best gameplay experience.
2. Which controllers are compatible with Spider-Man PC?
The game supports a wide variety of controllers, including DualSense (PlayStation 5), DualShock 4 (PlayStation 4), Xbox One, Xbox 360, and XInput compatible controllers. Steam Deck is also a compatible controller.
3. Is Spider-Man Remastered better on PC or console?
The PC version offers significant upgrades, such as higher frame rates, superior ray tracing, and support for ultra-wide and higher-than-4K resolutions. For PC gamers with powerful hardware, the enhanced visuals and performance make the PC version superior.
4. Should I use a controller for Spiderman Remastered PC?
Yes, it’s strongly recommended to use a controller for the best experience. The game was designed with analogue input in mind and the controls feel significantly better with a controller, particularly for swinging.
5. Is Spider-Man well optimized on PC?
Yes, Marvel’s Spider-Man is generally very well optimized on PC, especially for an open-world title with high graphical fidelity. However, the game does tend to be CPU intensive, so consider that when optimizing your graphics settings.
6. How do I optimize Spider-Man for PC?
You can optimize your settings by adjusting various graphics options. A good starting point is using Medium Texture Quality and Shadow Quality. Some settings can be turned off, such as Ray-traced Reflections, to improve performance, as well. AMD FSR 2.2 is also recommended.
7. Is Spider-Man on PC CPU or GPU intensive?
The game is known to be extremely CPU intensive. Upgrading your CPU to a modern Intel or Ryzen processor can have a significant impact on performance.
8. What is the recommended PC for Spider-Man Remastered?
The recommended PC specifications include a Windows 10 64-bit OS, an Intel Core i5-4670 (3.4 Ghz) or an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (3.2 Ghz) processor, 16 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB graphics card.
9. Do most PC players use controller?
A minority of PC players use a controller. According to data from Steam, around 10% of Steam users rely on game controllers. The majority use a keyboard and mouse setup. However, certain genres, such as third person action adventures, benefit greatly from a controller.
10. Why is an Xbox controller often preferred for PC?
Xbox controllers are very popular with PC players because they offer good battery life, better UI integration with Windows, and a comfortable design. Additionally, they are the most common controllers used on the Windows operating system.
11. Is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales better on controller or keyboard?
Similar to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Miles Morales is much better played with a controller due to the reasons discussed earlier.
12. Is it worth buying Spider-Man Remastered PC?
If you have a powerful PC with ray-tracing capabilities, the visual and performance upgrades make the PC version well worth the investment. However, if your PC doesn’t meet these requirements, the benefits might not justify the additional cost if you have already played the console version.
13. Is Spider-Man 2 coming out for PC?
While an official date hasn’t been released, many expect Spider-Man 2 to release on PC sometime in late 2024. Typically, PlayStation exclusives will eventually arrive on PC after their console release.
14. How long does it take to beat Spider-Man Remastered PC?
The average playthrough for the main story of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is about 17 hours. Completing all the side content and extra activities will usually bring the total to about 35-45 hours.
15. Which is better: Spider-Man Remastered or Miles Morales?
Spider-Man Remastered is a prequel to Miles Morales. You would generally play it first, but both games provide a fantastic Spider-Man experience, and if you have already played the original version, Miles Morales might be the next step forward.