Despite last month’s disappointing VR tie-in experience to Spider-Man: Homecoming we’re still itching to do whatever a spider can. This fan-made tribute lets us do just that. And no, I don’t mean Windlands.
Reddit user Maxalo recently posted a small technical demo for a Spider-Man VR game online. Take note that this is 100% an unofficial fan creation and in no way affiliated with Marvel itself. With that said, the app easily trumps the Homecoming tie-in, allowing users to swing through a small city area as if we really were Peter Parker.
Now I know what you’re thinking: “Where are the sick bags?” And it’s true that some people won’t be able to handle the sensation of swinging through a New York skyline in VR, but if you’re up to the task then you really have to give this a shot. Check out some gameplay above. Apologies for how terrible I am at it.
As you’d expect you use your Oculus Touch controllers to aim at a building, then pull the grip button to fire out a web in a straight line. If your aim is on-point (targeting reticles are a great help) then you’ll attach to the side of a building, swoop down into the city streets and then back up into the air. Let go of your web, shoot another, and you’re on your way. You can even pull yourself towards your web-line to throw yourself up higher, which is essential when learning the ropes.
Granted it’s got plenty of bugs (not including Spidey himself) that you can see in our gameplay clip above, and getting to grips with the controls is mighty difficult. I found myself forgetting to turn a lot and slamming into the sides of buildings. Sadly there’s no wall-crawling feature but what’s here is great all the same. We’re not sure we’ll be able to go back to traditional web-swinging on the 2D screen after this.
Maxalo says that, if the project was to continue, then it wouldn’t use Spider-Man anymore but instead a grappling hook. That would make it a bit more like Windlands, but Psytec’s VR platformer is a little different to Spidey’s brand of swinging.
Obviously Marvel itself would probably have something to say if Maxalo was to make a full Spider-Man VR game, so it’s for the best. That said we’re holding out hope that Spider-Man will make it into Marvel Powers United VR on Rift next year, and developer Sanzaru Games could likely learn a thing or two about the implementation here.
